Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Shropshire

Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC476326 1 SC476326

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Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A private company owns this home. It provides care for up to 5 children aged between 5 and 12 years with complex needs, which may include social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, 2 children were living in the home. Both children were spoken with during the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered since March 2025.

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Inspection date: 4 March 2026

Date of last inspection: 12 November 2025

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Inspection date: 4 March 2026

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 4 March 2026

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC476326 2

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Findings from the inspection

We identified the following serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection:

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Findings from the inspection

 Staff and managers do not take robust enough action in response to concerns about relationships between children in the home.  Managers do not fully investigate allegations or share all relevant information with external agencies.  Concerns about the oversight and effectiveness of leaders and managers.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have not taken effective action to improve the care that children receive. Four requirements raised at the last inspection have not been met and are restated and one additional requirement has been raised. As a result of this inspection, 2 compliance notices have been issued, in relation to regulation 11, the positive relationships standard, and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard. One previous requirement and recommendation were met.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers do not have effective oversight of children’s care and safety. This has put children at risk of harm. When children raise concerns about other children in the home, these are not taken seriously. Staff and managers do not share all relevant information with external agencies. Children are not informed about what has happened following their allegations. This means that action is not taken to address shortfalls in staff practice and learn from serious incidents. This does not ensure that children are protected from potential harm.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers fail to provide staff with clear information about how to manage relationships between children in the home. As a result, staff do not take appropriate action to ensure that children have positive relationships with each other. This has resulted in children being harmed. One child said that they do not feel safe in the home. Managers have been aware of this view but have not taken sufficient action to address the child’s concerns. Leaders have acknowledged these shortfalls and have now taken urgent action to address them.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff do not support children effectively with their cultural and identity needs. One child has continued to be subject to discrimination and staff have not supported them to explore the impact of this on their wellbeing. When children voice discriminatory views, staff have not taken action to address this and reduce the risks of this happening again. This does not support children to develop an understanding of appropriate behaviour.

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Findings from the inspection

Physical restraint continues to be used frequently. Action has been taken to ensure that children are spoken with after these incidents. However, on one occasion, a staff member was not spoken with after a significant incident involving restraint. This limits opportunities to learn from serious incidents. Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC476326 3 Some areas of the home are not well maintained or clean enough. The children’s playroom has furniture that is stained and items were scattered across the floor. This detracts from the home being welcoming.

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Findings from the inspection

Action has been taken to ensure that the use of door alarms is proportionate and reviewed regularly. This ensures that children understand why door alarms are used on their bedrooms. In addition, downstairs window restrictors have been removed. This has addressed unnecessary restrictions in the home environment.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff support children to make progress in their education. The manager maintains effective communication with schools and has acted when communication could be strengthened between the school and the staff team.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers and leaders do not have effective systems to track staff and the manager’s progress towards achieving required qualifications. The manager has not yet enrolled on the course for his qualification. One staff member is not yet enrolled and is out of statutory timescales to achieve the qualification. Only one staff member is suitably qualified, and one other staff member is enrolled on the required course. This does not ensure that staff have the skills and experience to meet the needs of the children in this home.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager does not always provide staff with consistent and regular supervision. This limits opportunities for oversight and support. Team meetings take place regularly and these now include therapeutic input in line with the home’s statement of purpose. When staff raise concerns in these meetings about children’s safety, leaders and managers do not take sufficient action to address their concerns.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have taken action to address previous shortfalls in staff training. This has supported the staff to develop their skills in line with children’s needs. The staff team is now more stable, which has provided children with greater consistency of care.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/11/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 04/05/2022 Full Inadequate 23/03/2022 Interim Declined in effectiveness 23/06/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC476326 4

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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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child.

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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.

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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

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; 19 April 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC476326 5 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)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Leaders, managers and staff must have the required experience, qualifications, skills and appropriate support to provide safe and effective care to each child.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that staff have all the important information they need about children and use this information to safely care for children.

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Requirement Due date

Children’s care plans must reflect known and emerging needs and provide staff with clear guidance in respect of expectations.

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Requirement Due date

Children’s plans must be followed by all staff to enable staff to safely care for and meet the needs of children.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that all allegations are investigated fully, in line with policy and guidance.

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Requirement Due date

External agencies must be provided with all relevant information quickly and accurately when children make allegations and follow policy and guidance.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that children understand how their concerns are being investigated and the outcome.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that there are effective monitoring and oversight of the quality of care children receive, and swift action must be taken to make improvements when needed.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

*The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and 19 April 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC476326 6 positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children; Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC476326 7 understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable; and

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them.

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)(xi)(xii)(xiii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that staff have the skills, knowledge and guidance to help children to understand appropriate behaviour and their impact on others.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that staff have the skills, knowledge and guidance to help children develop positive relationships with each other. They must intervene to keep children safe when required.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that staff receive support to manage their own feelings and ensure that staff receive regular, meaningful supervision to help them to reflect on their practice and skills.

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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— that staff—

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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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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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; 19 April 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC476326 8 take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies.

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that appropriate action is taken when a child makes an allegation. They must ensure that staff are aware of their responsibility to safeguard children. They must ensure that risk management plans contain all relevant information to guide staff to manage children’s risks effectively.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate. (Regulation 35 (3)(b)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 19 April 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is any [other] incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

must include details of— the matter; 19 April 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC476326 9 the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter;

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Requirement Due date

must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40 (4)(e) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all relevant information is included in the notification. They must also ensure that information shared about actions they have taken are accurate.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC476326 10

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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

Jenny Smith, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: SC476326 11 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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