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

Inspection report for children‘s home - monitoring visit: SC433290 1 SC433290

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Cambian Childcare Ltd

Monitoring visit 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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This monitoring visit

At the interim inspection on 12 September 2017, the home had declined in effectiveness. As a result, Ofsted issued a restriction notice and made 10 requirements, four of which are subject to compliance notices. On 4 October 2017 a monitoring visit took place to monitor the restriction notice and two of the compliance notices. Three other requirements were also monitored, as their completion date fell within the period of monitoring.

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This monitoring visit

On 20 September 2017 Ofsted placed a restriction notice on the home. Since that date the manager has not admitted any young people and therefore the home is compliant with the restriction notice. There are currently four young people living in the home.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual and manager have submitted action plans to Ofsted. They have made some progress in addressing the identified shortfalls. Ofsted found that two requirements have been met. The home has addressed and met some parts of the two compliance notices that were reviewed at this monitoring inspection, including the provision of current risk assessments and the completion of house repairs. All young people now have a risk assessment in place, which is in their file within the home and most staff have signed to say they have read the content. Staff have reviewed risk assessments and added details regarding some recent risk-taking behaviour. However, staff do not consistently follow risk assessments or take effective action with regard to specific risks. Also, the home‘s care is still not arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. Therefore, the compliance notices in relation to regulation 12

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This monitoring visit

Inspection report for children‘s home - monitoring visit: SC433290 2 have not been completely met and a further compliance notice has been issued.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have received training regarding substance misuse, behaviour management and bullying. However, staff do not effectively manage these issues when they are presented by young people. Staff have not ensured that all identified risks are included in the written risk assessments, for example, the instances of young people entering each other‘s bedrooms. Young people regularly enter and remain in each other‘s bedrooms. Staff record that young people are ‗relaxing‘ in their peer‘s bedroom, that the door is propped open and that staff monitor the situation. However, staff do not incorporate this behaviour into each young person‘s risk assessments, and they do not take robust action to enable young people to use one of the many communal areas of the home, or discuss with them the risks associated with this behaviour. As a result, staff do not monitor and supervise young people to protect them from harm. For example, on one occasion young people encouraged

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This monitoring visit

another young person to consume a substance. At that time, the three young people were in one young person‘s bedroom. Staff recorded that they were monitoring them, and staff recorded that the young people left the bedroom an hour and a half later. Staff made no record of what they observed during that hour and a half, or where the young people were. This places young people at significant risk of harm from bullying from their peers.

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This monitoring visit

There continue to be ongoing incidents of bullying in the home. One young person went missing for the first time since moving into the home. During the monitoring visit she said to the inspector: ‗I was so worked up about what is happening at home and school….They [the three other young people living in the home] shout stuff at me. I am the eldest and I am being bullied! It upsets me.‘ As she returned to the home, after being missing, staff were unable to prevent a peer shouting threatening abuse at her.

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This monitoring visit

On another occasion, despite the manager alerting staff that day to the actions which they should take to prevent young people being in each other‘s bedrooms, one young person spent the night in another young person‘s bedroom without staff‘s knowledge. One young person said: ‗I did not want her to stay in my room. I fell asleep and when I woke up she was there. I did not understand how as my door was locked.‘ Staff‘s lack of supervision and monitoring of young people places them at risk of harm due to their vulnerabilities.

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This monitoring visit

Staff do not consistently follow written risk management plans in relation to actions required by staff when young people are in possession of substances or appear to have taken substances. The risk management plans state that staff should contact NHS Direct for advice. When a young person appears to have misused substances and to be under their influence, staff record this but do not follow the risk management guidance to seek advice from NHS Direct. Staff do record that they monitor the young person hourly through the night. Staff‘s failure to follow agreed risk management plans places young people at risk of harm. Staff state that they have confidence in managing such incidents due to their substance misuse training. Inspection report for children‘s home - monitoring visit: SC433290 3 However, young people‘s risk management plans clearly outline additional actions that staff must take to ensure that young people are safe.

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This monitoring visit

Young people place themselves at significant risk of harm when they are missing. Young people are collected in taxis from the home. When they return young people tell staff that they have engaged in unprotected sex. When young people go missing, staff report this to the police. When young people contact the home whilst missing from care, staff do not consistently collect young people personally. Staff send taxis to collect young people. This does not demonstrate that staff have any insight into the possible experience that young people may have been exposed to. It fails to create the opportunity for staff to engage with young people to gain an understanding of where they have been, who they have been with and the potential harm they may have been exposed to. Staff‘s approach does not help young people to understand how to keep themselves safe when they are at their most vulnerable.

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This monitoring visit

During this monitoring visit further shortfalls were identified. The manager‘s internal quality monitoring report does not include any consultation with young people, parents or placing authorities, or current evidence of young people‘s progress. The report lacks evaluation of the escalated risk-taking behaviour. This means that the service does not learn from such incidents within the home, to prevent them occurring again.

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This monitoring visit

Staff do develop positive relationships with young people, which enables young people to discuss what is difficult for them. Young people have made allegations to staff about historic and current abuse. Staff management and referral of these child protection referrals has not been prompt, which has led to delays in the local authority investigating these concerns. At the interim inspection, a recommendation of good practice had been made regarding having a system in place to ensure the prompt notification to Ofsted of significant events. However, staff did not notify Ofsted of these referrals without delay. This prevents the regulator reviewing safeguarding events as they occur.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have made some progress in addressing shortfalls, in particular with regard to the physical environment of the home. They have ensured that most of the broken windows have been replaced and new soft furnishings have been purchased, and young people have been involved in selecting and making furniture for the home. There is a working television and computer for young people to use. The manager has ordered new flooring for the stairway. Young people are beginning to invest in the home, and one young person said: ‗The home looks so much better – it needs to be a home where we want to live, not just where we are placed.‘ The manager has updated the fire risk assessment, and fire drills have taken place and been recorded. She has also updated the location risk assessment to include details of current known risks in the local community. Inspection report for children‘s home - monitoring visit: SC433290 4

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 12/09/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness 31/05/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 27/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 11/05/2016 Full Good Inspection report for children‘s home - monitoring visit: SC433290 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

*13: The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

(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

(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: The protection of children standard

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Requirement Due date

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 - (i) assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into 06/11/2017 Inspection report for children‘s home - monitoring visit: SC433290 6 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. (b) that the home‘s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (2) (a) (i) (iii) (iv) and (b)) 11: The positive relationships standard

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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)) 06/11/2017

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (―case records‖) for each child which include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child, are kept up to date and are signed and dated by the author of each entry. With particular regard to young people‘s care plans and placement plans. (Regulation 36 (1) (a) (b) (c)) 13/11/2017

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Requirement Due date

(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)) 13/11/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure the policy is implemented of the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse. In particular, to provide for the prompt referral of an allegation about current or ongoing abuse or neglect and past abuse or neglect in relation to a child to the placing authority and, if different, the local authority in whose area the alleged abuse or neglect took place. The registered person must provide for records to be kept of an allegation of abuse and the action taken in response. (Regulation 06/11/2017 Inspection report for children‘s home - monitoring visit: SC433290 7 34(2)(b)(c)(d)) The registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the quality of care provided for children, the feedback and opinions of children about the children‘s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it and any actions that the registered

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Requirement Due date

person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. The system established to monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the quality of care must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45(2) and (5)) 06/11/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must notify HMCI without delay if a child protection enquiry involving a child is instigated or concludes. (Regulation 40(d)) 06/11/2017

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 Staff should be familiar with the home‘s polices on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording.  The registered person must have systems in place so that all staff receive supervision of their practice.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children‘s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children‘s home - monitoring visit: SC433290 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Cambian Group, 4th Floor Waterfront Building, Chancellors Road, Hammersmith Embankment, London W6 9RU

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Inspector

Rebecca Quested, social care inspector Inspection report for children‘s home - monitoring visit: SC433290 9 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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