Children's Home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Birmingham

Inspection report for children’s home: 2620366 1 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and provides care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living in the home. They spoke to the inspector and shared their views.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2025 and is suitably experienced.

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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: 4 November 2025

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2620366 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/11/2025 Full Good 14/08/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 20/02/2024 Full Good 21/09/2022 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: 2620366 3

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Summary of findings

Children’s experiences at this home are mixed. High turnover of staff has affected the consistency and continuity of care that children receive. While a small group of consistent, well-trained staff provide empathetic care and support, the frequent changes mean that training is not always embedded, and not all staff have demonstrated that they have the skills to meet children’s complex needs.

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Summary of findings

The manager demonstrates a good understanding of the home’s strength and areas for development and has clear plans for how she will improve the quality of care provided. However, systems for monitoring the home have not always been effective at identifying where information is unclear. The manager’s capacity has been reduced as she has been overseeing a second home. She recognises the impact and plans to step down from this role to focus on this home.

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, 2 children have lived at this home, at separate times, and one child has moved out. The child’s move was urgent as staff could not meet their needs. On reflection, leaders acknowledged that admission information lacked depth, and they implemented changes to strengthen their processes.

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improvement to be good

High turnover of staff has affected the continuity and consistency of care the child living in the home receives. Frequent changes are unsettling for the child, and staff have not all demonstrated the skills to build meaningful relationships. The child is due to move out of the home as staff are unable to meet their needs. Despite this, the child can identify trusted adults and reports feeling listened to by a core team of staff who know them well and act in response to their requests.

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improvement to be good

The home is highly personalised for the child. Staff display photos and support the child in caring for a pet. The child’s family members and friends are welcomed to visit regularly, and the child says they have everything they need. This helps to create a family atmosphere and supports the child to feel a sense of belonging and value.

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improvement to be good

Managers and staff have worked closely with professionals to ensure that the child’s educational needs are understood and promoted. Staff support the child to access tuition in the home, and there is a clear plan for the child to attend a specialist school. The manager has been instrumental in supporting the child to recognise the importance of education and facilitated visits.

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improvement to be good

Staff provide a range of activities that enhance children’s experiences of living in the home. The child regularly attends dance classes and has enjoyed attending parties with children who live in other homes across the organisation. This is a significant Inspection report for children’s home: 2620366 4 achievement for the child and provides opportunities for them to form and develop friendships, build confidence and experience a sense of enjoyment.

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improvement to be good

Staff generally support children well and keep them safe. However, there have been occasions when staff’s actions have exacerbated the child’s feelings of distress. They have not always had the necessary skills to reduce children’s anxieties, resulting in the police being called to the home. In addition, poor practice of some agency staff has affected the child’s experiences and sense of safety. The manager has taken immediate action in response to concerns, and a core staff team has provided consistent and empathetic care and support during and after incidents. Managers have identified learning from incidents and put in place training to upskill staff. However, high staff turnover means that learning from training is not yet embedded.

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improvement to be good

Staff create records of all incidents, and the manager reviews these. Reviews identify learning. However, the quality of records is inconsistent, and some records lack depth. The manager has not always identified when information in records is unclear. This limits the value as a tool for monitoring the home. The manager recognises that reporting and recording are areas for development for staff and has plans to address this through further training.

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improvement to be good

Investigations routinely take place when allegations are made. Information is shared with external professionals, and children are provided with opportunities to share their views. The manager identifies learning from incidents, which helps to strengthen practice.

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improvement to be good

Staff generally understand and support the child’s health and wellbeing needs well. Staff have prioritised the child’s dietary needs, resulting in the child experiencing an increased sense of safety relating to food. This has directly improved their health and wellbeing. Managers ensure that the child has the support they need from external professionals, and staff regularly talk to the child about the importance of their health and attending routine appointments. However, staff have been unable to overcome the child’s reluctance to attend dental appointments and, as a result, the child’s oral health has not been checked since they moved into the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff and the child benefit from the support of an in-house therapist, who regularly visits the home. The therapist holds one-to-one sessions with the child, providing therapeutic support and helping the child to develop strategies to manage and process their experiences. Staff benefit from individualised training on the child’s needs; however, learning from training is not yet embedded due to the turnover of staff.

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

The manager’s systems for monitoring and oversight of the home have not always been effective. Despite this, she has a good understanding of the service’s strengths and areas Inspection report for children’s home: 2620366 5 for development and has clear plans to improve the quality of care. Her capacity has been affected as she has been overseeing another home. The manager has reflected and discussed a plan to step down from this role to focus on this home.

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

High turnover of staff has affected continuity and consistency in the care provided. There is a high reliance on agency staff, who have not always demonstrated that they have the necessary skills and understanding to provide the child with care in line with their plans. The manager has taken time to understand the reasons for staff leaving. The child is due to move on from the home, and the manager has a clear plan to ensure that a full and suitably skilled staff team is in place before admitting another child.

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

The manager fosters positive relationships with professionals, children and their families. Effective information-sharing helps to ensure that the child’s needs are understood. This joined-up approach ensures that everyone works together to support the child. The child’s parent reported that the manager is committed and provides the child with loving care.

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

Staff receive regular, reflective supervision that promotes the development of practice through clear action setting. Most staff say they feel well supported by the manager, who they report is approachable, understanding and committed. However, some staff describe feeling ‘worn out’ due to the pressures of supporting newer colleagues. The manager has explored with staff how they can make changes to ensure that all staff feel well supported. Inspection report for children’s home: 2620366 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 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

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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

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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)(d)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

evaluations after incidents identify all learning and clarify information that is unclear;

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Requirement Due date

staffing remains consistent to provide children with continuity;

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Requirement Due date

staff have the necessary skills and understanding to respond effectively to children, reducing and not escalating their distress, and provide them with stability. 19 November 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2620366 7 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; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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 children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that children have a positive experience of moving on from the home. They must ensure that they scrutinise the information available to them before a child moves in so that they can consider whether they can meet their needs effectively. 19 November 2026

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the child is supported to access dental appointments. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.11)

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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: 2620366 8

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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 Park View, 82 Oxford Road, Uxbridge UB8 1UX

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Inspector

Laura Norcop, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2620366 9 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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