Children's home run by Cambian Childcare Limited

Inspection report for children's home: 2730001 1 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a large national company. It provides care for up to two children with mental health difficulties who may not be able to live in the community without continued support. The home aims to provide children with a period of stability and assessment.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, two children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a separately registered school on site. The inspectors only inspected the social care provision.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: 10 September 2024

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2730001 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/09/2024 Full Good 22/11/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2730001 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Since the last inspection, two children have left the home and two children have moved in. Both children living at the home felt comfortable to take part in the inspection. The registered manager was on leave on the first day. He was present for the second day.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

One child was found to have unclean bedding. This was brought to the attention of shift leaders and the deputy manager. The child was taken out of the home for a period. However, staff did not use the opportunity to change the child’s bedding. This is concerning because the child spends most of the day in their bedroom and staff are with them. A child also highlighted that there was minimal food in the house. This was discussed with staff, but they were unable to take responsibility for why this had happened or who would rectify it. Senior managers needed to direct the staff on shift to organise food shopping. Staff are not attuned to the needs of the children nor do they seem to understand their roles to ensure that basic care is provided.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children do not have good daily routines. The written daily records demonstrate that children are often asleep until late morning. There is no plan in place for children during the day and it is unclear what arrangements staff make for children when they are not in school or how more-informal learning opportunities take place. This means that children do not have a healthy night and morning routine to support good school attendance and learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff do not use the prescribed therapeutic model. Key-work sessions are often a description of what children are doing. Daily records suggest that staff have passive roles in children’s lives. The service described in the statement of purpose is not yet being delivered.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The children have said that they are unhappy. One child described how they did not feel valued by staff and managers. Another child talked about several issues that were affecting them. Managers were able to provide a narrative to explain the feelings that children have. There are also plans in place for one child to move out. Despite these feelings, children were observed to have positive relationships with some staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children are given opportunities to have fun trips out. Staff make efforts to take children to special shops to enable them to purchase preferred items. One child attends a boxing club weekly. This provides children with enjoyable memories and activities that benefit them. Both children have pets. They speak of these excitedly. This provides children with a sense of responsibility.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Since the last inspection, two children have moved out of the home. Both children have had successful outcomes. One child was able to move back home with a family member. Their progress was celebrated. The child remains in contact with the manager and staff. The child received considerable help and support from the staff team to develop their Inspection report for children's home: 2730001 4 problem-solving skills and self-confidence. This strengthened the child’s resilience and, overall, improved the child’s life chances.

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

One child is at high risk of using ligatures to harm themselves. There have been previous incidents where the child has used a ligature and required emergency medical attention. This has resulted in the child always needing an adult with them. The child’s risk assessment advises that staff who are with the child should have the required equipment to provide immediate support. This risk assessment was not being adhered to during the inspection. The required equipment was stored in the office and not with the staff who were supporting the child. At one point, a manager was with the child and they still did not have the required equipment. However, this was rectified during the inspection. In response to this being identified, senior managers implemented an action plan to ensure that staff always have the required equipment with them. However, prior to this, the main strategy to keep the child safe was not always being used by staff.

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

Staff reported that when they had recently used the ligature cutters, they had not worked properly. Despite this, no action was taken to replace the cutters. The ligature cutters that were seen during the inspection appeared to be unclean. The bags that they were kept in were dirty and unhygienic. Staff do not understand how to take effective action to ensure that they have functioning resources that are required for children’s safety.

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

Staff are not aware of risk assessments. One staff member said that they did not know where the risk assessment to support a child was, or if it had been written. There is no evidence to demonstrate that when staff are redeployed from other homes they are given access to the risk assessments. This means that staff are not clear on where to find the instructions on how to keep children safe in dangerous situations.

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

Risk assessments do not take account of a child’s neurodiversity. Staff are not given practical instructions on how best to communicate in a way that is mindful of neurodiversity. Risk assessments also include identical strategies for each child and different risks. This dilutes the usefulness and meaning of the strategies.

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

One staff member advised that they had seen bruises on a child after they were restrained. Different narratives were provided about what action the staff member took. However, there is no record of these bruises on any restraint record that relates to the child and, subsequently, no exploration of how the child got the bruises. Staff are not clear on the action to take if potential harm has been caused to a child. This does not keep children safe and does not ensure that multi-agency safeguarding partners are involved in decision-making.

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

Staff do not understand what action to take when bullying occurs. One child spends most of their time in their bedroom due to being subject to bullying behaviours from the other child. Despite staff being aware of this risk and being worried about it, risk assessments do not clearly highlight this. This minimises the issues for the child who Inspection report for children's home: 2730001 5 spends time in their room. Staff are not provided with clear guidance on how to respond in bullying situations.

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

Risk assessments include the voice of the child. One child has clearly provided their thoughts about how they would like staff to help them. This ensures that children feel involved in their care.

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

Leaders and managers ensure that all complaints that they are aware of are recorded and investigated objectively. Resolutions are provided within timescales.

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

Children do not go missing. Managers have ensured high levels of observation inside and outside of the home. This minimises the opportunities for children to leave.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager was not present on day one of the inspection due to a period of extended leave. He took part in the second day of the inspection. Leaders and managers understand and accept the shortfalls identified. An action plan has been in put in place to support immediate improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Oversight of the home has been poor. There has not been sufficient monitoring to ensure that the home has effective day-to-day management. For example, during the inspection, it became apparent that the home had no telephone functionality. To make phone calls, staff were required to go to a nearby building. A manager advised that to make an emergency call, staff would need to leave the home. This is not conducive to working with high levels of risk. Despite a manager being aware of this situation, a solution was not provided in a timely manner. There is also poor monitoring of the basic requirements of the home, such as staff following risk assessments and meeting children’s basic needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers do not provide effective oversight of safeguarding matters. Records demonstrate that staff have safeguarding concerns. These records show that staff have, on occasion, have not reported these. The manager advised that he explores these. However, there is no audit trail to demonstrate what the safeguarding concerns are or what has been done about them. This does not ensure that managers have a clear understanding of safeguarding concerns.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have not identified that staff are not always using the prescribed therapeutic model. As a result, staff have not been given opportunities to learn how to improve their practice. This has led to ineffective key-work sessions that do not support children in a thoughtful way.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Systems to support staff, such as documents to handover information to changing staff and plans for the day, do not appear to be used consistently. This has led to information being missed and staff being unaware of what is required of them. This is particularly difficult as staff from other homes on the site are redeployed to the home. The Inspection report for children's home: 2730001 6 inconsistency of changing staff is exacerbated as redeployed staff are not given clear guidance on the processes that are in place.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff have said that they feel unsupported by senior leaders and managers. When they seek advice and guidance, they do not always receive responses that they feel would help them most. This is contributing to a culture where staff do not feel emotionally supported. Staff can also be moved around between different homes depending on risk and staff absences. These factors are affecting staff morale. In turn, this is reducing staff resilience and interrupting their ability to meet children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

To bolster the support provided in the evenings, the manager and deputy have been working across the rota. This has contributed to a decrease in incidents and the use of emergency services. Inspection report for children's home: 2730001 7

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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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff are aware of children’s risk assessments and that the content of these is disseminated to all staff who work in the home. Ensure that, at all times, staff follow children’s risk assessments.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that following ligature use, or any other significant incident, staff take appropriate action and they have access to the necessary resources to assist them.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills to recognise safeguarding matters and any other potential harm that has been caused to a child and take the necessary action. 5 December 2025

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Requirement Due date

*The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that— 5 December 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2730001 8 helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that leaders and managers take steps to implement a system that ensures effective oversight and day-to- day management of the home so that all children receive safe and effective care.

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment; 5 January 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2730001 9 promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(iv)(v)(x))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children have a routine that promotes readiness for learning, including a healthy sleep/wake cycle.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that children are encouraged to attend school and the efforts made to help children are effectively recorded. Ensure that children have a planned schedule of alternative learning opportunities in place should they not attend school.

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff understand and use the prescribed therapeutic model and make appropriate records to demonstrate this. Ensure that staff use the therapeutic model to provide effective and useful key-work sessions.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that children are provided with basic physical necessities, such as clean bedding and appropriate food. 5 January 2026

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children's home: 2730001 10

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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 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: 2730001 11

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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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Inspectors

Hannah Phillips, Social Care Inspector Sarah Orriss, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2730001 12 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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