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

Paula Lahey

The monitoring visit was conducted following an inadequate inspection on 20, 21 and 22 June 2016. Nine requirements were set to address the shortfalls identified at that inspection. In addition, a meeting was held with the registered persons.

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Paula Lahey

Since the full inspection leaders and managers have started to introduce systems to deal with the weaknesses. These systems are in the early stages of development and as a result, they are not yet supporting leaders and managers to consistently safeguard children and young people.

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Paula Lahey

The child protection policy remains ineffective, as some staff do not routinely report safeguarding concerns to leaders and managers. As a result, some concerns have not been reported to external professionals. Changes to the ‘body map’ system, which records bruising or marks to children and young people, are not yet increasing the protection of them. Leaders and managers do not have effective oversight of these documents to identify potential concerns.

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Paula Lahey

Staff have not used sanctions as a behaviour management strategy since the last inspection. A young person confirmed this, saying: ‘I don’t get stopped from going out on activities now.’ The number of physical interventions that children and young people experience is decreasing. The majority of staff have refreshed their training in behaviour management techniques and de-escalation. There is a plan to ensure that all staff have completed this by 9 August 2016.

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Paula Lahey

The monitoring of physical interventions by leaders and managers has not always been effective. The oversight of possible bruising following a restraint and the follow-up of that was weak. However, this is improving. Leaders and managers have implemented daily meetings to monitor these records and utilise the expertise of professionals, such as the speech and language therapist.

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Paula Lahey

Creative tools to engage children and young people in discussions following incidents of restraint are not yet in place. The speech and language therapist is currently devising programmes for each young person so that the strategies used to help young people to express their views are individualised. There is a plan in place to train staff to use these programmes.

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Paula Lahey

Placement plans are under review and more work is required to ensure that the needs of children and young people thread throughout these documents. Gaps remain in relation to culture, identity and day-to-day care arrangements. Leaders and managers recognise that this is an ongoing process and there is a plan in place to improve these documents further.

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Paula Lahey

Some staff are not communicating with children and young people using the tools and methods they prefer. In one of the homes, staff carry symbols on them to communicate with children and young people, but do not always use them.

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Paula Lahey

Leaders and managers have made improvements that make the houses feel more homely. Staff no longer wear uniforms, one member of staff said, and: ‘as a result one young person has become more relaxed.’ Keys were not seen to be carried around by staff. Children and young people have more access to parts of their home, such as kitchens and en suite bathrooms, which were previously locked. Observational windows that were in some bedroom doors have now been removed from use. Staff have reinstated access to a telephone in one home that was previously restricted. Mealtimes have improved, tables are set and staff now sit down for their meal with children and young people.

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Paula Lahey

Leaders and managers have made good progress to ensure that staff recruited through an agency have all the necessary checks in place. This includes conducting visits to agencies to complete their own audit of checks held on personnel files. This has led leaders and managers to identify and address weaknesses in the agencies systems.

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Paula Lahey

A further full inspection will take place to determine the progress against the requirements.

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Information about this children’s home

This national private organisation provides care and accommodation for up to 40 students with autistic spectrum disorder and learning difficulties. It operates as a residential special school, which also provides accommodation for a number of students requiring 52 weeks’ boarding and is therefore registered as a children’s home.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that 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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

6: The quality and purpose of care standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard, the registered person must: 2 (b)(iv) provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background.

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Requirement Due date

2 (c) ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to: (i) meet the needs of each child (ii) enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, that placement plans and risk assessments reflect the current needs of children and young people.

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Requirement Due date

To ensure that a homely rather than institutional feel is achieved, particular attention should be paid to the use of locked doors and signs for staff, and a review should be undertaken of the use of clinical observation windows in bedroom doors. 29/7/2016

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the positive relationships standard, children are helped to develop and benefit from relationships based on: 29/7/2016 1(b) an understanding about acceptable behaviour.

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Requirement Due date

The responsible person must ensure that staff:

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Requirement Due date

2 (a)(i) meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans (ix) understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children.

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Requirement Due date

In particular:  that behaviour support plans clearly identity the needs of children and young people  that staff understand the reasons for behaviour displayed and use effective strategies to promote positive behaviour  the use of sanctions is reviewed to eradicate a punitive approach.

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered person must ensure that staff:

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Requirement Due date

2 (a)(vi) take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, that body maps indicating unknown causes for bruises or injuries following an incident are reported to the registered person in line with the child protection policy. 29/7/2016

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person must ensure that they inspire and lead a culture that:

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(f) understands 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

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(h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, critically analyse records and data to identify shortfalls and learning that will improve experiences for children 29/7/2016 and young people.

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Requirement Due date

The following measures may not be used to discipline any child:

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Requirement Due date

any restriction, other than one imposed by a court or in accordance with regulation 22 (contact and access to communications), on a child’s communications with any persons listed in regulation 22(1) (contact and access to communications).

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

The requirements are that full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

The registered persons must ensure that all employees:

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience.

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In particular, that agency staff receive supervision.

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Requirement Due date

35: Behaviour management policies and records

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes:

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details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure 29/7/2016 the date, time and location of the use of the measure

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a description of the measure and its duration

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details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure

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the name of the person who used the measure (‘the user’), and of any other person present when the measure was used

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the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure

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a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure.

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Within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (‘the authorised person’):

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has spoken to the user about the measure

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has signed the record to confirm that it is accurate

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Requirement Due date

within five days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)

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Requirement Due date

In particular, that any incident resulting in physical intervention, authorised or not, is recorded as described in the above. Children and young people have access to an effective debrief following any restraint, irrespective of their communication method.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other person without delay if: there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. in 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 this guidance, please telephone 0300 123 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, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for children looked after 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

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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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