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 judges that it has sustained effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, the home has worked successfully with a number of young people. However, this is not the case for all young people. For some, their progress has been limited, despite the best efforts of the staff.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

In January 2017 the registered manager resigned. She is now the regional manager. She provides regular support to the newly appointed manager, who has not yet applied to be registered with Ofsted. This application is important, so that Ofsted can assess her fitness to be the registered manager. The acting manager has NVQ level 4 and is enrolled to undertake level 5. She was formerly the deputy manager and therefore knows the home and the children well.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection have been completed.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, the manager and staff have worked effectively with some young people. Young people who were initially, on admission, considered to be at high risk of child sexual exploitation, are now either considered to be no longer at risk, or their risk-taking behaviour has reduced. This improvement was achieved through working with external agencies, building effective relationships and on occasion looking for young people when they were missing.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Two young people have successfully moved on to independent living, having secured good examination results, employment or training, and found appropriate accommodation. As far as the manager knows they continue to make good progress.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Working in partnership with other agencies, the manager and staff have successfully engaged three young people into regular attendance at school and college, and into an apprenticeship. These young people are making progress and receive regular and appropriate support, encouragement, and effective rewards and incentives to continue.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, Cambian, who operate this home, have engaged a well- known charity to undertake the external monitoring of the home. The reports are detailed and provide appropriate guidance to the manager, who stated that they have assisted in the continued improvement of practice at the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The internal monitoring report undertaken by the previous manager is comprehensive and covers a wide range of matters, identifying several areas for improvement. Most of these recommendations have been achieved and have led to further improvements across a range of matters, including staff training, systems and the general accommodation.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager and staff work in partnership with a range of other professionals and external bodies. An educational psychologist employed by Manchester City Council provides consultation to the manager every eight weeks regarding individual young people. The reports that are written following the verbal consultation provide ideas and thoughts about how to improve practice, and include suggestions for staff to think about when engaging with the young people. The home receives a good service from the local child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), including a 12-week training programme for all the staff, based on the model ‘Build a House’.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has good relationships with the local police officers, drug and alcohol services, the dental hygienist, the looked-after children’s nurse and the sexual health nurse, all of whom call regularly at the home to provide information and advice to the young people without the need for an appointment. This encourages greater engagement, particularly with the health professionals. However, the use of cannabis by the young people still continues, and staff have been unable to eradicate this completely.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

On the day of the inspection the young people were celebrating a birthday and making preparations to go out, and therefore were reluctant to engage in the inspection. Those who did engage reported that they were satisfied with the care provided. The house was decorated with balloons and banners, and a birthday cake was provided and enjoyed by all. Staff and young people were seen engaging in this activity together.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The complaints procedure is well known to the young people, some of whom use it on a regular basis. Their complaints have been investigated, and in most cases detailed letters have been provided. Some paperwork was missing from the file, and therefore the file did not provide a complete audit.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Cambian engage a children’s rights visitor to attend the home on a regular basis to talk informally with young people and provide advocacy and general support. The young people value this service.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Progress for some young people has not been as good. Three young people are not engaging in any form of education, training or employment, despite the very great efforts of the manager and staff. On the day of the inspection the manager and regional manager met with an education provider to arrange individual tutoring for one young person, which would start the following day. This failure to engage will affect some young people who are due to leave the home soon, as without any form of education, training or employment they cannot obtain accommodation.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some children go missing from the home, or are absent without authorisation. The numbers of times per month fluctuates depending on the children involved. Overall, fewer children went missing in 2016 than in 2015. Young people are rewarded if they do not go missing from the home for four weeks, which has been effective in reducing some behaviour. However, at the time of the inspection there was a worrying pattern developing which the staff had not been able to reverse. A missing-from-home strategy meeting and statutory review had been arranged with the local authority to address this particular situation.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The placing authority engages a charity to deliver their return home interviews. These are always offered to the young people, some of whom refuse the offer or refuse to engage. However, the information from these interviews is not shared with the home, although sharing this information would better safeguard the children who go missing.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

In recent months there have been two significant incidents involving the young people and the police. One led to the young people receiving criminal convictions, and another involving the theft of the unit vehicle is subject to a live police investigation, and may well lead to further convictions. Criminal convictions may affect the young people’s ability to gain employment or accommodation in the future.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Following complaints from the young people, three staff members have been under investigation due to conduct issues. Two staff have left the home and one remains under investigation. These incidents have the capacity to undermine the authority of staff, and do not set good examples of behaviour.

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Information about this children's home

The home is one of a number of homes provided by a private provider in collaboration with a local authority. The children placed are all from this local authority. The home provides care and accommodation for up to six young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 11/05/2016 Full Good 08/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 30/07/2015 Full Requires improvement 12/02/2015 Interim Improved 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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The education standard In order to meet the education standard, the registered person must ensure that staff: (viii) help a child who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. 30/04/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the acting manager submits an application to Ofsted to be registered. (Care Standards Act 2000 Part 11 (1)) 30/03/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39 (3)) 30/03/2017

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:  The registered person should contact the placing authority to ensure that the manager routinely receives information following the return home interviews. This is so that they can take account of the information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)

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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, 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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