Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Blackpool

Inspection report children's home: SC415710 1 SC415710 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 registered to provide care for up to 3 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children's home

The registered manager has been in post since April 2023.

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Information about this children's home

At the time of the inspection there was one child living in the home. They talked to inspectors about their experiences and care.

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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 children's home: SC415710 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/10/2025 Full Good 16/10/2024 Full Good 12/09/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 26/06/2023 Full Inadequate Inspection report children's home: SC415710 3

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Summary of findings

There is a permanent registered manager in post and a stable, experienced staff team who provide consistent, child-centred care.

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Summary of findings

Children are encouraged to share their views and are supported through meaningful direct work. Managers maintain high aspirations, advocate strongly for children and promote positive outcomes, stability, wellbeing and achievement

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Summary of findings

Safeguarding practice is strong, with effective multi-agency working and clear management oversight. Risks are well understood by staff, regularly reviewed and effectively managed, enabling children to make good progress and develop independence safely.

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Summary of findings

Staff respond proactively to safeguarding concerns, missing-from-home incidents and behavioural challenges, using positive relationships and de-escalation strategies rather than physical intervention.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff consistently support children to make progress from their individual starting points. Children have developed positive and trusting relationships with staff, enabling them to raise concerns, seek support and actively contribute to their care plans and daily routines. The strength of these relationships is reflected in one child's comment: ‘’I feel loved and cared for,’ when describing the manager and staff team.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, the registered manager and staff supported one child to return home through a carefully planned transition. They included the views of the child and family in the plan and provided additional support during visits, helping the child achieve a positive return home. Staff also supported another child to strengthen important family relationships through positive family time arrangements. One parent said about the staff, ‘They do a really great job and we appreciate it has been tough, but they have stuck by [child’s name] and she is now doing well.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff effectively support children to improve their health and wellbeing. Through consistent encouragement and guidance, staff help children develop better personal hygiene routines, establish healthier sleep patterns and make more balanced dietary choices. Staff also encourage children to engage with therapeutic and mental health services to help them build emotional resilience. The company also has a mental health practioner, who can provide managers and staff with additional support and guidance.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have experienced a reduction in concerns relating to exploitation, substance misuse, self-harm and missing-from-home incidents. This progress has enabled Inspection report children's home: SC415710 4 managers to gradually reduce restrictions for one child under their Deprivation of Liberty Order, supporting their growing independence. However, on one occasion staff did not follow the guidance in place to support a child who was under the influence of alcohol. Although this did not result in harm to the child, managers did not use the incident to inform practice development and improve future responses.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education is consistently promoted, and children have successfully re-engaged in education, attending school regularly. When challenges arise, staff respond in a nurturing and supportive manner, maintaining clear expectations and helping children to understand the value of education and the positive impact that learning can have on their future opportunities and achievements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children actively contribute to decisions about their daily lives and the running of the home. Staff listen to and act on children's views about activities, routines and the home environment, with the registered manager ensuring that children receive feedback on their requests. When one child chose not to take part in children's meetings, the registered manager adapted the approach and captured their views through daily interactions instead. This demonstrates a flexible, child-centred culture that values children's voices and responds to their individual needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have been successful in developing children's independence and social opportunities. Children have engaged in life skills work, built positive friendships and participated in a wide range of activities. One child has demonstrated a particularly strong commitment to football, regularly attending training and matches for two teams and participating in tournaments, which has supported their confidence, wellbeing, and sense of achievement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment is warm and welcoming. There are pictures, artwork and models that the child has made around the home. Children decorate their room to their taste and have access to appropriate storage and space for their belongings.

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

Children are cared for in an environment where risks are well understood, regularly reviewed and effectively managed by staff. Managers and staff have a clear understanding of the children's individual vulnerabilities, previous experiences and presenting risks. Risk management plans are detailed and provide staff with guidance to promote children's safety.

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

Staff respond proactively when children go missing from home. They undertake searches, maintain contact, work effectively with families and professionals, and liaise promptly with relevant agencies. Staff use supportive approaches to encourage children to return home safely and return home interviews are requested within timescales. However, these interviews are often completed by telephone, limiting opportunities for face-to-face discussions and an understanding of risks associated with missing episodes. Inspection report children's home: SC415710 5 Safeguarding incidents are managed well. Records show that staff maintain a strong focus on children's welfare, seek appropriate medical advice and involve relevant professionals when concerns arise. Chronological records are detailed and demonstrate effective communication with external agencies and family members. Following incidents, staff undertake direct work with children to encourage reflection, promote

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

Staff manage children’s behaviours positively and effectively. Physical intervention has not been used in the home. Instead, staff use a range of positive behaviour support strategies, including humour, reassurance and distraction techniques to de-escalate situations.

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

Consequences used in the home are fair, proportionate and focus on supporting children to understand the impact of their behaviour rather than punishing them. Management oversight of consequences is effective and provides assurance that measures are used consistently.

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

Safeguarding arrangements are strong. There have been no allegations made within the home. However, staff demonstrate a good understanding of safeguarding procedures, allegations management and whistleblowing processes. Staff spoke confidently about the actions they would take if concerns arose and understood the need to escalate concerns where necessary. Safeguarding and whistleblowing are reinforced through training and team meetings, helping to ensure these responsibilities remain embedded in practice.

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

Room search records demonstrate good practice. Searches are undertaken only when necessary and records clearly identify the rationale, the child's views and management oversight. This provides assurance that searches are proportionate, risk-led and carried out with appropriate regard for children's dignity and welfare.

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

Direct work with children is a strength of the home. Planned sessions and follow-up conversations take place after significant incidents, including missing-from-home episodes and self-harm incidents. These discussions provide valuable opportunities for reflection, emotional support and education.

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

The organisation has not consistently adhered to safer recruitment procedures. As a result, there is insufficient evidence to demonstrate that all staff in contact with children have been subject to the necessary checks and assessments to confirm their suitability to work with children. This is a repeat requirement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers demonstrate high aspirations for children and provide strong, child-centred leadership. The registered manager knows the children exceptionally well and has a clear understanding of their needs, risks and progress. She is supported by a strong deputy manager who shares her aspirations for children. Inspection report children's home: SC415710 6 The management team actively advocate on behalf of children and robustly challenge partner agencies when their responses do not sufficiently meet the child's needs or promote their welfare. Professional communication is effective and consistently focused on achieving the best outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff describe a supportive and positive culture within the home and describe the management team as ‘approachable, knowledgeable and child-centred.’ Supervision arrangements are robust, with staff receiving regular reflective supervision that focuses on children's progress, staff wellbeing, professional development and practice improvement. New staff benefit from a structured induction programme, comprehensive training and increased supervision during probation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Records demonstrate that concerns about practice are identified promptly, with support and action plans implemented where necessary. However, the effectiveness of this oversight could be further strengthened by ensuring that actions arising from supervision, probation monitoring and practice improvement plans are consistently recorded as completed within appropriate timescales. This would provide clearer evidence of management oversight and the impact of actions taken to improve practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Training and development opportunities equip staff with the skills required to meet the child's individual needs. Staff demonstrated a good understanding of safeguarding procedures, whistleblowing processes and their responsibilities in responding to allegations and incidents. Team meetings are used effectively to share information, review progress and promote consistent care practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers maintain effective communication with social workers, health professionals and family members to ensure coordinated planning and support for the children. The registered manager consistently acts in the children’s best interests and promotes their views, wishes and feelings within professional forums.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The independent person completes monthly visits and provides reports to the registered manager. However, sections of the reports appear repetitive and copied from previous visits, which calls into question the accuracy of the information and the effectiveness of the independent monitoring process. Inspection report children's home: SC415710 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, 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 registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character; and

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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) (3)(a)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager should ensure that any gaps in employment and fully explored and references are obtained and verified in line with the company policies.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 12 October 2026

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Recommendations

 The registered person should oversee the welfare of the children in their care through observation and engagement with: the home’s staff; involved in the care or protection of each child especially when children return under the influence of alcohol. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.23)  Any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person must make a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)  When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. (‘Guide to the Children’s

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Recommendations

Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30) Inspection report children's home: SC415710 8

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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 children's home: SC415710 9

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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, UB8 1UX

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Inspectors

Michelle Edge, Senior His Majety’s Inspector Hannah Longdon, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: SC415710 10 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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Inspectors

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