Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Rochdale

Inspection report for children’s home: SC456418 1 SC456418 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a private provider. It provides care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2025. She is also the registered manager for another children’s home owned and managed by the same provider.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

One child was living in the home at the time of this inspection.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

p.1

inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

p.1

inadequate

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

p.1

inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC456418 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/08/2025 Full Good 29/05/2024 Full Good 23/01/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 01/02/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC456418 3

p.2

Summary of findings

The child does not receive consistently safe or well-planned care. There has been significant drift and delay in understanding and responding to their increasingly complex needs. Frequent changes in staffing, poor coordination with professionals and ineffective management oversight have contributed to inconsistencies in the child’s care. Despite living in the home for almost 2 years, there is very limited evidence that the child has made progress.

p.3

Summary of findings

Staff do not have the skills, confidence or guidance to respond consistently when the child is distressed or in crisis. Risk management arrangements are not always clear or effective. Leaders and managers have not provided the direction, challenge or support needed to improve the quality of care to the child.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child has experienced some stability because they have lived in the home for almost 2 years. However, changes in the staff team mean that there is a significantly high number of times when staff who do not usually work at the home have cared for the child. This has led to inconsistencies in the care the child receives, which has impacted on their progress and safety.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff do not consistently remind or encourage the child to complete daily tasks relating to their health. There are no incentives or creative strategies in place to support the child with this. As a result, opportunities to help the child to develop and embed important skills to support their wellbeing are being missed.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Despite living in the home for a significant time, there is no clear plan for therapeutic support. The in-house clinical team attends meetings, but there are no plans for what needs to be achieved or how the team’s involvement should help the child. This has left the manager and staff without guidance to support and coordinate the care of a child with very complex needs. Consequently, there is no shared or therapeutically informed approach to the child’s care.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

There was no evidence provided that the child has made any academic progress. Education plans focus mainly on the child’s behaviour and their transition to secondary school. There was also a delay in identifying an appropriate secondary school for the child. More recently, the manager and other professionals have championed a move to a school that they believe will meet the child’s needs. However, the delay has created uncertainty for the child at an important stage in their education.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child sees members of their family regularly. One family member said that the child has positive relationships with some staff and named one member of staff who is Inspection report for children’s home: SC456418 4 particularly important to them. The child’s social worker also identified this member of staff as a significant person in the child’s life.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child enjoys spending time with staff, both at home and in the community. This includes trips to different places, and the child can now tolerate travelling on public transport. These experiences are recorded in a dedicated file for the child to look back on. While this is positive, more could be done to consider and show the child’s progress and achievements so that these are better understood, celebrated and built upon.

p.4

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

There has been a lack of a coordinated response to the increase in the child’s vulnerabilities. Managers and staff have not considered or tried to understand why the child is behaving in the way that they do. Several important assessments have not been requested or completed, and some were only considered recently. This has left staff without the knowledge and understanding to respond consistently to the child’s increasingly complex needs. Staff are becoming reliant on emergency services, including the police, to manage crises. This risks unnecessarily criminalising the child.

p.4

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

There have been several serious incidents, particularly when the child runs away from staff. Other incidents have been lengthy and distressing for the child and staff. Staff do not have a good enough understanding of therapeutic care. They lack the skills and confidence to respond effectively when the child is in crisis. At times, the child has been at risk of harm during these incidents.

p.4

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

Children’s records are not consistently written in a child-centred way. Some contain child- blaming language and show a lack of professional curiosity about the reasons for the child’s behaviour. Consequences are not always connected to the behaviour or designed to help the child learn. Managers have not identified or addressed this through their monitoring and oversight. As a result, learning from incidents is limited and does not create meaningful change for the child.

p.4

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

On occasion, the child displays self-injurious behaviour. However, the risk assessments and protocols relating to this contain contradictory information. It is not clear what staff should do to keep the child safe. This increases the risk of staff responding inconsistently when the child is particularly vulnerable.

p.4

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

There is an agreement with the child’s placing authority that doors should remain locked because the child does not always have the skills to keep themselves safe in the community. At times, staff have forgotten to lock the door. On one occasion when the door was not locked, the child left the home and this resulted in a serious incident. In addition, there is no clear plan for an emergency evacuation. The arrangements do not adequately consider all aspects of the child’s safety.

p.4

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

There have been 2 allegations against staff. Once the manager was aware of these, appropriate action was taken to ensure that the child was safe. However, one member of Inspection report for children’s home: SC456418 5 staff did not follow the home’s safeguarding procedure. The manager subsequently addressed this with them. There was also a complaint about the conduct of another member of staff. This was shared with the local authority designated officer but was not notified to Ofsted. This meant that the regulator did not have oversight of what happened and how the matter was dealt with.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home’s records and systems are chaotic and disorganised. Oversight by managers lacks analysis. This means that important tasks are missed and poor practice is not consistently challenged. In addition, sufficient challenge is not provided to staff or to other professionals when services do not meet the child’s needs.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There are no clear plans for staff on how they can support the child to make progress. Staff’s work with the child is unfocused and its effectiveness is not evaluated. As a result, staff cannot demonstrate that their care is helping the child to make progress. Furthermore, several assessments that should inform the child’s care have either not started or remain at an early stage. This has resulted in significant drift and delay in obtaining the right support for the child.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers do not consistently address practice that falls below the expected standard. There are some examples of the manager addressing concerns. However, there are considerably more examples of poor practice being left unchallenged. This means that poor practice continues and the quality of care does not improve.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

When the manager is not at the home, staff do not get effective support from on-call managers. On one occasion, an on-call manager told staff that they did not know enough about the child to provide advice. This resulted in staff contacting colleagues from the home who were not working and did not have managerial on-call responsibilities. On other occasions, on-call managers advised staff to contact the police in situations that staff should have had the skills and support to manage. This contributes to staff’s reliance on emergency services.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Supervision at all levels continues to lack reflection. Given the seriousness and emotional impact of some incidents, there is little consideration of how staff members’ own views and experiences may affect their responses to the child. Managers are not helping staff to reflect, learn or improve their practice. This means that the quality of care provided to the child is not improving.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager sought feedback from stakeholders as part of the quality-of-care review. However, the report contains little evaluation or learning that could contribute to improvements in the child’s care. The workforce development plan is also poor. It contains irrelevant and outdated information, including information relating to another children’s home. The home’s statement of purpose has not been submitted to Ofsted since March 2025, because the manager was not aware of the regulatory requirement to Inspection report for children’s home: SC456418 6 do so. None of these documents provide a clear plan for developing a workforce with the skills needed to meet the child’s complex needs.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Members of the same family sometimes work at the home, although they do not work together. There is no risk assessment to consider arrangements for managing a situation where there is a conflict of interests or a perceived conflict of interests. This is a further example of ineffective management oversight. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456418 7

p.6

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.

p.7

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—

p.7

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.7

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;

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

p.7

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 and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

p.7

Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

p.7

Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and 4 October 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC456418 8 feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

p.7

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)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

p.8

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.8

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.8

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;

p.8

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.8

Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

p.8

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

p.8

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

p.8

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)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(b)) 4 October 2026

p.8

Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

p.8

Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

p.8

Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being.

p.8

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.8

Requirement Due date

that staff help each child to— 1 November 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC456418 9 understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding;

p.8

Requirement Due date

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well-being; and

p.9

Requirement Due date

that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(ii)(iv) (c))

p.9

Requirement Due date

Specifically, the manager should ensure that the child has the relevant support from all appropriate health professionals. This may include assessments and delivery of care.

p.9

Requirement Due date

Also, specifically, the manager should ensure that the child is supported to meet their health-specified needs through incentives if required.

p.9

Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

p.9

Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

p.9

Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

p.9

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.9

Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

p.9

Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

p.9

Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

p.9

Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those 1 November 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC456418 10 expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

p.9

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

p.10

Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

p.10

Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

p.10

Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same; and

p.10

Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(i)(ii)(iv)(v)(vi)(viii)(ix)(x)(xi))

p.10

Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(b)) 4 October 2026

p.10

Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

p.10

Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

p.10

Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

p.10

Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. (Regulation 45 (2)(a)(b)(c))

p.10

Requirement Due date

Specifically, the manager should ensure that the system evaluates the information gained and that the actions are 1 November 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC456418 11 relevant to improving or maintaining of the quality of care for children.

p.10

Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

p.11

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that there is a record of the progress children make in education. If no progress has been made, this should be appropriately escalated to the relevant professionals. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 26, paragraphs 5.2)  The registered person should ensure that if they share anything with the local authority designated officer, this should also be shared with the regulator. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraphs 14.10)  The registered person should ensure that the workforce development plan clearly details how staff will be supported to have the skills to deliver the care outlined within the home’s statement of purpose. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraphs 10.8)

p.11

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: SC456418 12

p.11

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

p.12

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 4th Floor Park View, 82 Oxford Rd, Uxbridge UB8 1UX

p.12

Inspector

Joanna Scott, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC456418 13 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.

p.12

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.13

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.13

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.13