Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Cambridgeshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 1257796 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

This home is owned by a large national provider and is a specialist service for children with mental disorders, excluding learning disability.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, there were two children living at the home. Both children were spoken with, and their views were considered as part of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is led by a registered manager.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

The home has been subject to a restriction of accommodation notice and compliance notices under Regulations 12 and 13 of The Children’s Homes Regulations 2015. Inspection report for children’s home: 1257796 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/04/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 03/04/2024 Full Good 16/01/2024 Full Good 13/12/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1257796 3

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Summary of findings

The home received its last full inspection in April 2025 and received a judgement of requires improvement. There were serious and widespread concerns identified at the home’s subsequent assurance inspection. At this point, compliance notices and a restriction of accommodation were issued.

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Summary of findings

Ofsted conducted monitoring visits in November 2025, January 2026 and February 2026.

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Summary of findings

At this inspection, inspectors found that there had been sufficient progress for compliance and restriction notices to be lifted.

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Summary of findings

The provider has made progress since the last monitoring visit. The manager has a clear plan designed to lead future improvements, and these have started to take effect and improve life for children at the home. Children are more settled and improving relationships with staff were observed. Inspectors have assessed and recognised the beginning of a meaningful change in culture in the home.

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improvement to be good

Several children have moved out of the home since the last inspection. The decision to move children has been necessary to help the managers and leaders to get the home on an improvement trajectory. The restriction of accommodation notice has been adhered to. Children's experiences of transitioning from the home have been variable: while some moves were well-planned and positive, others were poor.

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improvement to be good

Some areas of the home have been improved and now feel more welcoming and less institutionalised. However, there are still features of the home that prevent it being a warm and inviting environment for children. For example, the corridors, doors and safety features all contribute to providing a more institutional impression. The manager is driving a positive program of refurbishment and redecoration to improve the physical environment of the home for the benefit of children.

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improvement to be good

Children’s placement plans are written with clarity. They are individual to each child and regularly updated and reviewed. Added information about children’s care is identified and shared appropriately with staff. Children are now involved in their care planning. How children’s views and feelings are captured is also improving. Children are starting to feel they are listened to. In addition, one-to-one time between staff and children is meaningful and recorded in a child-friendly way.

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improvement to be good

Children are enrolled in a school that is situated on the same site as the home. However, children’s attendance is poor. Children lack a planned structure to their days in relation to Inspection report for children’s home: 1257796 4 learning. Staff know this is an area for development because they understand the potential impact on children’s futures.

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improvement to be good

Staff prioritise children’s physical and mental health. A specialist team of clinicians are based at the home and work alongside staff. Their interventions with children and the support provided to staff have supported improvements in children’s mental health care. This includes a meeting directly with each child to undertake specific work with the child. The clinical team also supports the care staff. They provide support and development opportunities to increase staff skills.

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improvement to be good

There have been significant concerns about staff care practice and skills in building good relationships with children. Leaders and managers are now addressing these areas and improvements are taking place. The staff speak warmly of the children and the relationships they are starting to build with them. The manager is leading the staff and role modelling improved interactions between staff and children. Staff better understand the importance of positive relationships. This includes children having fun with staff.

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improvement to be good

Risk assessments are clear and detailed. They are individual to each child and cover the important risks that affect them. Plans are reviewed regularly and clear strategies are embedded in safety plans and risk assessments. Children have been involved in some of their safety planning.

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improvement to be good

There has been an improvement in risk assessments being adhered to. Where staff have failed to follow an assessment, or practice has been below expectation, managers have identified shortfalls and taken appropriate action. Managers have good oversight of incidents for reflection and lessons learned. This is beginning to improve consistency within the team.

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improvement to be good

There have been inconsistencies in how children’s behaviours are understood and managed by staff. Children’s behaviours that are difficult to manage have impacted on other children and staff safety. In response, the manager has ensured that all staff have received the required training in de-escalation and physical intervention. There are now more robust reviews of incidents. This provides reflection and learning to improve practice. Staff are also now better informed about children’s previous experiences. This means staff are considering the reason behind some more challenging behaviours.

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improvement to be good

There has been a positive approach to how incidents of self-harm are managed and the response to these behaviours. Managers and leaders have met with emergency services to discuss and agree joint protocols for responses when children have hurt themselves. Staff are now more equipped to manage incidents that do not require hospital assessment or admission. Safety plans reflect where children are subject to self-harming behaviours. They are dynamically updated to respond to changes in the level of concern. Inspection report for children’s home: 1257796 5 Children continue to go missing from home. When this happens, staff follow children and report to the police when required. However, there have been times when staff have not followed procedures that could have prevented children leaving together. The manager has identified this issue and provided clear instructions to staff to improve staff care practice in this area.

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improvement to be good

There have been a high number of allegations made by children against staff. This reflects a significant period of the home being unsettled and children not feeling safe. The response from leaders and managers to allegations and complaints is effective. All relevant external professionals are updated and consulted in a timely manner as part of the process. All evidence is well recorded to the point of outcomes being reached. When poor practice has been upheld, leaders have taken the appropriate action in response.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

An experienced and committed manager leads the home. The manager has navigated the team through a particularly challenging period. The manager has driven sufficient progress, and as a result, the enforcement action taken by Ofsted is ended.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There are ongoing changes to staff and the overall team dynamics. This includes an improved leadership structure implemented across teams. Day and night shifts have been given equal priority with the addition of a deputy manager for nights. This is ensuring better oversight from senior staff. However, there remains several vacancies. This reflects changes and staff dismissals. The manager is shaping the team to fit the expected model of care and practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders have started to develop better relationships with wider professional agencies. There have been positive discussions with the police to share information about children and develop a better understanding of the home and the care it provides. However, there remains a disconnect with some health services. There is a lack of agreed protocols between the home and hospitals. Clarity on who should take responsibility when children are in crisis needs to be established so that children receive the support they need in a timely manner.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff undertake the required mandatory training to equip them with the knowledge and skills they need to provide care to children. There is also improved support for staff from the clinical team based in the home. There is still a need for bespoke training that aligns with children’s specific needs and experiences of trauma. Staff undertake the corporate induction when commencing work for the organisation. There remains a need to develop an internal process that supports staff to understand the specific profile of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The responsible individual provides good support to the manager. This includes monthly one-to-one professional supervision. The responsible individual is a regular visitor to the home. The manager also benefits from peer support within the organisation through regular meetings with other managers. These meetings are designed to ensure that the homes that care for children with mental health difficulties get to share learning and approaches to care practice. Inspection report for children’s home: 1257796 6 Staff speak positively about the changes that the manager has made and the developments across the home. They say that the manager and responsible individual are very supportive. They feel that the changes that are required have been well communicated to the staff group, and this has led to improved teamwork and subsequently to the support of children. Inspection report for children’s home: 1257796 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation.

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to leaders and managers establishing agreements with health services as to the expectations of each other’s roles when managing children in crisis. 31 July 2026

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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. 31 August 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 1257796 8 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home.

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the planned redecoration and refurbishment of the home is completed. It also relates to a continued emphasis on reducing institutionalised features of the environment.

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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— that staff—

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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

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally; that each child has access to appropriate equipment, facilities and resources to support the child’s learning.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(b)) 30 June 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 1257796 9 This particularly refers to the home ensuring that children’s days are structured and that children have education and learning plans in place.

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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 has sufficient staff to provide care for 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

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that training is identified and provided that aligns with the specific needs or experiences of children. 30 June 2026

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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: 1257796 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, England UB8 1UX

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Inspectors

Chris Haines, Social Care Inspector Shaun Caplis, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1257796 11 regulates 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 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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