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

Inspection report children’s home: SC451174 1 SC451174 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

This children’s home is owned by a large, national private provider. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for two children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. This home can enlist the support of a clinical care team in its delivery of care to children and young people.

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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 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: 25 January 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Improved effectiveness

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Enforcement action since last inspection

None Inspection report children’s home: SC451174 2

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Key findings from this inspection

 Staff are committed to supporting young people to make progress from their individual starting points. The manager and staff are supported to do this well as they have developed effective working relationships with other professionals and services.  Contact between young people and their families is well supported and facilitated. This promotes young people’s sense of belonging and identity.  Young people confirm that they have positive and trusting relationships with the staff and that some things, such as their education and contact with their families, have improved as a result of these relationships.  The home maintains professional relationships with safeguarding agencies. There is regular communication about young people’s risks and vulnerabilities. This ensures that young people receive a coordinated response so that their safety and well-being is promoted.  Professionals have confidence in the manager and staff team. Professionals

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Key findings from this inspection

report that staff are skilled at building positive and trusting relationships with young people. They confirm that the staff know young people well, and support and enable young people to progress in their lives.  Staff are committed and dedicated to keeping young people safe if they are missing from home. Staff are aware of the risks associated with these behaviours and work tirelessly to prevent, distract and disrupt these behaviours in their attempts to keep young people safe.  The management arrangements and the management systems that are in place ensure that the home is run effectively and in line with the commitments identified in the home’s statement of purpose.

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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

 The provider must ensure that bank staff used in this home receive regular mandatory training and achieve the required childcare qualification within the prescribed time frame.  The staff should be provided with additional training opportunities, which are specific to young people’s identified needs, such as self-harm and missing from home, so that they are kept up to date with the current thinking and practice.  The manager must ensure that all staff are sufficiently supported, monitored and provided with an opportunity to reflect on their practice during supervision, in the timeframes as identified in the home’s workforce development plan. Inspection report children’s home: SC451174 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/01/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 23/08/2016 Full Requires improvement 25/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 13/10/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC451174 4

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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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that helps children aspire to fulfil their potential and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. This is with particular regards to ensuring that all bank staff receive regular mandatory training and have achieved the required childcare qualification within the prescribed time frame. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) and (2)(c)) 31/07/2017

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs, and should understand the key role they play in the training and development of staff in the home. In particular, the provider should ensure that staff are provided with training which supports them to provide good-quality care to young people who self-harm or are reported missing from home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 52, and paragraph 10.11)  The registered person must have systems in place so that all staff receive supervision of their practice in line with the commitments identified in the home’s workforce development plan. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, and paragraph 13.2)  A missing-from-care return interview should be carried out within 72 hours of the child returning to their home or care setting. This should be an in-depth interview

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Recommendations

and is normally best carried out by an independent person (for example, someone not involved in caring for the child) who is trained to carry out these interviews and is able to follow-up any actions that emerge. (‘Statutory guidance on children who run away or go missing from home or care’, page 14, paragraph 32) Inspection report children’s home: SC451174 5

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are supported by staff who want to make a positive difference to young people’s lives. Staff speak about young people with warmth and compassion, demonstrating that they know young people well. Staff are confident that they have developed positive, trusting and supportive relationships with young people and are pleased to share young people’s achievements and progress. This was echoed by one young person who confirmed that ‘he got on well’ with the staff, and was now doing well in his education since living at this home. The manager understands the importance of matching young people’s competing needs so that young people benefit from considered and planned transitions into the home. The manager ensures that staff are aware of young people’s needs and vulnerabilities so that young people receive a good standard of care from their point of arrival. Staff support and encourage young people to attend their health appointments so that

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

they benefit from improved health. Staff are clear about young people’s health needs and ensure that young people’s health records are complete and up to date. Young people’s physical and emotional health is enhanced as young people are supported to attend their general health appointments, which they have been reluctant to do previously. Staff spend time with young people to alley any fears that they may have about their health appointments and offer support and incentives to encourage young people’s attendance. Young people are supported to explore their previous experiences and staff facilitate young people’s regular appointments with specialist services, such as child and adolescent mental health services. Furthermore, staff are attuned to young people’s needs. They listen and act on young people’s thoughts and views quickly when young people ask for additional help. This ensures that young people receive the support and

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

services they need promptly, and reaffirms to young people that the staff care about them and listen. The manager and staff enable young people to engage well with their education. Staff are clear about young people’s specific education plans and support young people well to engage with these. Staff ensure young people are ready for learning and communicate with education professionals regularly. The staff share any difficulties, concerns or barriers to learning with the relevant agencies quickly. This ensures that young people receive the support and services they need to help them return to a suitable education provision so that their educational needs can be met. Staff are committed to supporting young people to build positive relationships with their family members and friends. When young people’s relationships with their family members are fraught and strained, the staff provide young people with the time and

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

space that they need to work through their thoughts and feelings in a safe and appropriate way. Staff understand that family members wish to be remain involved in their children’s lives when young people are reluctant to see them. Staff maintain open lines of communication with family members and young people which allows Inspection report children’s home: SC451174 6 communication and messages to be shared in a safe and managed way. The support and time that the staff have afforded young people has supported young people to re- establish positive links with their family members. Young people are supported to develop their independence skills sensitively and appropriately. Young people are supported to gain self-care skills in line with their age and abilities as staff support and encourage young people to take part in household chores and activities. Young people also help with keeping their bedrooms, tidy and

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

assist with doing their own laundry. These basic skills and abilities prepare young people with the knowledge they need to move on into adulthood effectively.

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

Physical interventions are not used at this home as young people are supported to manage their emotional responses in a safe and appropriate way. Behaviour management plans are clear, and shared with staff and young people regularly. Financial incentives are used to reward and support positive behaviours, and age-appropriate sanctions are used when young people’s behaviours cause upset or harm. Staff are not afraid to challenge young people, and they will request the assistance of others, such as the police, when all other alternatives have been explored and when this is necessary. Young people are supported to consider their actions after any incidents so that they can reflect and consider how they may change their responses in the future. The home is maintained to a good standard and provides young people with a warm, nurturing and safe environment. The manager and staff ensure that the safety and well-

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

being of young people is maintained. They complete a range of health and safety checks and audits, and ensure that regular and periodic inspections of gas, electrical, and fire detection equipment are undertaken. The provider ensures that young people’s welfare is further enhanced as safe recruitment practice is followed. This ensures that only those adults who are deemed safe and suitable work with vulnerable young people. Young people are kept safe as the staff are aware and follow safeguarding protocols and procedures. Staff receive sufficient safeguarding training and can confidently verbalise the actions that they must take should any concerns arise. The manager is aware of his responsibilities to keep young people safe and he shares any significant information, events or concerns with the relevant safeguarding agencies. This ensures that young people receive a cohesive and well thought out response at times of difficultly.

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

Young people’s safety is given the highest priority. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of young people’s needs and vulnerabilities and implement the risk management plans sufficiently. Risk assessments are thorough, insightful and individualised. They are reviewed regularly and shared with young people and their placing social workers. Consequently, everyone is aware of young people’s presenting risks and vulnerabilities, and a shared and coordinated response is provided to support young people to address their risk-taking behaviours. Young people’s complaints are listened to and taken seriously by the manager and staff. Young people know how to complain and they can access these services without the need to approach the staff. The manager ensures that any complaints or allegations are Inspection report children’s home: SC451174 7 investigated fully and shared with the appropriate safeguarding agencies, such as the

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

police, designated officer and Ofsted. This open and transparent working practice promotes the welfare and safety of young people. The staff are committed to keeping young people safe when young people leave the home without authority, or go missing from home. The staff are acutely aware of the risks and dangers that are associated with these behaviours for young people and do their utmost to safeguard young people during these times. The staff work well with young people in providing advice, guidance and education. They encourage and support young people to consider their actions and understand the risks associated with leaving the home. This level of care, dedication, support and encouragement has supported some young people to remain in the home at times. When young people have continued to go missing from home, staff follow the agreed protocols and go out and look for young people. Unknown individuals have been

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

confronted by staff and these incidents and details have been shared with the police and safeguarding agencies. The manager is clear with placing authorities when the risk for young people becomes unmanageable. At these times, the manager and staff work closely with social workers to ensure that young people are supported to move on into more safe and secure placements. However, staff are committed to keeping young people safe from the risks associated with missing-from-home behaviours, and manage these incidents well. The manager does not systematically ensure that independent return home interviews are conducted with young people within the prescribed timeframes as identified in the home’s and placing local authorities’ policies and protocols. This hinders the care planning process, as relevant and up-to-date details and information are not obtained to inform future care planning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has been registered with Ofsted to manage this home since June 2012. He is suitably experienced and qualified. The manager shares his time between this and the two other children’s homes that he is responsible for. He is clear about his responsibility to the young people and staff, and he ensures that there are good management arrangements in place to ensure that the home is managed effectively in his absence. Young people, parents and placing authorities are provided with detailed information so that they are clear about the level of service and support that they can expect. A statement of purpose clearly sets out the ethos and aims of the home. Young people know what they can expect to receive from the manager and staff, and are aware of the expectations of behaviour. This is because they are provided with a young person’s guide when they arrive. Professionals speak highly of the service and confirm that young people have made

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

progress. One professional said, ‘They dealt with their behaviour in an appropriate manner when their behaviour escalated. Staff support [name] as well as they can. They are building [name] confidence and self-esteem. It is early days, but they seem very proactive and have [name] best interest at heart.’ Another professional said, ‘[name] has a lot of needs and issues in his personal life. The staff are taking it day-by-day and step- by-step with him. The staff are very understanding and work well with him to make sure Inspection report children’s home: SC451174 8 that he is safe and he is making good progress. Recently [name] is more polite and respectful and they are doing well in education.’ The staff work collaboratively to provide young people with good-quality care. Staff feel supported by the manager and leadership team and are clear about their roles and responsibilities in enhancing young people’s lives and experiences, and in promoting

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

their safety and well-being. Management monitoring has identified and improved the frequency of staff supervision. However, records viewed during the inspection highlight that some staff, particularly new staff, are not supervised in line with the commitments identified in the home’s workforce development plan. The manager regularly monitors, reviews and tracks the progress of young people using his internal and external monitoring systems. Independent scrutiny provides the manager and provider with an overview of the progress and experiences of young people, and identifies how young people are safeguarded. The independent visitor seeks feedback from young people and placing authorities and identifies areas for continued development. The manager is committed to enhancing the improvements and experiences for young people and he has suitable and realistic development plans in place. All these systems and processes assist with the ongoing developments in the

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

home. An additional member of staff has strengthened the staff team. A sufficient induction and probation process, along with adequate training opportunities, supports new staff to deliver sufficient care and support to young people. The provider ensures that their permanent staff are provided with appropriate training opportunities. However, specific training to support young people’s identified needs, such as supporting young people who may self-harm or are at risk of going missing from home, has not been completed. Furthermore, the provider has yet to ensure that bank staff, who continue to be used, receive regular mandatory training, or achieve the required childcare qualifications within the necessary timeframes. This lack of bespoke and required training for staff hinders their ability to deliver a good standard of care and support to young people as they are not kept up to date with current and effective ways of working. Consequently, the

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

requirement which was raised at the last inspection with regards to training for bank staff has been re-issued, and a further good practice recommendation for bespoke staff training has been made.

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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 who 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 Inspection report children’s home: SC451174 9 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: SC451174 10

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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

Janine Shortman-Thomas, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC451174 11 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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