Kids moved out of one Oldham children’s home, while report on another states ‘staff are exhausted and lack the skills to manage kids’ behaviours’

All kids living at a children’s home in Oldham have been moved elsewhere after a government watchdog slammed the unsafe care they were receiving.

Cambian Childcare Limited confirmed that no youngsters are living at the home anymore, after Ofsted reported kids had gone missing and could vape and smoke ‘unchallenged’. 

An Ofsted inspection in September deemed the home, which caters for up to seven children, ‘inadequate’ in all areas.

The inspectors recently returned to check that managers were working on improvements at the home. 

In a report published last week, inspectors Hayley Smith and Dawn Walker confirmed: “Since the last inspection, all children have moved out of the home.

"The provider acknowledged that their needs were no longer being met effectively [and] that they did not intend to provide care for any children for a period of time.”  

The September inspection found ‘serious and widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected’ at the home.

Kids went missing for ‘prolonged periods of time’, with ‘inconsistent and at times insufficient search efforts by staff’. 

Youngsters were seen smoking and vaping in the home unchallenged, and staff failed to carry out spot checks despite rooms smelling like cannabis.

On one occasion, staff failed to search a room despite fears the youngster had been carrying a weapon, the report found. 

The watchdog issued two compliance notices to Cambian Childcare Limited, one about child safety and another about the management. 

The four children living at the home have been relocated to other care homes.

A new interim manager has started working to bring the home up to scratch, but Smith and Dawn noted the work ‘remains at a very early stage’.

A spokesperson for Cambian Childcare Limited said: “This home was rated “good” by Ofsted for the last four years.

"We have taken the action required to address the concerns highlighted in this report, under a new management team we expect to return the home to a standard we expect.

"Our company’s quality ratings exceed the national average reported by Ofsted.”

Inspectors have imposed a three-month condition on the provider, requiring Cambian Childcare Limited to inform Ofsted three months before it intends to move any kids into the home, after finding the company had failed to fulfill some of the compliance notice requirements.

Meanwhile, a different council-run children’s home has been told it still requires improvement five months after it was deemed ‘inadequate’ by a government watchdog.

Ofsted slammed the ‘poor home environment’ and ‘exhausted staff’ who have difficulty managing kids’ behaviours at a kids care home in Oldham. 

Ofsted inspector Sarah Probert visited the provider after a previous inspection in July found kids were ‘not being kept safe’, including ‘several concerning missing from home incidents’. 

This time the home, which specialises in caring for youngsters with social or emotional difficulties, was graded ‘Requires Improvement’ in all areas.

Probert found there was ‘damage throughout the home, including in children’s bedrooms’ that hadn’t been fixed for some time. 

“This does not create a warm and welcoming environment for children or help them feel settled and safe,” she said.

One of the two children currently looked after by the home also told the social care inspector they ‘don’t feel listened to’ by staff. 

But the wider issue at the home appears to be staffing. 

“There is currently a high level of staff absence, primarily due to their lack of skills and experience in managing complex and challenging situations, and staff feeling exhausted,” Probert wrote in her report.

“This has led to increased reliance on staff from other homes in the organisation working at this home.

"While these staff members are familiar with the children, the lack of consistency has disrupted the stability for children and staff at the home.” 

A number of staff have also struggled to manage children’s behaviour, with incidents at the home on the rise.

The issue has resulted in one child being moved out of the home ‘because staff did not have the skills and experience required to meet their needs and manage their risks effectively’. 

The home was praised for how it supported children’s individual hobbies, with lots of activities on offer including art and crafts, days out to play parks and activity centres.

For example, one child who has an interest in music attends weekly sessions at a recording studio, Probert wrote. 

Responding to the report, which was published on December 19, Coun Shaid Mushtaq, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “The safety and wellbeing of children and young people always comes first, and we are taking the findings of this inspection seriously.

"It’s important to say that all of the council’s other children’s homes are rated Good, which gives reassurance about the quality of care we provide more widely.

“At this home, improvements are already being made and we are working closely with Ofsted to get things right.

"The inspection also recognised some real strengths, including staff listening to children, strong safeguarding practice, and a clear focus on training so staff feel confident and supported in their roles.

“Work to improve the home itself is either complete or well underway, and managers are spending more time supporting staff through regular guidance and supervision.

“We know the last few months have been difficult, but a clear improvement plan is now in place to bring more consistency and stability.

"We are already seeing positive signs, with a calmer environment, better outcomes for children, and encouraging feedback from staff.”

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