Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Birmingham

Inspection report for children's home: SC396463 1 SC396463 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

This home is privately owned and provides care for up to 2 children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

One child was living in the home at the time of the inspection. The child talked with the inspectors.

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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/or widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor, and they are not making progress.

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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: SC396463 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/01/2023 Full Good 08/06/2021 Full Good 21/01/2020 Full Good 20/12/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC396463 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

This inspection identified serious concerns in relation to the quality of care provided to children and in the leadership and management of the home. These have had a significant and adverse impact on the child’s experiences and safety in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

One child has moved into the home since the last inspection. Poor behaviour management approaches and inadequate oversight by leaders and managers have negatively affected the child’s experience of living in the home. Managers and staff have failed to provide consistent, predictable and nurturing care. They lack understanding about the child’s needs and vulnerabilities and how to meet them. The absence of clear routines and structure means that the child’s day-to-day care is unpredictable and disorganised, affecting the child’s ability to feel safe and develop secure relationships with staff. Managers and staff’s inconsistent and poor responses have caused the child to feel overwhelmed and to become distressed, negatively affecting their wellbeing and limiting their overall progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Care planning for the child is weak and lacks effective oversight. Managers do not ensure that important information shared by professionals and family members is shared with staff and reflected in their day-to-day practice. In addition, important care planning documents to guide staff do not clearly identify the child’s current needs or set out how staff should respond to them. This lack of clarity and oversight means that staff do not deliver care consistently, and opportunities to provide structured, supportive care that anticipates the child’s needs are missed. As a result, the quality of care provided by staff does not meet the child’s individual needs and has resulted in the child experiencing significant emotional distress and there being an avoidable escalation in incidents.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Damage to the property, including broken windows and damaged furnishings, does not provide a homely nurturing environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child has made some progress in their school attendance. However, managers and staff have failed to provide consistent routines, which has contributed to incidents. This has hindered the child’s ability to attend school consistently, limiting their educational progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The manager and staff promote meaningful relationships between the child and their family members. This has contributed to the child’s sense of identity. These relationships have provided the child with some structure to their daily life.

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

Weak leadership and inconsistent safeguarding practice mean that arrangements to protect the child are ineffective. Managers and staff’s responses to the child when they are unsettled or upset are not sufficiently therapeutic or child centred. Their inadequate Inspection report for children's home: SC396463 4 responses lead to situations that could have been anticipated or effectively managed through preparation, routine and supportive communication. As a result, these situations escalate into significant incidents that place both the child and staff in unsafe circumstances and at risk of harm. The child continues to experience avoidable distress and instability, and the environment has become increasingly unpredictable and unsafe.

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

Leaders and managers do not consistently model a nurturing and trauma-informed approach to behaviour management. This results in variable staff practice and responses to behaviour that are reactive rather than reflective. During the inspection, the manager was seen using a physical intervention when it was not necessary, and the level of force applied was not justified. In addition, when the manager is involved in incidents, these are not always recorded, reviewed or evaluated. This limits independent scrutiny of practice to ensure it is safe and prevents learning from incidents to improve practice.

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

Allegations and complaints are not managed effectively. When the child raises concerns about staff and managers’ practice, these have not been consistently recorded or shared with the relevant safeguarding agencies. This limits opportunities for independent oversight and professional scrutiny. Consequently, potential safeguarding concerns are not fully explored, leaving the child vulnerable to harm.

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

Leaders and managers’ oversight of incidents is significantly weak. Incidents are not consistently reviewed or evaluated by them to identify patterns, risks and learning. This undermines the safeguarding culture in the home and limits leaders and managers ability to ensure that staff practice is safe and effective. As a result, risks are not sufficiently understood or managed, and the child is not consistently protected from harm.

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

There are some instances of positive and attuned interactions between the child and some staff. When staff offer calm, consistent and nurturing care and support, they are able to help the child to settle. These moments show that some staff can provide stable and predictable care to help the child to make progress. However, this is not embedded or consistent across the staff team. This inconsistency prevents the child from experiencing sustained emotional safety or developing trust in the adults caring for them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager has not led or managed the home with the necessary competency or skill, leading to serious shortfalls in the quality of care provided to the child. This has had a significant adverse impact on the child’s experiences and safety in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers’ oversight and monitoring of the home are inadequate. Existing monitoring systems have failed to identify significant shortfalls in safeguarding practice and in the quality of care. Consequently, leaders and managers are unable to identify strengths or address weaknesses in practice. As a result, the child is left vulnerable because concerns are neither identified nor responded to promptly. Inspection report for children's home: SC396463 5 Leaders and managers have not ensured that staff have the appropriate skills, training and guidance to meet the child’s individual needs. There is limited evidence that leaders and staff understand the child’s history, lived experiences and vulnerabilities. This results in care that is not consistently therapeutic or responsive, which has significantly affected the child’s ability to feel safe and make progress. While some staff show commitment to

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

caring for the child, they are not sufficiently supported or equipped by leaders to meet the child’s needs effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

A family member has raised concerns about the quality of care for the child, but these have not been addressed promptly. This undermines confidence in the home’s leaders and suggests that leaders are not consistently responsive to concerns raised by those who know the child well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The responsible individual has not provided effective oversight of the home. There has been a delay in establishing a clear understanding of the home and its current challenges. The responsible individual has held supervision sessions with the manager. However, the manager’s concerns about her capacity to manage the home have not been addressed. This lack of support and oversight has contributed to the ongoing shortfalls in practice and has further weakened leadership in the home. Inspection report for children's home: SC396463 6

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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

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; 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)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that incidents of concerns and allegations made against managers and members of staff are recorded, reported, and investigated.

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Requirement Due date

Staff must respond to children’s needs, behaviours and risks appropriately, in line with the child’s plan of care, to reduce and prevent incidents from occurring and the risk of harm.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, behaviour management and risk management plans must accurately reflect children’s risks, needs and current circumstances. The plans must provide clear guidance for staff to follow to ensure they support children appropriately, to reduce and prevent incidents from occurring and children being vulnerable to harm. 18 March 2026 Inspection report for children's home: SC396463 7 *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

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; 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)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered persons must demonstrate that the registered manager has the knowledge and skills to carry out their role and fulfil their responsibilities in relation to responding to safeguarding concerns, and the use of physical interventions. 1 May 2026

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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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)) 1 May 2026 Inspection report for children's home: SC396463 8 In particular, the registered persons must demonstrate that the registered manager has the knowledge and skills to manage the home effectively and lead the care of children.

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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 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

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)(c)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that:

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Requirement Due date

staff and managers have the knowledge, understanding and skills to respond to children’s needs and prevent incidents from occurring and escalating;

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Requirement Due date

staff work together as a team and provide consistency and continuity of care;

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Requirement Due date

their review and oversight systems are effective, so that practice is safe and improvements are made to the quality of care that children receive; 1 May 2026 Inspection report for children's home: SC396463 9 leaders act on concerns raised by children’s family members or professionals.

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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

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Requirement Due date

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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help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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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

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(ix)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered provider must ensure that staff develop positive, trusting relationships with children and use approaches that promote their emotional wellbeing. 1 May 2026

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing—

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Requirement Due date

injury to any person (including the child);

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Requirement Due date

serious damage to the property of any person (including the child).

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(b) (2)) 1 May 2026 Inspection report for children's home: SC396463 10 An individual may only carry on a children’s home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (5).

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Requirement Due date

satisfy the requirements in paragraph (5)(a) to (c); and

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Requirement Due date

have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated. (Regulation 26 (1) (7)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that the responsible individual has effective oversight of the service and take effective action when concerns are identified which could impact the care and safety arrangements for children in the home. 1 May 2026

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: SC396463 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

Nateisha Cardoza-Evans, Social Care Inspector Sharonpreet Kaur, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC396463 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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