Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children's home: 2853513 1 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare LTD

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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 operated by a private provider and provides care for up to 3 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children's home

This was the home's first full inspection since registration. At the time of the inspection, there was one child living in the home. The child was spoken to during the inspection.

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Information about this children's home

The manager in post is not yet registered with Ofsted.

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Information about this children's home

Inspectors were aware during this inspection that serious child protection allegations were being investigated by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate allegations of this kind, the matters were not concerning the home and the response from the provider was considered alongside other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform the inspectors' judgements. The matters are not in relation to any of the children in the home, therefore the impact for children has been minimal.

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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

Date of last inspection: 12 February 2026

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children's home: 2853513 2 Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2853513 3

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Summary of findings

There is a new manager in post who has made improvements to the quality of care being provided. Care plans are child centred, family time is supported and children's health needs are met. Staff are creative with ways of engaging children to take part in activities they enjoy.

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Summary of findings

Unstable staffing arrangements mean that children have not been provided with consistent care from a stable staff team. Some improvements have been made to the home environment. However, damage to the home is not resolved in a timely manner.

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Summary of findings

Staff responses to safeguarding concerns are not always appropriate. As a result, risks of the child going missing from home, using vapes and not engaging in education are not addressed.

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improvement to be good

Since registration, 2 children have moved into the home. Children are welcomed into the home sensitively and are supported to settle.

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improvement to be good

The arrangements for one child leaving the home were planned and took account of that child's wishes. However, consideration was not given to how the remaining child, who was away on holiday at the time, would be supported to understand or process this change. Managers and staff did not inform them until after the move had taken place, leaving no opportunity for goodbyes or preparation. This shortfall in planning and communication had a detrimental emotional impact on the child, resulting in avoidable feelings of loss and anxiety and an increase in negative behaviours.

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improvement to be good

Staff demonstrate an understanding of the emotional impact for children who live away from their family. They use this insight to shape individualised care plans for the children.

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improvement to be good

The home is large and spacious with lots of room for children to socialise either with staff or in their own private area. The manager is working on new decorations for the walls.

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improvement to be good

The home environment was not maintained to an acceptable standard. Poor standards of repairs to doors led to a repeated incident of a child gaining access to an office and removing keys and staff's personal belongings. The garden was unkempt and overgrown with weeds. Additionally, the low primitive fence poses a safety risk, allowing children to easily climb over and gain access to a busy main road. Inspection report for children's home: 2853513 4 Children's education needs are not met. One child had not engaged in education for a significant period of time. A new specialist provision had recently been arranged, and the child visited the school and met their new teacher during the inspection. Staff are aspirational for the child living in the home. However, educational documents are not up to date or are partially completed, and the local authority has not been sufficiently challenged about this shortfall.

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improvement to be good

Staff ensure that children's health needs are promoted. There are effective arrangements in place to promote their physical and emotional wellbeing. Staff take appropriate action when medical treatment is needed.

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improvement to be good

Children benefit from opportunities to enjoy different activities of their choice, such as going to a skate park or the zoo. These memories are saved in a photograph album for them to keep. This helps the child to maintain their identity, experience healthy social interactions and develop interpersonal skills.

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improvement to be good

Managers and staff work positively with professionals, seeking to build effective working relationships with family members and social workers. However, one parent said that they are only contacted when their child is missing from home or there is something negative to report.

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improvement to be good

Staff responses to children being missing from home are not consistent. Records of incidents are well written and detailed, and relevant people are kept informed. Staff attempt to keep in touch with the child when they are missing from home. However, staff do not look for the child when they are missing from home overnight. This leaves the child at risk of harm.

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improvement to be good

Staff complete room searches when safeguarding concerns have been identified. Searches are conducted in a manner that is respectful and promotes children's privacy and dignity, while also ensuring that there is a proactive approach to safeguarding their physical and emotional wellbeing. However, when children go missing from the home, staff do not always search their bedrooms for indications of where they may have gone, their intentions of going, or if any personal belongings have been removed.

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improvement to be good

Children are only physically held by staff when necessary. The methods used are proportionate and any holds only last as long as necessary to safeguard the child or others. All incidents are recorded in detail, and the manager has oversight on all incidents. Children are given the opportunity to reflect on incidents with a different member of staff from those involved.

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improvement to be good

Staff are recruited safely, and processes are in place to ensure that the right staff are employed to keep children safe. Leaders and managers work with other professionals to ensure that the correct action is taken to safeguard children. Inspection report for children's home: 2853513 5 Staffing arrangements in the home have resulted in an increase of police intervention to manage serious incidents. Agency staff, who are not familiar with policies and procedures, care for the child on a lone working basis. This has resulted in the involvement of police when there is a risk of harm to the child or staff, or serious damage to property. Although police intervention was necessary to manage risks, this has increased the risk of criminalisation for the child.

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improvement to be good

Staff have been inconsistent with boundaries around expected behaviours for children in the home. Staff do not always challenge the use of vapes and using offensive language. One professional said that a child vaped in her presence on several occasions, despite them asking the child not to do so. This was not challenged by staff, and on her seeking support from a senior manager, the professional was told 'to wait' and that they were 'busy'.

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

The new manager consistently monitors the quality of care provided in the home. New systems are in place to maintain oversight, allowing her to identify strengths and areas of improvement and using the monthly independent visitor to improve outcomes for children. Monthly audits, regular supervision and daily guidance now support accountability and learning.

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

There is an in-depth training programme for all staff, and it is completed in a timely manner. All staff are up to date with the home's mandatory training. Staff have received specialised training to equip them with the necessary skills to meet the specific needs of the children.

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

Staff are aware of the whistleblowing procedures, and reported significant improvements in the home environment since the new manager took over. Staff describe the manager as being supportive and confident. One staff member commented on her professionalism.

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

Staff work with professionals to help children make progress. However, a professional commented that children were not encouraged to engage in education. One child never completed online tasks, having been asked to do so, and on challenging this, they were not supported by previous management.

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

The child has not been provided with care from a stable and consistent staff team. The high turnover of staff and use of agency staff have impacted on the quality of care provided in the home. Inspection report for children's home: 2853513 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

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

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;

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, when children are missing from home overnight, staff must make efforts to go out and look for them.

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Requirement Due date

Additionally, following a child being reported as missing from home, children's bedrooms should be searched to give staff and professionals a possible indication of the child's intentions while missing or their possible whereabouts. 10 August 2026

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who— 10 August 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2853513 7 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

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

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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

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; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that any care that is arranged or provided for a child that—

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Requirement Due date

satisfies the conditions in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

that the care meets the child's needs. (Regulation 6 (1)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii)(d) (3)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that the home environment is furnished to represent a home for children and all repairs are completed without delay so that the home is free of hazards.

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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

that staff— 10 August 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2853513 8 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

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. (Regulation 11 (1)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(v))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers have consistency when challenging children's behaviour in the home, particularly around abusive language and using substances, and that external professionals are taken seriously when raising these concerns with staff.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children's home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, that consideration is given to the impact of children's moves in and out of the home for all children. 10 August 2026

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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

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; 10 August 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2853513 9 maintain regular contact with each child's education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child's education and training and to maximise the child's achievement. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers should ensure that children's plans are aligned to educational targets. Managers should maintain contact with children's education providers and appropriately challenge in a timely manner when documents, such as the education, health and care plan and personal education plan, are incomplete and out of date.

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Recommendations

 Registered persons have a key role in seeking to develop the home's effective working relationships with parents to ensure that children's needs are met. These working relationships will also be key to success in delivering the care planning standard (regulation 14). ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 52, paragraph 10.3)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should plan staffing levels to ensure that they meet the needs of children and can respond flexibly to unexpected events or opportunities. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 54, paragraph 10.15)

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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: 2853513 10

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare LTD

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: Caretech, Parkview, 82 Oxford Road, Uxbridge UB8 1UX

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Inspectors

Nicola Jeffery, Social Care Inspector Hannah Longdon, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2853513 11 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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