Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Bedford

Inspection report for children's home: 1230416 1 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd

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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 run and provides care for up to 4 children who may have experienced trauma that has left them vulnerable.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2026.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, there was one child living at the home.

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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: 24 September 2025

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 1230416 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/09/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 03/07/2024 Full Inadequate 23/01/2024 Full Good 11/10/2022 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home: 1230416 3

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Summary of findings

On the whole, children have positive experiences and make progress from their starting points. However, several shortfalls in leadership and management, particularly in relation to a very unsettled period, have limited the overall quality of care.

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, 3 children have moved into the home and 2 children have moved out. One child was leaving the home during the inspection. The child took part in the inspection.

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improvement to be good

One child was living in temporary holiday accommodation for a month, described as a holiday. The child was unable to continue living at the home due to bail conditions. This was not intended to last for 28 days and managers made many attempts to make alternative plans with the social worker. When the child was in holiday accommodation, the staff did not complete records, except a logbook. The information in the logbook fails to demonstrate how the child was cared for. At the time, the child was sitting their GCSEs. There is no documentation to show the support the child was receiving in relation to the bail conditions and the exams. It is unclear if the child took their exams. The quality of care provided to the child during this period is very unclear. There were insufficient plans to provide effective short-term care and managers did not make any changes once it became clear that this period would extend. Leaders and managers did

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improvement to be good

not understand what was required during this period.

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improvement to be good

Children’s daily plans are not detailed enough. There have been short chaotic periods when staff and managers have had no knowledge of the daily plan for the child and what was expected of them. The plans and expectations are unclear. The child has neurodiverse traits and a referral for an assessment has been made. There is lack of recognition as to how these traits affect the child’s day-to-day interactions and understanding. The staff have not understood how to adjust care and daily plans to minimise distress to the child.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not always follow the therapeutic model. There have been occasions when a child has talked about difficult past experiences. The staff have sought to fix the situation for the child rather than explore their feelings. Staff have missed opportunities to build connection with the child and understand how their past experiences might contribute to their current lived experiences.

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improvement to be good

Some children have been well cared for. One child wanted to spend time with staff, which they expressed in their own unique way. The child takes part in household activities and routines, such as evening meals around the dining table. Inspection report for children's home: 1230416 4 When one child moved out, the staff team came to the home to see the child and wish them well. The child expressed deep gratitude to the staff and had asked to see as many of them as possible to say goodbye. It was clear that their time at the home had benefited them greatly and they felt proud of their progress.

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improvement to be good

Children’s health needs are prioritised. Shortly after moving into the home, one child was identified as being pregnant. Staff ensured that the child was provided with support and guidance from health providers. They were sensitively helped to understand complex discussions and decisions that were made in relation to them and their unborn child. Following meetings, one staff member ensured that the minutes were discussed thoughtfully, at a pace that the child could understand. This provided the child with reassurance and comfort at what were often difficult times.

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improvement to be good

One child uses nicotine and cannabis. Appointments have been made with specialist services and the GP. The child has begun to reluctantly understand the reasons for the referral for support and has engaged with some appointments.

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improvement to be good

Staff collect photos and other memorabilia for children. These are arranged in memory books for children to keep for the future, to remind them of their childhood. Overall, there are positive aspects to the care that is provided for children.

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improvement to be good

The children’s risks are generally reducing. However, when one child was staying in holiday accommodation, there was not enough understanding of how to manage risks. Before the move to the holiday accommodation, a risk assessment was provided by the manager. This lacked important details about existing risks linked to medication. The risk assessment for the holiday home did not provide staff with clear strategies. As a result, the child took an overdose of medication. The lack of understanding about how risks transfer to different locations was not understood. This resulted in a child being put at risk of harm.

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improvement to be good

Risk assessments lack details of risk. Staff understand these details, and incident reports contain the detail, however, this information is not collated in risk assessments. Similarly, the staff understand the court order, which is also not defined in risk assessments. This limits a coherent picture of the child’s activities, to inform risk management.

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improvement to be good

One child has an increased risk of substance misuse, and looks for discarded cigarettes. Staff have creative strategies to minimise this risk and remain diligent to these risks.

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improvement to be good

When staff suspect the child has cannabis, room searches are undertaken. However, the records for these are not always helpful. One record was overwritten, showing that the same items were removed at different times. This has not been identified by the manager and means that there are occasions when the child’s substance use is not recorded accurately. Inspection report for children's home: 1230416 5 Children recognise that staff try to keep them safe. One child said that staff are annoying as, when they go out, they are always there. The children notice the efforts that staff make.

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improvement to be good

One child had a history of being groomed and exploited by older males. After moving to the home, the child was kept safe. The child did not go missing from the home. The child arrived with a court order which staff executed appropriately. Staff understood the child’s risk situation well. Another child continues to be at risk of exploitation. During missing-from-home episodes, staff do all that they can to keep the child safe. On several occasions, staff have followed the child, including overnight. When the child approaches strangers, staff constantly intervene to ensure that any exchanges are brief. Staff collect information about individuals and share this with specialist police. This has enabled the police to act against individuals and businesses, which acts as a deterrent to others.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have identified areas in the community where children are at risk. The manager has contacted the local MP and council to advise of the risks in a particular area. Local businesses have also been contacted to support with sharing information. Leaders and managers are aware of the contextual aspects of safeguarding and how this contributes to children’s safety.

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

This is the manager’s first management post and he is in the process of learning what is expected in the role. He is supported by an experienced responsible individual. They are both committed to improving outcomes for children. Throughout the inspection, leaders and managers were open and transparent about the improvements needed.

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

The oversight of the home is not good enough. Leaders and managers have failed to oversee the care provided to a child staying in holiday accommodation. The manager has identified several learning points, however, the lessons learned process has not rigorously acknowledged several areas. There has not been sufficient follow-up with staff about what happened and what can be done to prevent this happening again.

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

The manager does not always evaluate situations effectively to ensure that children are safeguarded. One child has a court order with specific staffing levels. In one incident, it is unclear what the staff were doing because it is not recorded. The manager relies on verbal discussions and has not emphasised the importance of clear, written records that clearly describe the actions that staff take.

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

Leaders and managers do not record staff supervision sessions in depth. Staff are working with children with complex risks, however, there is no evidence of whether this is discussed in supervisions. There are no actions or learning points for staff to take forward. The home regularly uses an agency staff member. This member of staff has not received any supervision sessions. This means that staff are not being given opportunities to reflect, learn and improve on their practice in meaningful ways. Inspection report for children's home: 1230416 6 Managers and staff notify Ofsted of serious incidents, however, the information provided lacks detail. This limits the oversight that Ofsted has of the home.

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

Leaders and managers have provided staff with bespoke training led by a health professional to support a child. The staff are supported by a therapist who provides insight into children’s behaviours and choices. Most of the team have received training in how to manage ligature risks, however, 2 staff require this training. This is important as a there has been a recent incident involving a ligature.

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

When the manager has identified shortfalls in staff practice, he has ensured that effective action is taken. Following a medication error, the staff received a short supervision session to advise them of expectations. When staff have failed to follow risk assessments, appropriate safeguarding referrals have been made, alongside full investigations.

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

The feedback from external professionals is very good. One social worker said that the progress made by one child is ‘unbelievable’ compared to their starting point. Another social worker said the home provided ‘a very high standard of care compared to other placements’. Inspection report for children's home: 1230416 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

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

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)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that leaders and managers understand what constitutes safeguarding in all settings that children live in.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that risk assessments identify all active risks for children at all times and provide staff with robust strategies on how to minimise these risks. 1 September 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

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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

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child 1 September 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 1230416 8 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)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that leaders and managers provide effective oversight of all aspects of the home.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that leaders and managers evaluate incidents through a safeguarding lens.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that high-quality records are completed, including written records of relevant discussions and debriefs.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that staff receive high-quality supervision with detailed records to demonstrate reflective thinking and actions to improve practice.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that all staff complete training in ligature use and awareness.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that regulation 40 notifications are completed to a high standard.

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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.

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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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose; 1 September 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 1230416 9 provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that staff apply the therapeutic model and identify opportunities to be curious about the information shared by children.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that children have coherent plans, including care plans and daily planners, that take account of neurodiversity and how the environment affects children's moods and interactions.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that staff are organised to enable the implementation of plans and how these will be implemented.

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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: 1230416 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: 4th Floor Parkview, 82 Oxford Road, Uxbridge, London UB8 1UX

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Inspector

Hannah Phillips, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 1230416 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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