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

Inspection report children’s home: SC433290 1 SC433290 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

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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 privately run children’s home can accommodate up to six young people who have emotional or behavioural difficulties.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 27 February 2017

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Sustained effectiveness

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: None Inspection report children’s home: SC433290 2

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Key findings from this inspection

This children’s home requires improvement to be good because:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people’s health plans have not been updated and do not contain all the information known to the home. This means that members of staff do not have the most recent information available to them.  The home has a location risk assessment, but it is not used effectively when decisions are being made about whether new referrals to the home would be suitably placed here.  One young person’s personal education plan (PEP) has not been received by the home. The acting manager has chased this, but five months have elapsed since the meeting.  The home has several members of bank staff who cover vacant shifts when necessary. These staff have not signed the young people’s information. In addition to this, the acting manager’s and social workers’ signatures are missing from several documents. This does not ensure that everyone is in agreement with the plans or understands the unique way to work with each individual

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Key findings from this inspection

young person.  Bank staff do not receive formal supervision. Therefore, their practice is not monitored robustly.  The home’s statement of purpose has been updated but has not been sent to Ofsted. It also requires further updating to include the timescales of the home’s induction and probation period for new staff, arrangements for the supervision of bank staff and arrangements for staff to be registered on a suitable childcare qualification.  At the last interim inspection in February 2017, a requirement was given for the acting manager to submit her application to Ofsted, in order to be registered as the home’s manager. This has not been met.  The acting manager’s monitoring report has not been sent to Ofsted within required timescales.  The home’s development plan has not been updated, and the home does not routinely use research and practice to inform its staff of current issues or new legislation.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Gaps in a new member of staff’s employment history have not been robustly checked. This does not ensure that young people are fully safeguarded.  Work is undertaken with young people to ensure that they can access the internet and social media safely. However, not all staff have had training in this area.  In the past, several young people have caused significant damage to the home. The acting manager has requested a new kitchen and redecoration of the home from the company. However, the home currently does not look homely. Inspection report children’s home: SC433290 3 The children’s home’s strengths:

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Key findings from this inspection

 There has been a significant reduction in young people going missing from the home, being restrained and causing damage in the home. Young people said that this was due to their feeling more settled in the home and members of staff working with them on these areas.  The home has worked hard to ensure that all the young people have an identified education placement. In addition to this, the home is working closely with a psychologist on strategies to encourage young people to attend education.  A professional said that the home had worked extremely hard with a young person on his health, education and going missing from the home.  Young people said that they are happy, safe and settled at this home. They said that members of staff are supportive and good listeners. Therefore, they are able to reflect on the progress that they have made while being here.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 11/05/2016 Full Good 08/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 30/07/2015 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children’s home: SC433290 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 registered person must ensure that the acting manager submits an application to Ofsted to be registered. (Care Standards Act 2000 Part 11(1)) 30/06/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (‘case records’) for each child, which are kept up to date and signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36(1)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In addition to this, the registered person must ensure that bank staff read, understand and sign young people’s case records. 31/07/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision. (Regulation 33(4)(b)) 31/07/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and notify HMCI of any revisions and send a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16(3)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Further to this, the registered person must include the arrangements for supervision of bank staff, the induction and probation periods for new staff and the arrangements for registering new staff on a suitable childcare qualification. 31/07/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (‘a quality of care review’) at least once every six months and the registered person must supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed. (Regulation 45(1) and (4)(a)) 31/07/2017 Inspection report children’s home: SC433290 5 10: The health and well-being standard

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that the health and well- being needs of children are met.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that

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Requirement Due date

staff help each child to achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 10(1)(2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This is specifically in relation to ensuring that young people’s health plans are kept up to date and have all the known information in them, including young people’s emotional health and work undertaken on their sexual identity. 31/07/2017

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard

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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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met. (Regulation 13(1) and (2)(g))

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Requirement Due date

This is specifically in relation to updating the home’s development plan and using research to inform practice in staff meetings. 31/07/2017

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the home is a homely, domestic environment (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15 paragraph 3.9). This is specifically in relation to ensuring that the broken kitchen cupboards are replaced, that the home is suitably decorated throughout and that necessary furnishings are purchased.  The registered person should review the appropriateness and suitability of the location and premises of the home at least once a year (‘Guide to the children’s Inspection report children’s home: SC433290 6 homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64 paragraph 15.1). Further to this, the registered person must ensure that they consider the location review when completing impact risk assessments on new admissions to the home.  Ensure that all young people have relevant plans in place (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 25, paragraph 5.1). This

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Recommendations

is specifically in relation to young people’s PEPs.  Ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills to recognise and be alert for any signs that may indicate that a child is in any way at risk of harm. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.12). This is specifically in relation to ensuring that staff complete e-safety training.  Ensure that recruitment safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1). This is specifically in relation to ensuring that any gaps in new staff members’ employment history are fully explored.

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improvement to be good

Generally, young people come to this home in an emergency, when their other placements have broken down. The acting manager attends a monthly panel meeting to discuss young people who require a planned move into the home. The home’s statement of purpose clearly shows what documents are required from the placing authority in order to care for young people safely. These documents are then used to complete an impact risk assessment, to assess whether the home can meet the young person’s individual needs. This means that an informed decision is made on accepting referrals to the home. The home has a location risk assessment, but the acting manager has not linked this information with the impact risk assessment when considering referrals. This does not ensure that all young people are suitably placed here. The home ensures that the young people are taken through the structure, rules, boundaries and complaints

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improvement to be good

system on their arrival. One young person said, ‘They made sure that I knew everything, showed me around and spent a long time with me. Members of staff continued to go through things with me to ensure I understood.’

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improvement to be good

The home has gone through an unsettled period due to two young people not engaging in their placement or with members of staff. This resulted in a high level of damage to the home and it was having an impact on other young people in the home. The acting manager served notice to end the placement of both young people and has spent a good period of her time working closely with the other young people to re-engage them. This has been successful. The young people, members of staff, the acting manager and the responsible individual all reported that the home has been much more settled in the last month. One young person said, ‘I did get involved but I am doing better now.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC433290 7 Young people said that they are involved in all aspects of their care and their wishes, views and feelings are taken into account. Young people are given the opportunity to comment in their paperwork but often decline to do so. The home has several records

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improvement to be good

that cover a young person’s placement plan, health, education, contact and leisure. They are mainly of a satisfactory standard. However, there are a lot of documents that have not been signed by the author, the acting manager or the identified social worker. In addition to this, the home has a system that all members of staff sign to say that they have read and understood all of the young person’s information. However, this does not include bank staff. The home has several bank staff that are used regularly to cover shortfalls in staffing. Thus, not all staff have an up-to-date understanding of the different care needs, responses and strategies for each young person.

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improvement to be good

Young people have made good progress in attending medical appointments. This means that they receive healthcare when required, for example referral to the orthodontist. All young people have health plans. However, not all information in the health plans is recorded and up to date to reflect the support offered and the treatments that young people receive. Similarly, one young person’s local authority placement plan sets out that he has a history of smoking and cannabis use, but these issues are not addressed in his health plan. Further to this, his emotional health and identity are not covered in the plan. This does not ensure that all members of staff have the correct information or that they know about the work being undertaken with the young person. Positively, the home has worked closely with an independent professional agency to ensure that a young person receives ongoing support, help and guidance in relation to their sexual identity.

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improvement to be good

There are good systems for administering, storing and disposing of medication. Medication records are well maintained, and members of staff have regular training in medication procedures. This means that young people receive their medication safely and in line with their prescription. All staff have a first aid certificate, which is refreshed when required.

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improvement to be good

There has been good progress in identifying education placements for young people. These are mostly at an alternative education provision. Young people are able to learn life skills and complete short courses and apprenticeships, in conjunction with doing basic maths and English. A professional said, ‘They have advocated for him and supported him to maintain his educational provision.’ One young person said, ‘I am doing a business course, but I want to do a construction course next. I want to do a job working with my hands.’ Another young person said he wanted to move his education placement nearer to the home. He went on to say, ‘I want to do something in leisure because I want to be a holiday rep and travel the world.’ One young person, who has recently come to the home, is looking forward to attending mainstream school. She said that she had recently moved back into her home area and was looking forward to going to school. She was

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improvement to be good

confident to say that the home was doing everything it could and that education will be discussed at her forthcoming review. The young people are currently on a half-term break, but a plan is in place for a tutor for her, if a school is not identified quickly. Attendance at education settings is still varied. Some young people have made a small improvement, some refuse to attend full time and another young person is constantly Inspection report children’s home: SC433290 8 missing from the home and does not attend at all. However, the home has worked very closely with a psychologist on strategies to influence young people to attend. The home has also introduced an incentive scheme to encourage attendance. These initiatives have made a small improvement for some of the young people and they now have ambitions for their future careers. The home makes sure that education meetings are completed in a timely way and that they are regular. However, one young person’s PEP has not been

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improvement to be good

received by the home. The acting manager has sent three emails requesting the information but has not yet received a copy. Neither has the acting manager challenged the local authority further to ensure that they have the PEP. This does not ensure that members of staff fully understand the young person’s educational needs or have the knowledge to help the young person to achieve his education targets.

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improvement to be good

Young people enjoy a range of activities, including attending the cinema, bowling, football, having beauty treatments, baking and playing board games. The young people have suggested and agreed a day at a theme park in the school holidays. All arrangements were made and the young people expressed their excitement about going.

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improvement to be good

Young people said that they do not have any complaints about the home or their care. They all said that they know how to raise a complaint and have several independent people to contact if they are unhappy. Young people receive a letter acknowledging their complaint, a letter about the outcome and information about how to appeal the decision made. One young person said that, in the past, he was happy with the way things were dealt with.

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improvement to be good

The young people have different arrangements for keeping in contact with their families. These arrangements have been specified by the local authority. Any restrictions are clearly recorded in the young people’s contact plans. This ensures that young people are safe from identified unsuitable adults. One young person was going missing from the home to be with his girlfriend. The home worked closely with the local authority and with the parents of the young person’s girlfriend to ensure that he was able to stay there overnight safely.

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improvement to be good

At present, the home looks bare and there is a lot of damage to repair. There are several kitchen cupboard doors missing. Communal areas require painting and a television in the quiet area needs replacing. Young people discussed that they were currently choosing colour schemes for their bedrooms, and the acting manager has put in a request to the company for a new kitchen and redecoration. Thus, at the moment the home does not look homely.

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

Young people said that this is a good home, where they are happy, safe and well cared for. Most of the young people said that they are making some progress and that this is down to members of staff listening and helping them. Young people said that members of staff are very clear about explaining to young people how to keep themselves safe and that staff give clear advice about how risks may affect them. One young person discussed how the home protects them online, with parental restrictions and individual Inspection report children’s home: SC433290 9 passwords for accessing the internet. He showed the inspector a project they had completed and put up on the dining room wall. However, one member of staff was unsure whether he had received e-safety training. As a result, he was not clear about how to keep young people safe when online or about the signs to look for if a young person was being groomed. This does not demonstrate that all members of staff can give

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

informed information to young people, be aware of changing behaviours or be able to keep themselves up to date with changes in social media. In contrast to this, all members of staff receive child protection training, which is refreshed frequently. The manager ensures that all bank staff have completed the same training as permanent staff.

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

Young people said that the best thing about this home is the relationships that they have with members of staff. They said that members of staff are clear, honest, listen to them and have their best interests at heart. One young person said, ‘We might not always listen, but we know what they say is for our own good. When we mess up, they never go on about it. They will discuss it and be clear of the reasons why etc. But they do not keep going over it.’ Members of staff spoke positively about the young people and they take pride in their strong relationships that have brought about positive outcomes for young people.

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

For most of the young people, there has been a good reduction in being reported missing from the home. One young person said, ‘I am not being reported missing from the home as much now. I have listened to staff’s concerns and took them on board. I am still late in sometimes, but I have not been reported missing overnight.’ However, one young person continues to be reported regularly. The home is working closely with the local police, local authority, a psychologist and his parents to reduce these episodes. Members of staff follow the home’s procedure and search the local area. They visit known addresses and share information with all parties when things come to light. Further to this, when young people have said that they want to see people who are important to them, or have been known to go missing in order to see them, the acting manager has worked closely with the young person, local authority and other significant

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

people to ensure that a safe contact plan is agreed. This has significantly reduced one young person’s missing periods. The young person’s social worker commended the work undertaken by the home in making this happen. In addition to this, the Children’s Society completes all return home interviews. Representatives also visit the home on a weekly basis. This means that young people get to know them well, build relationships with them and are more likely to confide in them. Any information from the interview is shared with the young person’s social worker. The acting manager is currently working hard to make this more streamlined, so that they know of any concerns more quickly.

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

Similarly, there has been a good reduction in young people needing to be held for their or others safety. When incidents occur, there is a good reporting and recording system. This includes an interview with the young person to see whether anything could have prevented the intervention or whether they have any concerns about how the incident was managed. Members of staff have a debrief session to discuss the intervention, their emotions and any further action necessary. The acting manager oversees all the physical interventions that are used, to look for trends, patterns and any learning to take forward. Inspection report children’s home: SC433290 10 Young people are at different stages in engaging with the home and their placement. However, there has been a settled period of time during which their behaviours have improved. This is because the acting manager and members of staff have worked hard with a psychologist on strategies to reduce negative behaviour and have used incentives

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

to encourage good behaviour. This was evident in the positive comments made by the young people. Good behaviour management plans show the risks and vulnerability of each individual young person. They include strategies to de-escalate or reduce risk to the young person, their peers and others. Further to this, these effective plans mean that young people are not overly sanctioned and that they are able to turn negative behaviour around through good incentives and rewards. As part of this, young people have earned stickers for their bedrooms, meals out and additional monies.

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

Any allegation against a member of staff or member of the public is quickly and efficiently reported. The home works closely with the designated officer from the police and other safeguarding professionals when required. All information is robustly recorded and maintained.

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

All health and safety requirements are fully met. Certificates for insurance and electrical and gas installations are routinely updated. Emergency evacuations are completed monthly to ensure that everyone knows what to do in an emergency. All visitors to the home have to show identification, sign in and out of the home and are fully supervised when necessary. These measures ensure that young people are kept safe as possible.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager of the home notified Ofsted of her promotion within the company in January 2017. At this time, her deputy manager commenced the role of acting manager. At the home’s interim inspection in February 2017, a requirement was made for the acting manager to submit an application to Ofsted, because to manage a children’s home without being registered is an offence. This has not been completed. Therefore, the requirement has been repeated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home’s statement of purpose has been updated with the changes in management but has not been sent to Ofsted. Further to this, the statement of purpose requires information on the timescales for bank staff to receive supervision and by whom it will be carried out. Additionally, the statement of purpose could be further enhanced with inclusion of the timescales for completing an induction to the home, the length of the probationary period and information about when new staff will be registered on a suitable childcare qualification. Similarly, the acting manager has completed the six- monthly monitoring report of the home but has not yet sent a copy to Ofsted as required by the Children’s Homes Regulations 2015.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

In general, permanent members of staff receive regular supervision. There have been occasions when this has been missed due to sickness or annual leave. The company currently has several permanent members of bank staff that cover shortages across several homes. The home’s rota shows that three of these bank staff have been used Inspection report children’s home: SC433290 11 regularly over a significant period of months. However, they do not receive formal supervision. This does not ensure that their practice is monitored. Further to this, the home has recruited some new members of staff. A recruitment file was viewed by the inspector. It has most of the information required, but the acting manager has not explained gaps in one of the new staff member’s employment history. This does not ensure that there is a clear audit trail of their previous employment, to protect young people from unsuitable adults.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Members of staff complete mandatory training before starting to work at this home. Further training is identified throughout their probationary period. Bank staff also complete this training. The acting manager liaises well with the training team and has a robust training matrix. This highlights when training has not been completed and when it is due for renewal. As a result, all training has been completed. This means that members of staff have the skills that they require to care for young people. Four members of staff have a childcare qualification. Four are working towards this qualification and two are in their probationary period. The inspector discussed that, as good practice, the details of when the new staff are registered on the relevant qualification could be incorporated into the home’s statement of purpose or the workforce plan. This would give more clarity to external professionals on required

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

timescales to achieve the qualification.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home has regular staff meetings. This gives members of staff the opportunity to discuss the young people’s care plans at length. However, they do not routinely discuss research and practice so that members of staff have the opportunity to discuss changes in policies, practice and legislation and emerging trends and concerns in this area of social care work. Young people and members of staff said that they are involved in the development of the home, but the home’s development plan has not been updated to reflect this. This is a missed opportunity to show that the acting manager understands the weaknesses and strengths of the home and that she has a plan to address these areas.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

An independent visitor monitors the home on a monthly basis. Their report is of a good quality, identifies areas to improve and is sent to Ofsted in a timely way.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The acting manager is new to her position. The inspector acknowledges that she has spent some considerable time in stabilising the young people and working with a range of professionals to identify education placements. However, there are several shortfalls in updating records, sending the required information to Ofsted and ensuring more rigorous oversight of all documents. For example, the acting manager has signed off the effectiveness of sanctions, but has not noticed that the member of staff giving the sanction had not signed the record. Further to this, numerous documents are unsigned by the acting manager, social workers and the author of the record. These include a young person’s referral agreement, the local authority placement plan and the home’s placement plan. However, there are no significant shortfalls in safeguarding practice due to these omissions. Inspection report children’s home: SC433290 12

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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: SC433290 13

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Pam Nuckley, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC433290 14 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

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

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