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

Outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the home contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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The children’s home provision is outstanding because:

 Young people make excellent progress from their starting points. Outcomes are improved for many aspects of their lives. Young people grow in confidence and self-esteem.  Young people invariably come to the home with a high level of risk-taking and harmful behaviour. Within a short period of time, risk is reduced and young people increasingly make safer choices.  Risk to young people is managed well. Staff are proactive in taking steps to reduce the risks in the community, and work in partnership with others to address issues as they arise. Staff manage challenging behaviour effectively, and follow comprehensive risk and behaviour management plans.  Young people attend school or college, and make steady progress in relation to their attendance and attainment. Staff promote education, valuing the positive benefits of routine, social interaction and a sense of achievement. Young people are encouraged to think about future goals, improving their

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The children’s home provision is outstanding because:

chances of leading productive adult lives.  Relationships between staff and young people are positive. Young people speak positively about their experiences of living in the home. They develop trusting relationships with caring and committed staff, who provide them with high levels of praise and encouragement, alongside structure, routine, and clear and consistent boundaries.  Staff work well in partnership with professionals and the wider community. Young people are encouraged to be part of the community and are given opportunities to take part in a range of activities.  Staff work in partnership with families to provide consistent care and to improve family relationships, where possible.

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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 ‘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

(2) In order to meet the education standard, the registered person to ensure— (a) that staff— (i) help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans. This is with reference to advocating on behalf of the child if plans are not clear or a child is not reaching their potential. 24/10/ 2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  The registered person is responsible for leading a team which provides high- quality care for all children living in the home. They must lead and manage the home in a way that delivers the ethos, outcomes and approach set out in the home’s statement of purpose. They should also play a key role in shaping the ethos of the home through developing a culture of high aspiration for children which is demonstrated through the care, resources and opportunities offered to the children. This is in reference to working on the home’s development plan. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.4)

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a large, private provider. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people who have emotional or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 10/11/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness 07/07/2015 Full Good 10/02/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness 15/05/2014 Full Good

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Outstanding

Young people achieve very good outcomes from their starting points. From the point of admission, young people are made to feel welcome and are given plenty of age-appropriate information to help them to settle in. The home itself is a welcoming and homely environment. Young people have personalised, well- appointed bedrooms. Staff celebrate the achievements of young people. Photographs around the home increase a sense of inclusion and provide visual reminders of good experiences.

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Outstanding

Staff are appropriately experienced and skilled, and have an exceptionally good understanding of young people’s individual needs. Staff provide nurturing care to young people, using attachment-based theory to guide their work and their interaction with young people. Observations of staff demonstrate excellent relationships with young people. Young people receive high levels of praise and encouragement, and achievements are celebrated. One parent made the following comments about her son: ‘He has come on in leaps and bounds. Now he is like the child I knew before – warm and friendly. I feel like I’ve got my son back.’

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Outstanding

Staff manage challenging behaviour very well. One member of staff spoke about the need actively to listen to young people to help them to make safer choices: ‘We will listen and try to mediate an outcome, and give the young person an opportunity to make the right decisions.’ This supports young people to develop problem-solving skills and establish a framework for thinking, rather than acting impulsively. Young people are given the opportunity to take age-appropriate risks, such as using public transport, as these experiences enable young people to feel trusted, become more independent and manage any risks from a safe base. The positive relationships that young people develop with staff provide them with stability and security.

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Outstanding

All young people attend school or college, often after having had very poor educational experiences with periods of exclusion or complete disengagement from learning. Despite young people having poor, or difficult, previous educational experiences, they make better progress in their education than could have been anticipated. This indicates that young people have improved confidence and a better attitude towards learning. This also underlines the clear expectations and tenacity of staff.

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Outstanding

A strength of the home is partnership working, and staff work closely with partner agencies to ensure that young people make progress. Staff offer support and challenge to partner agencies, and will increasingly advocate for young people, if needed. Partner agencies say that communication from staff is very good and that staff ensure that they send reports in a timely manner.

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Outstanding

A recommendation made at the last inspection referred to the need to improve young people’s independent living skills. This recommendation has now been fully addressed. Young people are engaged in specific preparation for independent living work, and staff are able to assess areas of strength and need through this work. Informal opportunities to increase independence skills are also used, such as food preparation in the home and taking public transport.

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Outstanding

Contact between young people and their families is also an area of strength, with the staff playing a key role in contact plans, and in some cases reunification plans. Partnership working with parents is excellent. Staff develop trusting and collaborative relationships with parents, and recognise the significance of these relationships for young people. One parent said: ‘The home is welcoming and we feel at home there. I made Sunday dinner once for everyone, because my son said that he was missing my roast dinners. I feel welcome there, and my son is benefiting from being there.’ One young person went away on holiday with his family, with staff on hand to offer support. This demonstrates the work that has been undertaken to repair family relationships and create new, positive experiences. All young people have contact plans and these are subject to regular review. Partnership working is strong and plans progress well, as all parties are

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Outstanding

Young people have access to appropriate leisure activities and hobbies. Young people also become fully involved in community activities. They recently took part in ‘Clean for the Queen’ and supported staff taking part in ‘The Big Sleep Out’, highlighting homelessness. Young people become more aware of what their community can offer, and participation increases their self-confidence and self- esteem. Young people learn about other cultures, religions and communities while living at the home. Staff take responsibility for creating displays and arranging activities to support learning. These include trips out in the community to broaden young people’s knowledge and understanding.

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Outstanding

Staff also refresh their learning about issues affecting young people, and bring topical issues into the home, such as understanding adolescent mental health. This can support young people to broach these issues themselves in a non-stigmatising way.

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Outstanding

Young people’s health needs are met, with staff ensuring that specialist services are in place, if needed.

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Outstanding

Young people have a real voice in the home. Young people’s meetings are very well attended, there is clear communication between young people and staff, and good feedback. Young people feel listened to. Judgement grade

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Outstanding

Young people say that they feel safe. The home provides a secure base where young people feel able to speak to staff and express their worries. There is a reduction in harmful and risk-taking behaviour, as young people begin to feel secure and valued. They begin to develop skills in reflection and making safer choices.

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Outstanding

Staff are skilled and have an exceptionally good understanding of young people’s individual needs. Trusting relationships between staff and young people form the basis of the behaviour management strategy. Young people’s risks, vulnerabilities and triggers are assessed and, from this, comprehensive behaviour management plans are devised. There is a strong emphasis on not criminalising young people, where possible, and enabling young people to address their difficulties and reach their full potential. Strong partnerships with the police and the local community mean that restorative work can be undertaken, and young people learn ways to regulate their behaviour.

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Outstanding

The use of physical intervention to manage behaviour or risk is rare. This reflects both the skill of staff in de-escalating situations and their consistent approach. When physical intervention is used, the recording and debriefing are of a very high standard. Young people are fully involved in debriefing to support them emotionally and to try to learn from the incident.

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Outstanding

Young people become increasingly able to manage their emotions. Key-work sessions explore issues such as bullying and keeping safe, and support young people to make safer choices.

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Outstanding

Missing from care incidents are managed very effectively and robust procedures are followed. Young people have missing from care risk management plans and plans around the use of free time. Staff work in partnership with placing local authorities and the police to ensure that young people are cared for as safely as possible. The process of arranging independent return interviews is well embedded. One professional expressed how exceptionally well the staff manage risk and missing from care. She said that the manager will seek professional advice and consultation on potential risks and formulate plans to safeguard young people in a preventative way. She also commented that the manager ‘sees the bigger picture and wants the community to be safer’.

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Outstanding

The manager is a member of the community residents’ association and actively works with the community to try to make the area safer. An example of this was meeting with the provider of a local service for adults, following risk being identified from some of these adults towards the young people living at the home. A plan was put in place to manage the situation. When this did not reduce the risk, the manager called a strategy meeting to formulate a multi-agency plan to address the problem. This demonstrates a proactive approach to safeguarding and reduces risk, not only for young people living in the home but for the wider community. Recruitment processes for staff are robust and prevent unsuitable people working with children at this home. Staff receive appropriate training and have access to a range of training opportunities to enhance their skills and competence in relation to safeguarding children. Staff understand their professional role and demonstrate a

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Outstanding

sound understanding of risk, harm, and how to escalate concerns and safeguard effectively. Staff are aware of the risks associated with young people being in gangs. Following training in this area, staff felt that they needed more in-depth training and commissioned this to enhance their knowledge. Bullying is not tolerated. Staff are very aware of bullying situations and they ensure that young people have opportunities to talk about this. Young people say that there is no bullying in the home. Staff recently noticed increased banter between the young people which could be hurtful, so worked with them to recognise that this is a form of bullying, bringing this behaviour to an end.

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Outstanding

Young people come to the home having engaged in risk-taking behaviour and sometimes exceptionally harmful behaviour. There is a marked reduction in this behaviour, but the vulnerabilities and triggers can remain. Young people are trusted to have free time in the community, and take age-appropriate risks as part of their growth and development. This is managed through behaviour and risk management plans being implemented by staff, and through close partnership working with social workers, the police and specialist agencies. Young people have the opportunity to learn from their mistakes and move on constructively. Staff provide young people with clear and consistent boundaries, alongside nurturing and dependable care.

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Outstanding

The registered manager is suitably skilled and extremely experienced. She already holds a management qualification, and is in the process of undertaking the level 5 diploma in leadership and management for residential childcare.

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Outstanding

The manager is confident, inspirational and ambitious for young people. Young people, the staff team and professionals from partner agencies hold her in high regard. A number of partner agencies refer to the manager as ‘a positive force’ and welcome her proactive approach to working together. Her background in therapeutic care strongly influences the ethos of the home. She made a strong start and has now overseen the home developing into a welcoming and nurturing environment that has a strong sense of identity and values. Alongside this, there are clear expectations about behaviour, and staff are supported to provide very clear and consistent boundaries.

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Outstanding

Staff attend regular team meetings which include space for staff development. This provides an opportunity to discuss practice issues as well as new legislation, policies and procedures which underpin staff practice. The manager promotes the use of attachment theory-based practice, consisting of interacting with young people through playfulness, acceptance, curiosity and empathy. New staff have the opportunity to shadow more experienced staff in reframing conversations to encourage young people to think about problems in a different way. Staff are also encouraged to consider their own thoughts and feelings when dealing with difficult situations and how the way that they feel might impact upon the situation. This, combined with research into issues affecting young people in care, creates a stimulating learning environment for staff.

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Outstanding

Supervision takes place regularly and ensures that practice is monitored, as well as giving the opportunity to discuss the young people’s needs.

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Outstanding

Partnership working is a strength of this home. The manager and staff have excellent working relationships with social workers, as well as partner agencies and the local community. Relationships with parents are valued and, where possible, staff work in partnership with parents, improving family relationships and sharing consistent approaches to managing behaviour.

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Outstanding

The statement of purpose provides detailed information which reflects the service provided. A parents’ guide has been devised to support their understanding of how the home is run and what staff are trying to achieve. The home’s development plan is ready for updating, and this will further enhance the plans for the home, going forward.

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Outstanding

The manager and team leaders monitor the progress that young people make effectively. This ensures that placement plans and risk management plans remain effective and that changes are instigated in a timely manner. There is evidence of staff escalating their concerns when the progress of young people is impeded, for any reason. While this is positive, a more robust approach is needed for education plans, on occasion, to ensure that drift in plans does not have a detrimental effect on young people.

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Outstanding

Quality assurance monitoring of the home, both externally and internally, is effective. Learning is taken from this monitoring to make continuous improvements to the home and the care provided. This also enables the manager to have good insight into the strengths and weaknesses of the home.

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against ‘Inspection of children’s homes: framework for inspection’. An outstanding children’s home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children’s home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children’s home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements

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What the inspection judgements mean

are in place, however, the children’s home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children’s home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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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 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

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Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and ‘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 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 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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