Children's home run by Cambian Childcare Limited in Hammersmith and Fulham

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged Good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has sustained effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Three of the four good practice recommendations has been appropriately addressed. The Registered Manager now escalates his concerns to the placing local authorities when they do not comply with their statutory duties to undertake independent return home interviews. These interviews are now being completed in most cases and the findings are used to inform future care practice. In addition work has been completed with one young person around the potential dangers that they may be exposed to when accessing and using social media sites. This promotes young people’s safety and well-being; young people are enabled to make safer, more informed choices while accessing the online world.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

One further good practice recommendation has yet to be suitably addressed. This relates to improving the fabric of the home both inside and out. For example: the driveway requires resurfacing; the garden wall and the front gate need replacing, and now the kitchen floor tiles require attention. While the Registered Manager had made suitable efforts to rectify this, these jobs remain outstanding with no clear dates identified for completion.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has experienced a period of instability and difficulty over recent months as four young people have joined the home in an emergency and three young people have moved on quickly as their needs cannot be met in the home. These emergency admissions have not allowed for good matching, and in some cases have resulted in the de-stabilisation of other placements, necessitating young people to move on again resulting in further disruption and instability. As such it is difficult to ascertain what progress some young people have made. While the manager has raised these potential risks and difficulties in sustaining young people’s placement safety within the organisation, a request for a Looked after Children’s review to consider the suitability and safety of the placements was not requested. In addition, due to the speed of the placements, ineffective arrangements are in place to ensure that all young people are provided with a

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

suitable education provision in a timely manner. For example, one young person is still awaiting a suitable education package to be identified despite joining the home on the 9th January 2016. That said, the manager and staff are making some efforts to address this with the placing authority and are offering some educational opportunities.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people reported that they are happy, and kept safe by a staff team whom they have trust and confidence in. Young people confirm that staff listen to them and support them well in all areas of their lives. A young person spoke confidently and discussed how he could raise any issues or concerns and what services were available to him, such as the National Youth Advocacy Service, should this become necessary.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff are aware of young people’s changing behaviours and needs and respond appropriately. They seek out advice and guidance from specialist services with whom they have developed good relationships. Good links with health colleagues such as the nurse for looked after children, child and adolescent mental health services and specialist sexual health colleagues, ensure young people’s health needs are addressed suitably and promptly from the point of admission. Although staff make suitable efforts to support young people make good and safe health care choices, some young people continue to engage in harmful behaviour such as smoking cannabis. Staff spend time with young people and encourage them to think about their behaviour and how this effects their health and later life opportunities. This, alongside encouraging young people to engage with specialist alcohol and drug services has helped some young people reduce their cannabis use

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

during the short time that they have been within the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

On the whole, young people are generally placed some distance away from their families and friendship groups. Staff understood and adhered to clear contact plans which highlight any restrictions that may be in place to safeguard young people. Despite this distance young people are supported well by the staff to sustain positive links with those whom the placing authorities deem it safe and suitable to do so.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Despite the best efforts of the staff, some young people have created difficulties for themselves and others in the local community due to their anti-social and aggressive behaviour. This has resulted in an increase in police presence at the home during this inspection period. Others however, have benefited from starting to build more positive relationships with the staff and are building positive links with the local community. For example, some young people are engaging in local activities at the gym and attending the local libraries, whilst also enhancing their experiences, like going to watch live football matches of their favourite teams; opportunities that they have not been offered before. Young people report that they feel that they have really benefited from this and have enjoyed their experiences in the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff are committed to promoting young people’s safety and well-being. Staff recognise their roles and responsibilities in keeping young people safe and they respond to any such events appropriately and in line with young people’s individual and clear risk management plans. Professionals confirmed that they are confident that staff do their upmost to promote young people’s safety, particularly when young people absent themselves from the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has suitably addressed any complaints and allegations raised. He ensures that all agencies, such as the Local Authority Designated Officer, social worker and police are informed promptly. Young people’s physical safety is maintained effectively, as staff continue to ensure that a range of health and safety checks are regularly undertaken. This promotes young people and staff’s safety and ensures that they continue to live in a physically safe environment. The staff team, which has seen the arrival of two new enthusiastic and motivated staff, remain committed and consistent in their ways of working with young people. Seven of the nine staff are suitably experienced and qualified, with appropriate support and training arrangements in place for the two new staff. Staff report that they are well supported by the manager, and their colleagues to deliver a good standard of care; they receive suitable training and undertake detailed and

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

regular supervision. Furthermore good monitoring systems support the manager and his leaders in identifying the strengths and areas for continued development within the home. The manager is acutely aware of the difficulties that the young people, the staff and he has faced over recent months. He is committed to learning from these experiences to drive improvements forward to ensure all young people benefit from safe, suitable and stable placements.

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Information about this children's home

 The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two children and young people with emotional and, or behavioural difficulties. A large national private provider operates the home.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

05/03/2015 CH - Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets 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 with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the education standard the registered person must ensure that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

(viii) help each child who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of non-attendance and return to school as soon as possible. 25 Mar 2016

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the care planning standard the registered person must ensure that children receive well- planned care from the home and have a positive experience of admission and transition processes.

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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

(e) that that the child's placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child's relevant plans is requested when –

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Requirement Due date

(i) the registered person has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet his or her needs. 25 Mar 2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 Ensure the home provides a comfortable, homely and secure environment that is well maintained and decorated. In in particular reference to ensuring that the repairs are completed to driveway, the garden wall and that the front gate is replaced, and the kitchen floor tiles are replaced. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child's assessed needs as recorded in the child's relevant plans and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children so to avoid disruption and instability for the child in the future and other children in the home. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 56, paragraph 11.4)

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service 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. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, 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,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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