Cambian Group PLC

Cambian Group Holding Limited
Type of businessPrivate limited company
Type of site
Specialist Educational and Behavioural Health Services
HeadquartersMetropolitan House, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar, England, EN6 1AG
EmployeesAbout 4,000
ParentCareTech Holdings PLC
URLwww.cambiangroup.com
Launched2004

Cambian Group Holdings Limited (previously Cambian Group PLC) is a private limited company[1] known colloquially as 'Cambian'. The company provides specialist residential and educational services for children and young adults with a range of Special Educational Needs (SEN) and social, emotional and mental health needs (SEMH). Cambian is one of the largest providers[2] of specialist behavioural health and care services for children in the United Kingdom.[3] Its children's services comprise specialist education, specialist residential care, foster care, and specialist mental health services. The company looks after approximately 2,100 children and employs over 4,000 people across a portfolio of 224 residential facilities, specialist schools and fostering offices, located in England and Wales.[4]

Cambian has gained notable and widespread media attention multiple times in the British press for numerous abuse allegations. In 2017 undercover ITV journalists filmed Cambian staff abusing residents including children, which was then broadcast in a television documentary.[5][6][7][8] In 2018 an investigation by Buzzfeed accused Cambian of putting profit above care.[7] In 2020 Ofsted reported that Cambian staff did nothing to help children at their Warrington care home who were sexually exploited by adult men.[8] In 2021 the BBC reported that some children had been locked in their rooms alone for 10 days.[9] Other allegations of abuse at Cambian care homes include an excessive use of restraint against children, and a lack of basic necessities such as soap, toilet paper, food, and adequate furniture.[7]

  1. ^ "CAMBIAN GROUP LIMITED – Overview (free company information from Companies House)". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  2. ^ "Largest national providers of private and voluntary social care (March 2024)". GOV.UK. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  3. ^ "Specialist Schools, Residential Care & Fostering – Cambian Children's Services". cambiangroup.com. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  4. ^ "Specialist Schools, Residential Care & Fostering – Cambian". cambiangroup.com. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  5. ^ Tickle, Louise (13 December 2017). "ITV film reveals serious failings at UK children's homes". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  6. ^ Todman, Lucy (21 December 2017). "Two Shropshire children's homes to be investigated after claims of abuse". Shropshire Star. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  7. ^ a b c Singer-Vine, Jeremy; Holmes, Richard (26 July 2018). "Danger And Despair Inside Cambian Group, Britain's Largest Private Child Care Home Provider". Buzzfeed. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  8. ^ a b "Staff in care home failed to prevent children being sexually exploited, Ofsted finds". The Guardian. 5 April 2021. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  9. ^ "Child 'dragged across floor' at Shropshire children's home". BBC. 8 March 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2021.