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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC068277 1 SC068277

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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 up to six children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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This monitoring visit

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 6 June 2017. As a result, Ofsted issued two compliance notices under regulations 8, the education standard, and 12, the protection of children standard. We carried out an unannounced visit to the home on 28 June 2017 to monitor compliance with the regulation 12 compliance notice and found it not to be met as inconsistencies in practice were found. These related to staff not adhering to missing from home protocols that include physically checking the location of young people when they go missing from the home. Due to the shortfalls found, we issued a further compliance notice under regulation 12.

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This monitoring visit

A further monitoring visit took place on 20 July 2017. The focus of this visit was to monitor the actions taken to comply with both regulation 8 and regulation 12 notices.

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This monitoring visit

Regarding the regulation 8 compliance notice, the inspector found that in the absence of school placements, there is an improved structure to the day’s activities, with individual educational-based planners and timetables in place for all young people, which are tailored to meet their respective needs and goals along with incentives. During the visit, one young person engaged well in a one- to-one session with a staff member in a mathematics-based activity and achieved positive results. Another young person has recently started an apprenticeship in motor mechanics full time. They are making good progress Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC068277 2 and have 100% attendance.

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This monitoring visit

Ongoing work is being undertaken in the form of key-work sessions and through initiatives such as ‘Raise the Youth Foundation’, which involves young people engaging in meaningful, educational and career-based learning away from the home. Although progress is limited for some, this initiative, along with other strategies in place to promote young people’s education, including home tutoring, is having a positive impact in helping young people overcome the barriers to learning, leading to greater esteem and self-confidence.

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This monitoring visit

The inspector found at the visit that there are improved education plans and tracking systems in place for young people, as was observed in each of the young person’s files. Senior managers and staff are working much more proactively in seeking suitable school- or college-based placements for all young people. This involves communicating closely with the virtual head and attending PEP meetings, where they provide professional challenge where appropriate to source the best means of education for the young people in placements based on assessed needs.

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This monitoring visit

While waiting for a permanent education provision for one young person to materialise, staff at the home are working closely with a tutor to promote learning in key subjects, including mathematics and English, with dedicated one- to-one tuition. One young person is due to enrol on an engineering-based college course for September 2017. Another wishes to pursue her interests in hair and beauty, having attended the ‘Raise the Youth’ project, which has been a positive experience for her. The home has sourced a careers adviser to speak to young people in order to further promote and encourage their chosen career path as they reach 16-plus.

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This monitoring visit

Regarding the regulation 12 compliance notice, the inspector found that staff, via supervision, training and input from senior managers, are working with greater consistency and implementing practice in line with the home’s revised missing from care protocols that in turn are promoting young people’s safety. Risk management plans for all young people have been updated to include specified coming-in times, known locations and ‘hot spots’.

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This monitoring visit

There are improved lines of communication and accountability in response to missing episodes, which have notably reduced since the previous visit. Contributory factors are that staff have received clear guidelines about expected practice and are thus working more consistently in implementing action arising from young people’s risk assessments. In addition to the input from the ‘Positive Steps’ team, staff are engaging young people more readily in follow-up key-work sessions to minimise repeat occurrences, raising awareness in this instance of the dangers associated with going missing.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have been given clear lines of responsibility and guidance about the action to be taken in the event of a young person going missing that includes physically Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC068277 3 checking on their whereabouts, particularly if they are known to be at risk of child sexual exploitation. The records of missing episodes viewed by the inspector contain a good audit trail of actions taken by staff, and confirm that staff are adhering to the practice of physically checking the location of young people. However, as relayed to the senior manager at feedback, for those rare occasions when a physical check is not required, the rationale needs to be recorded to justify their decision making.

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This monitoring visit

There is good management oversight of missing incidents, and staff practice continues to be closely monitored to ensure that staff are adhering to the recent changes in practice.

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This monitoring visit

Overall, the provider has demonstrated at this visit that through taking the necessary steps both compliance notices under regulations 8 and 12 are met. However, at the next inspection Ofsted will continue to monitor the improvements made.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 06/06/2017 Full Inadequate 31/01/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness 01/11/2016 Full Good 21/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC068277 4 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC068277 5

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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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff— if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (c)) 14/07/2017

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Requirement Due date

*In order to meet the education standard, the registered provider must ensure that staff— promote opportunities for each child to learn informally; help each child to attend education or training, in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (2)(v)(x)) 14/07/2017

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on— (a) mutual respect and trust; (b) an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and (c) positive responses to other children and adults. that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (2)(9)(b)) 14/07/2017

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Requirement Due date

*The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— (a) that staff— take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (2)(a)(vi)) 14/07/2017

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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 promotes their welfare. (Regulation 13 (1)(b)) (2) in particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 14/07/2017 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC068277 6 ensure that the staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (2)(c)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(b)) that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (2)(a)) 14/07/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the requirements of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. This is in respect of fire drills being carried out. (Regulation 25 (2)(b)) 14/07/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— receive practice-based supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 14/07/2017

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject of a compliance notice.

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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 Group, 4th Floor Waterfront Building, Chancellors Road, Hammersmith Embankment London W6 9RU

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Inspectors

Michael Charnley, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC068277 7 to 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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