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 full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has improved effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There has been several changes of young people in placement since the homes last inspection in July 2015. The home has been able to quickly identify when they have not been able to meet young people’s needs or keep them safe. They have worked closely with a range of professionals to identify more suitable placements. Good transition plans show the reasons and good arrangements for young people moving on. When young people have moved into the home thorough impact risk assessments have been completed to ensure that the home can meet their individual needs. Some young people have been admitted in an emergency and staff ensure that they are taken through the routines, boundaries, and structure of the home. One young person said, ‘I did not know I was coming here but staff explained everything, gave me a booklet and I was able to talk to them about what I liked, did not like, what my thoughts were and what I thought the plan for me

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

was.’ She continued to say, ‘Because of this, I feel respected and I have settled in well.’ The manager said, ‘I have turned numerous referrals down because they have not been a match to the other young people placed and/or because we cannot meet their needs. This shows that the home is proactive in finding the right place for young people, that they understand the strengths of the staff team, that young people are central to their care because their views, wishes, and feelings are sought and that young people are placed after good consideration that the home will be able to support them well. At the last inspection one young person had become very unsettled because his family were not turning up for planned contact visits and he was having difficulty in coping in a large mainstream school. The manager worked closely with his family in discussing the detrimental effects this was having on his emotional health. An

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

agreement about the way forward was reached and in conjunction with this, the home also ensured that the young person received therapeutic support to be able to discuss and find appropriate ways of dealing with their emotions. Due to these good arrangements, contact is moving forward and plans are being made to install face to face contact again. These plans now include any restrictions to unsuitable adults and give staff clear actions to take if anybody contacted the home without permission. This ensures that young people only have contact that has been agreed by the local authority. The young person was struggling in a large classroom situation and his behaviour had deteriorated. The home worked closely with educational professionals to find a more suitable education provision. The transition was completed over the summer break to lessen the impact and to start at the beginning of a new term. He has

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

settled well and his reading and writing skills have greatly improved. This shows that young people make progress because of the quick action taken to any concern. Several young people who have been placed have been out of education for a significant period of time. The home has excellent links, within the community, with a range of educational provisions and professionals including the virtual head for education. Clear educational plans show how they are to be introduced back into education. One young person said, ‘I was only here for a month and I now go to a mainstream school every morning and I will be going full time soon.’ Another young person said, ‘I have only been here for two weeks and they have already found me a school. We are just waiting for my review and personal education meeting next week, so I can start. I want to be a forensic scientist so I want to do well in school.’ This shows that they home values education and that they quickly

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

identify and return young people back into education. This means that young people are not out of education for long periods and they have ambitions for their future. Safeguarding professionals say that this home is excellent at reporting, sharing, and taking action to safeguard young people. When young people have been missing from the home staff have searched all known places and addresses and on occasions this has involved long journeys. They have shared information that they have become aware of and have ensured that strategy meetings have taken place. The home ensures that return interviews take place and they also try to find out why and where young people go to. Because of these excellent arrangements, they were able to establish that one young person did not want to live here because she felt that she had outgrown the home. She wanted to live with older young people. As a result, a leaving care placement was found for her and she is

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

now working towards semi-independence. She remains in touch with the home and staff visit her occasionally. Staff pride themselves on the good, honest, and open relationships that they make with young people. Often when young people have settled and they see the value in these relationships, they disclose sensitive information. Staff ensure that they record the information correctly and all parties that need to know are informed. Young people are fully reassured and supported throughout the process. In addition to this, some staff have recently attended a three day safeguarding course. One staff said, ‘It was fantastic, it involved a lot of role playing and we had to represent evidence as if we were in court. I learnt so much about clear recording, sticking to facts and how people feel in that situation.’ This means that staff have their knowledge updated and the good practice in this home protects young people as far as possible.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home consults with young people regularly through weekly meetings and individually as part of the managers monthly monitoring. All requests or suggestions made by them are discussed in a staff meeting. The manager responds to them in writing. Two young people requested that an empty room was made into a sensory or chill out room. One young person suggested that he could go here to calm down when he is angry. Young people now have a sensory room which, has been decorated with a woodland mural, has calming lights, soft music, bean bags, and sensory equipment. One young person said, ‘It is great, we can take friends in there or to chill but I like to go in there to read.’ Therefore, young people see the value of sharing their thoughts and ideas at this home. On occasions young people have been held for their or others safety. Good recordings show the reason and action that staff took. As part of this process,

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

young people complete a life space interview to give their opinion on or whether anything could be done differently. One young person requested to have time alone to calm down and not to be constantly talked to by staff. Staff took this on board and she has not needed to be held since. Staff receive regular training so they can hold young people safely. The appropriate safeguarding professionals externally investigate any allegation against staff and protective measures are put in place until the issue is resolved. There is minimal use of sanctions for negative behaviour in this home. But, when they are applied young people say they are fair, that they get the opportunity to discuss other options such as putting things right and that staff often take back sanctions if they earn it. One young person said, ‘For example, if I lost an activity and I was good and helped around the home for a few days, I could get it back.’ The home celebrates all achievements and progress

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

made by young people with outing of their choice, monetary gains and with personal items. They have recently started an ‘achievement tree’ for each young person. This is where they can write down their progress, wishes, and goals on a leaf and attach them to branches. The manager said, ‘This is a good visual way to show them how well they are doing and they can add anything that they want to.’ The manager is very confident in challenging social workers, parents and a range of professionals to ensure that young people receive the services and support required for them to progress. A stable, well-qualified, and trained staff team cares for young people well. All training that staff receive is now entered on the homes training matrix and includes dates for when they are required to retake them. Staff say that supervision is regular and important to them because this gives them the opportunity to discuss their practice. Similarly, they say that staff meetings are an

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

open forum to discuss the young people, any changes in their placement plans and how the home is developing. Other managers within the company are completing the external monitoring of the quality of care within the home. This does not ensure that the manager receives impartial advice from an independent person. The manager acknowledged this and said that they did not help her improve or develop the home. However, the company has taken steps to employ persons to complete this task and there is an identified person who will start shortly. This has not affected the good outcomes and practices within the home because the manager has good oversight and completes a critical in depth report on a monthly basis.

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Information about this children's home

This privately run children’s home can accommodate up to three young people with emotional or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

25/02/2015 CH - Interim sustained effectiveness

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  Ensure that any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person make a rigours and impartial assessment of the quality of care within the home. (The Guide to the Quality Standards page 65, paragraph 15.5)

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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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