Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Durham

Inspection report for children’s home: SC457573 1 OFSTED USE ONLY

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SC457573 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

A private provider owns and manages the home.

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Information about this children’s home

It provides care for up to 3 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

Three children were living in the home at the time of inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC457573 2 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/04/2025 Full Good 04/06/2024 Full Good 16/01/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/01/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC457573 3 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Summary of findings

Leaders and managers have created a nurturing, child-centred home where children feel safe, valued and supported to make progress. Strong oversight, effective partnership working and a commitment to staff development ensure that children receive consistent, high-quality care. As a result, children build trusting relationships, engage in education and activities, experience improved safety and wellbeing and are supported to achieve positive outcomes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are happy and settled living in their home. They have developed positive, trusting relationships with staff, and there is a strong sense of warmth, connection and care throughout the home. Children enjoy spending time with staff and appear relaxed and comfortable in their presence. When they are struggling to manage their emotions, children confidently seek support and comfort from staff, who respond sensitively to their needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is warm, welcoming and a comfortable space for the children to live in. Children’s bedrooms are personalised to reflect their age and interests. Children actively contribute their opinions to changes in the home, for example requesting additional seating in the garden area. This allows them to express their individuality and gives them a sense of belonging in their home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to make progress with their education, training and employment. Staff are ambitious for children. They promote the importance of education and encourage attendance. When there are barriers to education, staff and the management team advocate and challenge professionals to identify appropriate alternative provision so that children continue to learn.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to attend clubs and social activities. One child enjoys attending a football club and thrives on playing as part of a team. Other children enjoy going cycling and fishing together. Additionally, children enjoy trips to local attractions and holidays abroad. This means children expand their social development and make positive memories with staff and their peers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children move on from the home, staff complete planned work to help them understand and prepare for the transition. One child who was moving to live independently received detailed practical and emotional support. Another child moved on unexpectedly to live with a family member following an extended period of unplanned stays. Throughout this time, staff maintained contact with both the child and their family member, providing guidance to support the child’s safety. The decision for the child not to return to the home was agreed by the local authority and reflected the child’s wishes. Inspection report for children’s home: SC457573 4 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Despite the move occurring quickly, staff helped the child understand and make sense of their journey from the home.

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

Children feel safe in the home, and staff take effective action to promote and maintain their safety. Staff have a strong understanding of each child’s needs and risks. Assessments and plans are detailed, regularly reviewed and provide clear guidance to help staff safeguard children. Children recognise that their safety and wellbeing are a priority for staff and, as a result, they have become increasingly safer since moving into the home.

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

When children are at risk of self-harm, staff ensure their immediate safety by following thorough individualised safety plans. Children are offered emotional support and nurture from staff and have access to specialist mental health services. Clear guidance is provided to staff from clinical practitioners, which helps staff to feel confident in responding to incidents.

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

When children go missing from home, staff respond appropriately. Staff work with parents and professionals and share information to locate and bring children home safely. Staff speak to children to understand why they are going missing and explore how they can help prevent this in the future.

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

When children make allegations, they are believed and listened to. The manager ensures allegations are thoroughly investigated, including making referrals to relevant safeguarding agencies when appropriate. Children are informed of the outcome of their complaint and any actions that the manager has taken. This ensures children feel confident that their views and experiences are heard and acted on.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager maintains effective oversight of children’s care through a range of robust monitoring and auditing systems that review all aspects of daily life in the home. This enables the manager to identify areas for development, address concerns promptly and drive continued improvement in practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is committed to fostering a positive learning culture in which staff are encouraged to develop their knowledge and skills. Additional training opportunities are actively sought to support professional development, while regular, reflective supervision helps staff consider and enhance their practice. Staff report feeling well supported and valued by the manager, contributing to a motivated and engaged workforce.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are held regularly, are well attended and remain firmly focused on children’s needs and experiences. Discussions are both practical and reflective, supporting the effective day-to-day operation of the home while providing opportunities for meaningful reflection on children’s care. External professionals also contribute to Inspection report for children’s home: SC457573 5 OFSTED USE ONLY

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

meetings, offering valuable insight into children’s emotional wellbeing, mental health and therapeutic needs. This strengthens staff understanding of children’s experiences and helps them respond more effectively to children’s individual needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and staff build strong working relationships with parents and professionals. Through effective communication and partnership working, they help ensure children receive consistent, well-coordinated care. Parents and professionals speak positively about the quality of care provided and value the open communication from staff and managers. This collaborative approach promotes trust and contributes to positive outcomes for children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC457573 6 OFSTED USE ONLY

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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: SC457573 7 OFSTED USE ONLY

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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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Inspector

Amber Merriman, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC457573 8 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Inspector

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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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