Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Blackpool

Inspection report for children’s home: SC415710 1 SC415710 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide care for up to three children who may experience social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

Two children were living at the home at the time of this inspection. Both children spoke to the inspector.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 16 October 2024

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC415710 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/10/2024 Full Good 12/09/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 26/06/2023 Full Inadequate 29/09/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC415710 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, two children have moved out of the home, and two children have moved in. Children are supported to settle into the home. However, one child’s move out of the home was unplanned, and the child did not experience a positive move.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children say that they like staff and that they can speak to someone if they have any worries. Staff develop trusting relationships with children. One parent said, ‘[Name of child] feels that there are people she can speak to. They have her best interests at heart.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have education plans in place. However, attendance at school has been difficult for one child. Staff explore the barriers to children’s learning and work closely with teachers to support children to engage. One teacher said, ‘We work together to support [name of child].’ For example, teachers are welcomed to the home to complete lessons to minimise missed learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are well met. Staff work closely with professionals to ensure that children receive the correct health advice. For example, staff arrange for specialist health professionals to visit children when they are reluctant to attend appointments or decline referrals to specialist services. This reduces children’s anxieties and supports their engagement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy taking part in activities with staff. These include shopping trips and days out. Additionally, children are given the opportunity to take part in extra-curricular activities. For one child, this has included joining a local football team.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s wishes and views are sought in respect of all aspects of their care. Staff support children to understand why decisions are made by professionals in their lives. Additionally, children have access to advocates. This supports children to feel heard and listened to.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Relationships between children are generally positive. However, there have been incidents where children have gone missing from the home together, placing themselves at risk. The manager continues to review the suitability of children’s placements in line with their risks and behaviours.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

When children go missing from home, staff respond promptly. They follow agreed protocols and search for children. The parent of one child who is regularly missing said, ‘Staff are doing everything they can.’ This good support helps children return to the home as quickly as possible. Additionally, the manager works closely with external Inspection report for children’s home: SC415710 4 professionals to explore ways to minimise children’s risks in relation to being missing from home.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff and managers complete robust risk management plans to support keeping children safe. Staff have a good understanding of children’s risks. They have regular discussions with children to support them to make safer choices.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff work well with external agencies. Professionals say that there is good partnership working in place. Additionally, when the manager identifies a specific need for a child, she makes referrals to the appropriate services to ensure that the holistic needs of children are met. This ensures that children have support from those best placed to meet their needs.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

There has been one occasion whereby physical intervention has been used. This was necessary and proportionate to keep the child safe. However, the records relating to this incident are unclear. Additionally, a discussion with the child about the intervention was not undertaken.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is experienced and suitably qualified. She is supported by a deputy manager. Staff enjoy their role and feel well supported by the management team. One staff member said, ‘I couldn’t ask for a better manager.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are held regularly; they are well attended by staff. The manager uses team meetings as an opportunity to complete additional group training to support staff development. This provides the manager with good oversight of staff’s ability to meet children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision in line with the home’s statement of purpose. Supervision is supportive and reflective. New staff receive more frequent supervision. This supports the manager in identifying areas of learning or development for newly recruited staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is suitably staffed. There have been minimal changes to the staff team since the last inspection. Therefore, children are cared for by a consistent staff team who know them well. Additionally, the manager ensures that staff complete identified training to support them to meet children’s individual needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The safer recruitment processes in place are not always effective. For example, one staff member did not have two satisfactory references. Additionally, potential risks in respect of staff members are not always fully assessed, although safeguards are implemented. Inspection report for children’s home: SC415710 5

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the, ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (3)(a)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager should ensure that any concerns in relation to staff members integrity and good character are fully assessed. Additionally, the registered manager should ensure that two references are returned. 24 November 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff are skilled in understanding and managing the range of influences that friendships children have with each other can have on them going missing from home together. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 38, paragraph 8.8)  The registered person should ensure that records of restraint enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice. Additionally, children should be spoken to following any incident requiring physical intervention to ensure that their views about the intervention are sought. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the social care common inspection framework. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it Inspection report for children’s home: SC415710 6 meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. Inspection report for children’s home: SC415710 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 4th Floor, Parkview, 82 Oxford Road, Uxbridge UB8 1UX

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Inspector

Kitty Wiper, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC415710 8 and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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