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

Inspection report children‟s home: SC433290 1 SC433290 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private company with placements contracted to a designated local authority. The home is registered to accommodate up to six young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home required improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, three young people have left the home. Two of these placement moves have provided positive new opportunities for the young people involved, including a move to independent living for one, and return to family living for the second young person. While the latter move was not planned and involved the birth family moving suddenly to another part of the country, the home responded suitably by sending a member of home staff to visit the young person at their new family address. The third placement move has proven to be less positive for the young person involved, including difficulties within their semi-independence placement.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home quickly refilled the places in the home, taking three new placements in quick succession in August 2017. The young people joining the home have gone on to present Inspection report children‟s home: SC433290 2 with chaotic and risk-taking behaviour that has a high impact on their safety and welfare and that of the three young people already living in the home. It is clear that the new young people presented with risk-taking behaviour prior to placement, and this has continued. While not all of their negative activities can be attributed to moving to the home, the home was not aware, upon placement, of significant features of the risk- taking behaviour, including, for example, fire setting and criminal activity. This means that their pre-placement matching has proven to be flawed and left the whole group of young people and staff at risk from unpredictable and ongoing chaotic behaviour.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The lack of pre-placement information naturally impacted on the home‟s new admissions; however, this is compounded by the home‟s lack of care plan and placement plan documentation for the new young people. Without a placement plan for one young person, staff are unaware of the risk assessment and management strategies for bullying and targeting that the young person receives from the group in the home. This includes them being targeted by others entering their room and spreading waste food and toiletries upon their person. The same young person has no healthcare plan and has familial health issues which are highly significant to their own well-being. This means that staff are not aware of the presenting risks for the individual and struggle to keep them safe from the targeting behaviour of others in the group.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Where there is evidence of an impact assessment compatibility form for one new placement, the information contained is incomplete as the home was not aware of a level of historical criminal activity for this young person and the fact that they were in receipt of a police referral order. The document refers to substance misuse; however, there is no evidence of a risk assessment by the home relating to their management strategies and plans to counter the ongoing level of substance misuse. This means that pre-placement planning is incomplete and flawed, it does not take sufficient account of presenting risks and does not provide strategies for staff to guide their practice. While staff are well-meaning and dedicated, they are continually met by a barrage of challenging behaviour and damage to property and people, which is unsustainable and poses a danger to the victims, including vulnerable young people.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The time spent by staff attempting to curb the level of challenging behaviour within the home means that they have not had the resources to read the limited information provided for the three newly placed young people. This is exacerbated by the fact that some material is online only and staff have little time afforded to accessing the electronic systems. In addition, there is no evidence that staff have updated the records for existing young people to make them true accounts of incidents and to capture their thinking about next steps with young people. For example, an entry in a young person‟s personal journal does not correlate with a missing from home record. The young person‟s journal states that they were settled in their bedroom, whereas a missing from home record refers to them being missing from home at the same time. In addition, the young person in question returned under the influence of alcohol and there is no record

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

of staff action to manage this issue and to help keep the young person safe.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There is some evidence of individual sessions with young people carried out by home staff. One young person commented in an Ofsted survey that the young people and staff Inspection report children‟s home: SC433290 3 are nice. The direct work conducted and attempted with some young people is evident, although it is overshadowed by the current and ongoing disruptive and challenging behaviour.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home accepts that there are high risks from fire setting within the current group. The home has taken immediate measures post-fire setting, including calling in their fire service agency to repair fire call points and smoke detectors. However, the risk of fire setting is ongoing and recent episodes have included soft furnishings being scorched. The smoking habits of young people and their access to cigarette lighters pose a risk of further episodes and there is little evidence of preventative measures in the home, for example removing cigarette lighters and managing access to cigarettes and substances. The home has not carried out fire drills with newly placed young people in line with their fire safety risk assessment, and this document is not consistently updated after episodes of fire setting.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has imposed consequences for incidents of smoking, both of cigarettes and substances within the home. However, the repeated use of supervised spending has not been reviewed by leaders and managers to check for effectiveness or to develop alternative behaviour management strategies. This means that a young person received repeated periods of supervised spending, which were ineffective management strategies and meant that they sourced additional spending monies by selling goods stolen from the home. The local police report that their officers have been called to the home and have observed that the young people are out of staff control and beyond the home‟s behaviour management strategies. Police also refer to episodes of cannabis use in the home not being reported to officers. While non-reporting means that young people are not criminalised for their cannabis misuse, it also means that behaviour management

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

strategies do not match the severity of the presenting behaviour.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

In addition to the personal risks posed by the level of behaviour in the home, there has been a huge impact on the living environment, which is in a very poor state. Heavily soiled bed linen was observed, along with scorch marks to sheets and window ledges. Cracked window panes are currently boarded up until repairs are completed. The stair carpet is heavily soiled with waste food, which gives off a highly unpleasant odour in the hallway and staircase. Bathing areas are soiled with waste food. The premises are stark due to items being removed by young people and along with the presence of the malodour and property damage, the home is far from homely or comfortable. One young person, while missing from the home, told the home‟s manager that they would „rather sleep on the streets of [a local city] than in the home‟. This is indicative of how young people feel unsettled and unsafe in the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection in May 2017, a requirement was raised relating to the locality risk assessment and linking that with the needs of new admissions. This has not been addressed as young people have been introduced to the home when their birth families are resident in the area. This has meant that previously supervised contact cannot be sustained and is clearly at odds with the contact arrangements for that individual. The manager did raise this issue with the placing authority and advise that the placement was not sustainable due to this reason. This was shortly after admission in August 2017 Inspection report children‟s home: SC433290 4 and the young person remains in placement.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been recent incidents where young people have left the home without authority and gravitated towards the national airport and bus station within the city close to the home. This behaviour poses risks to their safety and the proximity of the transport network connecting to these locations and the home needs reviewing with safety partners and the review adding to the home‟s locality risk assessment. Staff regularly send taxis to collect young people when they have been reported as missing from home. This is because there are insufficient staff on duty who are able to collect young people in a vehicle. As a result, staff use taxis to transport vulnerable young people when they are in crisis or when they are returning from being missing. This does not safeguard young people‟s welfare or support them to feel valued and nurtured.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There were seven requirements raised at the last inspection. The current manager is not yet registered with Ofsted. The provider has complied with the requirement made at the last inspection to submit an application to register the manager. The current postholder has completed a level of quality monitoring, in that they have documented an internal monitoring report for the service. The submission of this report to Ofsted was the subject of a requirement at the last inspection; however, Ofsted have no record of receipt of the quality review and the home could not provide evidence that the report had been submitted as required. Therefore that requirement is not met. Likewise, with the revised statement of purpose, which was the subject of a requirement at the last inspection. While the home maintains an up-to-date copy, Ofsted have no record of receipt of the updated copy and the home could not provide evidence that the document

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

had been submitted as required. Therefore that requirement is not met.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The requirement relating to service development has been addressed, and the development plan has been informed by plans for specific pieces of relevant training, some online, including e-safety. The impact of this training and development is difficult to measure, as record-keeping of training and the reflection on the best ways of using the training in practice have not been fully realised.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Two of the remaining three requirements from the last inspection are reissued at this inspection. These include case recording and health planning for young people and recording the same. The third remaining shortfall from the last inspection, relating to supervision of staff, is subject to a recommendation at this inspection. It is clear that the home has gone some way to address the requirement as permanent staff benefit from regular supervision, and new staff have received twice-monthly supervision to promote their induction. A recommendation is raised to ensure that bank staff are involved in supervision with senior members of staff to reflect on their practice and development needs.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager acknowledges that the home is currently going through a challenging period. Despite their best efforts to highlight incompatibility of placements at the home, placement moves have not been achieved in a timely manner. Although internal and external monitoring information is in place, this has not been used by the manager to raise a complete picture of placement unsuitability with the independent reviewing Inspection report children‟s home: SC433290 5 officer or the placing authority. The external monitor of the home raises issues with the environment within their monitoring reports, with little evidence of any prompt action by the manager to improve on the issues. In effect, monitoring is in place, but not well utilised by the manager to make improvements on the quality of care or living environment in the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has notified Ofsted and relevant parties of the significant incidents in the home. Due to the seriousness of the incidents and repeated occurrences, it is recommended that notification is completed within 24 hours of the incident. These will enable the notified parties to maintain a clear chronology and an understanding of the intensity of the incidents within the home.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The recommendation raised at the last inspection to check gaps in new staff members‟ employment history has been successfully met. This means that new staff have been thoroughly checked against the requirements of the recruitment regulation.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The level of challenging behaviour within the home will undoubtedly have an impact on the staff team. To their credit, staff interviewed presented as positive and resilient to the recent events in the home. However, the sustainability of care and service improvements will rely on the ongoing skill and resilience of the staff team and resources provided. According to the home‟s statement of purpose and staff rotas, the current staff team is made up of 12 permanent carers with one vacancy and any sickness or holidays covered by bank staff. Of these 12 staff, four are suitably qualified, with a further two qualified to NVQ level 3 within a comparable discipline. This means that half of the staff are qualified to a suitable level.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home‟s statement of purpose states that „the staff at [the home] recognise the need that many young people have to regain control of their lives and behaviour and provide the necessary structure and boundaries to enable them to do so‟. It is clear that this aim is not being successfully met and that current structures and boundaries are not effective in enabling young people to regain control of their behaviour, nor that the young people being admitted are matched against the skills of the workforce or the presenting needs of the group already in residence.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

31/05/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 27/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 11/05/2016 Full Good

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What does the children’s home need to do to improve?

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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

*13. —(1) The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children‟s home that— (a) helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and (b) promotes their welfare. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— (c) ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; (d) ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; ( h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (2) (c) and (h)) 06/11/2017

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Requirement Due date

*14. —(1) The care planning standard is that children— (a) receive effectively planned care in or through the children‟s home; and (b) have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— (a) 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 (1) and (2) (a)). 06/11/2017

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Requirement Due date

*12. —(1) The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— (a) that staff— 29/09/2017 Inspection report children‟s home: SC433290 7 (i) assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child‟s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; (iii) have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; (iv) manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other. (Regulation 12 (2) (a) (i) (iii) (iv)) *12. —(1) The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— (b) that the home‟s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered

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Requirement Due date

so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (d) that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child‟s health. (Regulation 12 (2) (b) (d)). With particular regard to young people smoking in the home and entering each other‟s bedrooms. 29/09/2017

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Requirement Due date

11. —(1) The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships with others. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— (a) that staff (xii) understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable. (Regulation 11 (2) (a) (xii)) 29/09/2017

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Requirement Due date

35 (2) The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it. (Regulation 35 (2)) With particular regard to reviewing the effectiveness of supervised spending. 20/10/2017

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Requirement Due date

25 (2) The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to the home— (b) the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the 29/09/2017 Inspection report children‟s home: SC433290 8 home. (Regulation 25 (2) (b)) With particular regard to executing fire drills as specified in the fire safety risk assessment and ensuring that the fire safety risk assessment is updated after fire setting incidents within the home. 36. —(1) The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which— (a) include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; (b) are kept up to date; and (c) are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1) (a) (b) (c)). With particular regard to young people‟s care plans; placement plans and risk assessment and

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Requirement Due date

10. —(1) The health and well-being standard is that— (a) the health and well-being needs of children are met; (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— (a) that staff help each child to— (i) achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child‟s relevant plans. (Regulation 10 (1) (a) (2) (a) (i)) 13/10/2017

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Requirement Due date

46. —(1) The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children‟s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard). (Regulation 46 (1)) With particular regard to referencing the proximity to the airport and bus station and young people accessing the same. 30/09/2017

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report children‟s home: SC433290 9

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have a system in place for notifying serious events within 24 hours to the appropriate people. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 63, paragraph 14.13)  Staff should be familiar with the home‟s polices on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person must have systems in place so that all staff receive supervision of their practice. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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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 differences 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

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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

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Inspectors

Rebecca Quested, social care regulatory inspector Karen Forster, regulatory inspection manager Inspection report children‟s home: SC433290 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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