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

Inspection report children’s home: SC456416 1 SC456416 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care for one child who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home forms part of a large private social care company.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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Good

How well children and young people are helped and protected Good

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Good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers Requires improvement to be good

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Good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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Good

Date of last inspection: 9 February 2017

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Good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Sustained effectiveness

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Good

Enforcement action since last inspection: None

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff get to know the young person and gain a good understanding of his specific needs. The young person trusts the staff and has positive relationships with them. Inspection report children’s home: SC456416 2  Staff support and encourage the young person to engage in education with good effect. They work closely with education staff to promote educational attendance and progress.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff introduce a wide range of recreational opportunities and experiences to the young person. They encourage the young person to engage in community activities, which develop social skills and provide preparation for adulthood.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The home follows safe recruitment procedures to ensure that the young person is looked after by people who are assessed as safe.

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Key findings from this inspection

 A particular strength of this home is the frequency and quality of formal and informal key work sessions. Staff discuss a variety of issues and topics that are important for the young person’s safety and well-being.

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Key findings from this inspection

The children’s home’s areas for development

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Key findings from this inspection

 Robust arrangements need to be put in place to ensure that serious events are notified to Her Majesty’s Chief inspector in line with requirements. This will assist the inspector in reviewing and monitoring serious incidents and ensure that staff take appropriate action to safeguard the young person.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The home has recently been through a difficult period. Managers need to ensure that staff consistently follow the young person’s behaviour management plans. This will ensure that the young person receives a consistent level of care.

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Key findings from this inspection

 The manager needs to take a robust stance with other agencies when there are shortfalls relating to important documents, such as care plans. The manager should ensure that she escalates any future issues to a higher level. This will ensure that staff have a good understanding of the young person’s risks and the care that he needs.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 12/10/2016 Full Outstanding 07/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 25/11/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC456416 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet 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 registered person is required to ensure that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14(1) and (2)(c)). This relates to young people’s behaviour management plans. 05/06/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if

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Requirement Due date

(b) an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers serious; (e) there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(4)(b)(e)) 22/05/2017

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Recommendations

 Where the placing authority or another relevant person does not provide the input and services needed to meet a child’s needs during their time in the home or in preparation for leaving the home, the home must challenge them to meet the child’s needs. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 12, paragraph 2.8)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has recently been through a difficult period. Staff experienced difficulties managing a young person’s unpredictable and aggressive behaviour and self-harm. Full information regarding these issues was not shared with the home by the placing authority at admission. A considerable amount of damage was caused to the property, which is now fully repaired.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

On the whole, staff ensure that young people’s admission to the home is a positive Inspection report children’s home: SC456416 4 experience. Staff support and encourage young people to choose the decor for their bedrooms. They explore young people’s interests and talents in order to support and help them to create their own space, for example, choosing bedding and curtains in the design of their favourite football team. This creative approach affords a sense of belonging. The young person has settled into his home quickly, making a positive transition from his previous placement, with the reassurance from people who know him well.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff value young people’s education. They work collaboratively with education staff, communicating regularly and attending meetings to discuss the right level of education for the young person’s individual needs. Strategies and approaches are discussed between the two disciplines to provide consistent approaches and responses in meeting the young person’s educational needs and managing his behaviour. A member of staff said, ‘[Name] has attended his education meeting and is now familiar with his teaching staff.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support young people in maintaining a sense of identity by promoting contact with their families. They ensure that the sessions are safe and in line with the young person’s care plans. They facilitate these contact sessions regardless of the distance. They ensure that young people understand these plans by informing them of forthcoming times and dates. This well-planned approach means that young people have the opportunity to discuss any issues prior to seeing their families and other important people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support and encourage the young person to lead a healthy lifestyle. He is registered with all routine health services and, whenever necessary, is able to receive the support that he requires from specialised services. The home has good links with the organisation’s therapeutic service. This ensures that young people receive support for their emotional and physical health needs, such as smoking cessation and behaviour management. The combination of these support systems is mostly successful in helping young people to reduce negative behaviours.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff make every effort to encourage and support the young person to reach his full potential. They care about him and take time to find out his views and preferences. Staff enable the young person to participate in a variety of activities, for example, sourcing a local football club and youth club and supporting the young person to visit his favourite football club. This affords the young person the opportunity to meet other young people in the area, while enjoying his hobbies and interests, and enables him to develop his confidence and self-esteem.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The young person’s risk assessment and behaviour management plans are clear and well considered. There has been some inconsistency as to how staff have attempted to manage a young person’s very complex behaviour. Behaviour management plans were not followed in a consistent manner. This resulted in a young person’s behaviour becoming heightened and unpredictable. Staff made attempts to manage the young person’s behaviour and identify the reasons for this without the support from the placing Inspection report children’s home: SC456416 5 authority. On the whole, the young person made good relationships with the staff, engaging in activities, and he experienced various outings with staff, for example, enjoying trying out foreign food.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Throughout this difficult period, the young person has refrained from going missing from the home. Staff are aware of policies and procedures should this occur in the future. Physical intervention has not been necessary due to the positive relationships that the young person has with staff. They listen to the young person when he is anxious or distressed and try to resolve his issues in a calm manner. Staff prefer to use positive praise rather than impose a sanction for negative behaviour. They link young people’s interests to their goals and achievements. For example, the young person is working hard to keep his bedroom tidy so that he is able to have the latest Xbox.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

One complaint has been made in relation to staff not being able to manage a young person’s behaviour. The manager reported that she has learned from this experience and intends to put robust arrangements in place to ensure that this does not occur in the future.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The young person is appropriately protected from the potential risks associated with internet use and social media, including abuse and online grooming. Staff talk to young people about the risks, so that they understand how to keep themselves safe. They limit the length of time young people spend online and supervise their internet activity. Should staff have concerns about unsafe behaviours, they will take immediate action, which may include restrictions in use and notifying appropriate agencies. The young person has agreed to this level of supervision and understands that it is a preventative measure to keep him safe.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The home has strong links with safeguarding professionals, such as the community police. Staff work highly effectively with young people who are subject to child sexual exploitation. They keep them safe and teach them how to keep safe when they are outside of the home. This proactive approach resulted in the young person’s risks diminishing. A community police officer said, ‘This is one of the best homes that I visit. I have no issues. Staff helped and supported [Name] to learn how to keep safe. They did really well and they [are] trying to keep young people out of trouble and deal with issues in house. They keep young people busy and promote their talents and interests.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager post is currently vacant. The acting manager commenced her post on 21 April 2017 and has vast experience of working as deputy manager in another home within the organisation. She is in the process of applying to register and is currently undertaking the level 5 diploma in leadership and management. The manager is supported by an experienced, suitably qualified deputy manager who shares her commitment to young people. Inspection report children’s home: SC456416 6 Staff said that they are well supported by their manager. They value their supervision sessions and the opportunities they have within the organisation for development and training. All staff have completed mandatory training, such as safeguarding and child sexual exploitation. The manager has decreased the period of time between staff supervision. This monthly arrangement means that she is able to get to know her staff

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

and to identify their strengths and development needs more regularly. Staff meetings are held on a regular basis. This forum enables staff to come together and discuss the young person and to talk about other topics, such as activities and risk management issues. A member of staff said, ‘I am very supported by the manager, and we were fully debriefed following [Name]’s transition from the home. It was a very difficult time for everyone.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Procedures are in place to ensure that relevant agencies are informed in the event of a serious event. However, the home has not always notified Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of these incidents. The manager acknowledges this shortfall and will endeavour to notify serious events to all relevant agencies in line with requirements. This will assist the inspector in monitoring these events and ensure that staff are taking the necessary action to keep young people safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager needs to take a robust stance in challenging other agencies if a young person is placed at the home without important documents, such as care plans. This shortfall proved to have an impact on the young person’s care and support because staff were unaware of previous incidents of self-harm. Staff were unsure how best to manage the young person’s risks and unpredictable behaviour. The manager acknowledged that this shortfall should have been escalated to a higher level.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager regularly monitors and reviews young people’s placement plans and ensures that they are tailored to the individual needs of the young person. Good working relationships are established with education staff and police, all of whom contribute to the young person’s care. This collaborative approach ensures that young people receive a good level of care and support to meet their individual needs. A community police officer said, ‘Staff are always forthcoming with information. I can’t fault them.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager is aware of the strengths of the home. She is proud of the successful transitions that previous young people have made and of how staff supported them in reducing risks of harmful behaviour, such as drug use. Although the home has recently been through a difficult time, the manager identified some of the positive work completed with the young person throughout this time. The manager identified areas for improvement, such as ensuring that young people have all relevant paperwork on admission. She is keen to ensure that robust arrangements are put in place so that all relevant agencies are notified of serious events within required timescales. Inspection report children’s home: SC456416 7

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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 whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, 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’. Inspection report children’s home: SC456416 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Cambian, Waterfront, Hammersmith Embankment, Chancellors Road, London W6 9RU

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Sureeta Nayyar-Abbassi

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Inspector

Jo Hornby, social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC456416 9 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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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