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:

 The manager is inspirational and ambitious for the young people who live at the home.  Outstanding leadership means that staff work from a strong theoretical base that positively develops young people’s behaviour and provides excellent individualised care.  The manager has an excellent insight into the strengths of the service and has a clear understanding of young people’s developmental needs and progress.  The manager and staff advocate strongly for young people and will challenge other professionals and/or agencies when the responses from other services are not effective.  Young people are thriving and making exceptional progress in all aspects of their lives.  Young people experience an exceptional variety of opportunities within the wider community.  Staff apply consistent boundaries. Exemplary practice has resulted in sustained improvement in young people’s behaviour.  The manager and staff value young people and have extremely high

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately operated children’s home. It provides care and accommodation for four young people up to the age of 18 years with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 11/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 02/09/2015 Full Good 06/01/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness 11/06/2014 Full Adequate

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Outstanding

Young people are thriving and making exceptional progress. This is as a direct result of the manager and staff, who have extremely high aspirations for young people and value their progress. Staff work from a strong theoretical base that positively develops young people’s behaviour and provides excellent individualised care. This theoretical base makes a sustained difference to young people’s lives and promotes improvements by increasing their confidence and self-esteem. One placing social worker stated, ‘A lot of effort is put into the little extras, which makes a huge difference to the overall quality of care being provided.’

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Outstanding

Young people are making excellent progress in all areas of their development. They are healthy, and regularly engage in sporting activities. They are beginning to take responsibility for their own health needs. For example, one young person is starting to engage in a smoking cessation programme. Young people’s progress in education is remarkable, when taking into account their starting points. Young people who previously have had very poor school attendance are now achieving 100% attendance and are actively taking part in school activities. One young person, who had not been in education for over two years, is now successfully attending full-time in a mainstream school. Staff have worked successfully with the local authority education team to create an individual package of one-to-one support for him. He is now engaging well in after-school activities and no longer requires any extra support from staff while at school. Another young person, who

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Outstanding

had been previously excluded from school, is also making exceptional progress. Staff have worked alongside teachers, supporting him in school and reinforcing his learning at home through regular bedtime reading. He has made significant academic progress and his behaviour in school has improved dramatically. He is now enjoying school and attending full time. The headteacher commented, ‘He is one of our absolute success stories… he is doing extremely well… his reading has progressed significantly.’

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Outstanding

Young people’s day-to-day experiences within the wider community are exceptional. Their self-confidence and self-esteem have dramatically increased, as a result. Those who previously have struggled with friends of a similar age in social situations are working towards the Duke of Edinburgh awards and regularly engaging in sporting activities such as rugby, horse riding and athletics. Two young people have recently attended week-long residential activities and rugby camps without staff needing to be present to support them.

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Outstanding

Staff provide extremely good and positively impactful support to young people so that they can remain in contact with their family and friends and sustain positive relationships with them. Staff supervise contact with young people’s families and often travel some distance to maintain contact. Staff involve families, where possible, in the day-to-day decisions about young people. This is particularly beneficial for young people’s emotional and psychological development. Young people regularly have friends over for tea in the evening and during the weekends. They also invite friends to join them in the various activities and outings that the home organises. This enables young people to have positive view of life at the home.

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Outstanding

Young people develop strong, positive relationships with staff. This is because staff spend time with them and listen to their views and opinions, both individually and during group meetings. Young people discuss issues that are important to them, such as bullying and racism. Through these discussions, they are able to understand much better the issues that affect them. One social worker stated, ‘Young people have excellent relationships with staff.’ Another commented, ‘Staff are adaptable and will go the extra mile.’ Young people know how to complain and are confident in the knowledge that the manager and staff will act upon any concerns or complaints promptly.’ One young person stated, ‘I am very happy… it’s a good environment to live in.’

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Outstanding

Staff support young people well to develop age-appropriate independence skills, such as cooking. At the time of this inspection, there were no young people living in the home who required a formal independence plan. Staff manage young people’s moves into the home particularly well. Staff ensure that they are fully aware of young people’s needs, and spend time in their preparation to meet individual needs and to make them feel welcome. For example, during the inspection, the manager and staff prepared a pamper pack and bought fluffy slippers in readiness for a new young person arriving at the home.

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Outstanding

The home is well maintained. The decor and furnishings are of a very high standard. These give the home a cosy and homely feel. The value placed on young people is further demonstrated by photographs, which are displayed throughout the home. Furthermore, young people are involved in choosing the decor and accessories in their bedrooms and in the communal areas of the home. For example, one young person chose a London theme for the dining room, choosing pictures, soft furnishings and wallpaper. One visiting professional stated, ‘The presentation of the home, in terms of decoration and furnishings, is faultless. Every effort has been made to make it feel homely and comfortable, and minimise any feelings of institutionalisation.’

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Outstanding

Young people are safe in the home. This is because the manager and staff team are proactive and highly skilled in dealing with any incidents that occur. As a result, young people feel secure in the knowledge that staff will keep them safe. Consistent boundaries and staff practice have resulted in sustained improvement to young people’s behaviour. The manager and her deputy use theory-based learning to help staff understand young people’s behaviour and to develop their practice. Consequently, staff increase their knowledge and understanding of individual young people and constantly re-evaluate their own practice.

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Outstanding

Staff are very skilled in de-escalating confrontational behaviour. As a result, instances of physical intervention and negative consequences have been reduced. One member of staff commented, ‘There has been a massive reduction in consequences. We are now doing restorative work with young people instead of fining them.’ Staff are knowledgeable and up to date on issues such as child sexual exploitation and radicalisation. They are fully aware of any potential dangers in the local community and act swiftly to safeguard young people.

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Outstanding

There has been a significant reduction in aggressive and violent behaviour, both in the home and in school. Young people are able now to engage in activities with their friends in the community without staff support. This is excellent progress, as previously they struggled to be in school without a member of staff supporting them. One external professional commented, ‘The range of activities, interventions and care given to (my young person) has been both broad and appropriate, and has been a major contribution to the vastly improved behaviour that he is exhibiting.’ Incidents of young people going missing from care and the risks associated with this are low, having been reduced significantly since the last inspection. There are no young people currently at risk from child sexual exploitation. There have been only three episodes of young people going missing, and two of those were only for a very short period. This is a vast improvement, as many of the young people have

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Outstanding

had a significant history of running away prior to arriving at the home. The manager and staff are exceptionally responsive, to make sure that young people are safe, and are very effective in challenging others to ensure their safety. For example, the manager insisted that the police remove a young person from the unsuitable premises where she was staying. All complaints or safeguarding concerns are shared promptly with police and designated safeguarding officers.

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Outstanding

Staff identify and understand risks very well. Young people’s plans and risk assessments are highly effective. Plans are reviewed regularly to ensure that they are live documents that constantly reflect young people’s behaviour. As a result, staff have a strong understanding of the risks for young people and are able to provide appropriate support and challenge to them. Staff conduct extensive placement plan sessions with young people on a one-to-one basis to discuss issues such as personal safety, internet use and anger management. These sessions are highly effective in improving young people’s safety, both when they are outside the home and when online. Young people learn how to keep themselves safe and to manage their anger and violent behaviour. Consequently, young people’s opportunities to be involved in social opportunities and community participation increase significantly.

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Outstanding

The home environment is safe and secure. There is a detailed location risk assessment that covers all areas of concern in the locality. Regular fire evacuations are conducted and also occur whenever a new young person or staff member starts at the home, to ensure that they are aware of how to keep themselves safe in the event of fire. A strong and careful recruitment process for all new staff ensures that they are suitable to work with young people at the home.

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Outstanding

An inspirational and ambitious registered manager leads this home. She holds a level 5 diploma in leadership and management, and has substantial experience in residential childcare. The home is well resourced and managed in line with the home’s statement of purpose. The manager creates a culture of high aspiration within her staff team. Outstanding leadership means that staff are positive and provide the best possible care for young people to make a sustained difference for them. The manager commented, ‘I am passionate that our kids do not miss out on anything.’ Young people receive continuity and consistency of quality care, because staff remain working in the home for a number of years. As a result, young people enjoy strong and trusting relationships with staff.

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Outstanding

The manager and staff team are clearly child focused. They have developed excellent working relationships with teachers, social workers and others to ensure the best possible support for young people. One teacher stated, ‘I can’t fault the communication with the home.’ The manager advocates strongly for young people and is highly responsive in challenging other professionals when responses from other services are not forthcoming. This approach of responsiveness and challenge has been extremely effective in improving young people’s behaviour and in safeguarding them. For example, the manager has been successful in reducing the level of risk that a young person posed in school and challenged the police to ensure that they acted appropriately to safeguard a young person.

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Outstanding

The staff team benefits from a comprehensive programme of training and receives effective management support. The manager is exceptionally committed to the development of staff practice, so that staff provide the highest quality care to young people. Individual plans highlight areas of professional development and individual supervision sessions are tailored to suit the differing learning styles of staff members. One member of staff commented, ‘The manager is amazing. She is always developing my practice.’ All staff have obtained, or are in the process of obtaining, the appropriate qualification to work with children and young people within required timescales. The deputy manager is completing a level 5 diploma in leadership and management. The manager and deputy routinely develop staff’s knowledge and understanding of the issues that young people may be facing through regular one-to-one supervision sessions and team meetings. Theoretical

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Outstanding

learning and reflective practice underpin these. One professional commented, ‘[The manager] appears to provide clear and strong leadership with her team through role-modelling work and coaching her staff.’

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Outstanding

The manager has an excellent understanding of the quality of care in the home. Her monitoring is thorough and continually evaluates staff practice and young people’s progress. She has an excellent insight into the strengths of the service and a clear understanding of young people’s developmental needs and progress. Consequently, young people are making exceptional progress from their starting points across all aspects of their development. Her development plan clearly identifies the areas where she wishes to improve and develop the home. External professionals are universal in their praise. One placing social worker commented, ‘I have been very impressed with the staff’s and manager’s knowledge of my client and their family.’ Another stated, ‘I am very impressed with the culture of the home, the stable staff team, good leadership and appropriate/tailored support package for the young people. Staff present as prepared and knowledgeable.’

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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 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 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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