Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Lancashire

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC483856 1 SC483856

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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

The home is privately owned and provides care for up to 5 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 4 children were living at the home. The inspector spoke to all of the children during the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in February 2026. There is an experienced responsible individual in post.

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 18 November 2025

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

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 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: SC483856 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Two children have moved into the home since the last inspection. Staff support children to personalise their bedrooms quickly when they move in. Communal areas are well decorated and well furnished. Children are relaxed and comfortable in their environment.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers and leaders undertake thorough assessments prior to children moving in. The assessments consider the child’s needs, the needs of other children and staff capacity to meet them. However, staff are not involved in these assessments and do not contribute their views. The manager did not provide information to staff in a timely way before children moved in. Therefore, staff felt unprepared to meet children’s needs.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff training has improved and staff have completed the required courses. Training includes areas relevant to the children currently living in the home, such as exploitation, knife crime and behaviour management. Staff have the training required to meet the needs of the children they care for.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff understand the risks to children and how to manage them. Risk assessments are detailed, clear and contain strategies for staff to follow. Staff manage incidents appropriately. However, the manager did not inform Ofsted of a serious incident. This did not allow the regulator to have timely oversight.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff are trained to use physical interventions to keep children safe. When staff have held children, they are proportionate to the risk faced and used to prevent harm to children and staff. However, management oversight is inconsistent. Not all incidents are reviewed, and staff are not always spoken to afterwards. On one occasion, staff physically guided a child but did not record this, reducing transparency. In another incident, the manager took part in the hold and then reviewed it, limiting independent scrutiny and the child’s opportunity to share their views.

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Findings from the inspection

Some management oversight does not thoroughly evaluate staff practice. Therefore, it is limited as a means of improving the service and developing staff.

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Findings from the inspection

Internal bedroom door alarms are used to safeguard the children. Children are informed and those responsible for the child consent to their use. However, the manager has not provided a rationale or risk assessment for their use for one of the children. Therefore, it is unclear whether the use is overly intrusive and the use of alarms for this child is not reviewed.

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Findings from the inspection

Children rarely go missing. Each child has an individual missing from home plan and staff know these well. On the one occasion a child went missing, staff worked hard Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC483856 3 to locate the child quickly. Staff welcomed the child home and explored reasons for them going missing from home to prevent future incidents.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff understand the risks to children’s health, such as vaping. Vaping is considered within risk management plans and staff educate children about it. Staff enforce clear boundaries in the home to discourage vaping. Children are encouraged to make positive choices.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff ensure that children are involved in fire drills shortly after moving into the home. Children know what to do in the event of an emergency.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager has appropriate access to staff recruitment and employment files. There have been no staff recruited since the last inspection. Therefore, the requirement related to this has been restated to make sure that learning related to ensuring candidates have integrity and are of good character is embedded. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC483856 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/11/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 29/07/2025 Full Inadequate 25/06/2024 Full Good 03/10/2023 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC483856 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 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

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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

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;

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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)(b)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person should ensure that communication with staff is timely and thorough to so that they are able work collaboratively to meet the needs of children, and staff supporting from other homes should work positively with the core team. The manager should ensure that staff record physical intervention appropriately, and that they review practice and recording in order to identify learning and improve the service. 20 April 2026

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes— 20 April 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC483856 6 the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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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. (Registration 35 (a)(vii)(b)(i)(ii))

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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

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child —

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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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

the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter; and

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Requirement Due date

must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e) (5)(i)(ii)(iii)(b)) 20 April 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC483856 7 This relates specifically to the registered manager ensuring that all serious incidents are reported to the regulator promptly.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children. (Regulation 24 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person should ensure there is a clear rationale for using internal door audio alarms for all children and that their use is regularly reviewed. 20 April 2026

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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

employ an individual to work at the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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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) (2)(a) (3)(a)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that they take the necessary steps to assure themselves that staff are of integrity and good character.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that recruitment files are accessible and information can be obtained when required from human resources departments.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 20 April 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC483856 8

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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

Sarah Huntbatch, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC483856 9 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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