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

Inspection report children’s home: SC458027 1 SC458027 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is one of a group of homes run by a large independent provider. It offers care for up to three children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 29 to 30 November 2017

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

p.1

outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

p.1

outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

p.1

outstanding

Date of last inspection: 28 February 2017

p.1

outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

p.1

outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

p.1

Key findings from this inspection

This children’s home is outstanding because:

p.1

Key findings from this inspection

 The manager is creative in finding new activities to enable children to increase their confidence, self-esteem and gain a greater sense of belonging. Inspection report children’s home: SC458027 2  Children say that they feel safe living in the home.  Staff incorporate theory and research into their practice, which aids the children to reflect on their past behaviours and think more carefully about their own safety.  Children are confident to speak about their most personal feelings and thoughts.  The established, committed staff team has a significant range of experience and skills.  Children make exceptional progress. They are constantly encouraged to be ambitious. This greatly improves their life chances.  The children feel valued and are encouraged to try new experiences.  Children who have experienced significant trauma learn to trust and build positive relationships with adults.  Admissions and transitions are meticulous planned with expertise and a detailed

p.1

Key findings from this inspection

analysis of needs.  Children quickly settle and recognise that the staff are committed to enhancing their lives.  The feedback from professionals, parents, and most importantly the children, is highly positive about the care provided.

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 17/11/2016 Full Outstanding 09/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 19/06/2015 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC458027 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children receive outstanding quality care in this home and make excellent progress. An experienced and nurturing staff team creates a homely environment where children feel very settled and can be themselves. Children who have experienced significant trauma gradually learn to trust and build positive relationships. A social worker said, ‘The manager and staff team are very in tune with [child’s name]’s needs; it’s the little things that make a huge difference. They are amazing.’ Another social care professional said, ‘This home is extremely well managed and they are really good at what they do. This is a fabulous home and [child] is doing so well and asking questions that I never thought she would be ready to ask. She is actually looking towards the future now due to the innovative work and consistent support given.’

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Structured and detailed individualised planning starts at the point of referral. The manager ensures that any child considered for the home is a good match for existing children. Where practicable, the child is encouraged to visit the home prior to admission. They are given a detailed children’s guide, which helps them familiarise themselves with the routines of the home. On their arrival, staff work one to one with each child and fully involve them in identifying their individual and personal goals. Children quickly begin to settle and recognise that staff are committed to enhancing their lives.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff have high aspirations for the children. The children feel valued and are encouraged to try new experiences. The staff support children who were previously reluctant to socialise to participate in group work activities. This has led to the children making friends and learning new skills. For example, the children enjoy attending a programme that aims to preserve wild spaces for the future. The children work in small teams, engaging in hands-on activities such as orienteering and cooking lunch over a wood fire. They quickly develop their social skills, they begin to see what they are good at and are able to reflect and learn about themselves. The children are encouraged at every opportunity in all they do and their self-esteem improves significantly.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The manager is imaginative in her ideas and endeavours to build on the children’s increased confidence. She continually sources new exciting experiences for each of the children and is committed to aiding them to build a greater sense of belonging. The manager has recently approached a large food retailer and successfully achieved approval to receive deliveries of their excess food. The children, under staff guidance, will then cook meals and distribute them to vulnerable people in the local community. This innovative practice supports inclusion in the community and helps the children to develop an awareness of some of the issues affecting wider society.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children who had previously not sustained a school placement for some time start to engage and to achieve. The manager ensures that the children receive good-quality home tutoring while she proactively sources a suitable full-time education provision. Home tutors and the staff work very closely together on incentives, rewards and consequences. They quickly establish the interests of the individual child and incorporate Inspection report children’s home: SC458027 4 them into their lesson planner to keep the child motivated. One of the children has recently returned to full-time education after a period of home tutoring. The deputy head reported that staff provide a high level of consistent support. He said, ‘The home is very thorough. They are flexible and really good at working in partnership with us. He has settled in really well and is building a friendship group.’

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff consistently gain the views of the children on a regular basis. This takes place individually in one-to-one key-work sessions and includes their opinions on the day-to- day running of the home. The children have individual menus, incentive charts and individual timetables of activities displayed in the home. There are also consultation forms for them to complete. These are popular with the children and offer the opportunity to put their ideas and suggestions forward. The children report that they feel included in their home, receive feedback and always feel listened to.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s ability to spend quality time with their families is constantly improving. Children are able to take small steps and progress proceeds at their own pace. Staff look out for new behaviours during any increase in family contact. They know that children may have higher anxieties and struggle to regulate their emotions while coming to terms with their background. This quality support and supervision prepares the children very well for developing their relationships. One child is now able to enjoy unsupervised overnight contact with his father. The social worker said, ‘Staff have worked so hard with him; the manager is very hands on and she knows him so well. She arranged for a sensory assessment to be undertaken and has developed great relationships with his parents, which greatly enhances contact.’ The parent reported that his son has made very good progress in his behaviour, and that staff have never let him down, and they

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Transitions from the home are meticulous planned. These plans incorporate several visits to the child’s new placement, accompanied by the manager and staff. A social care professional said, ‘The transition planning was excellent. The manager was very involved and made all the arrangements herself. The children we have previously placed at this home are completely changed individuals and now have a future. The proof is in the pudding. This home changes them and they begin to understand what a positive relationship looks like.’

p.4

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

Very creative work ensures that hard-to-reach children engage exceptionally well with staff about all aspects of their safety. Staff incorporate a particular theoretical model into their practice, which aids the children to reflect on their past behaviours and think more carefully about their own safety. Staff achieve this by skilfully implementing boundaries and structure to the children’s daily routine. This helps them feel secure in staff’s abilities, enables them to build good trusting relationships and share their feelings openly.

p.4

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

High-quality risk assessments provide staff with the necessary strategies to minimise potential dangers and protect children. Risk assessments are comprehensive, detailed Inspection report children’s home: SC458027 5 and updated accordingly. The children are encouraged to give their views. For example, staff have discussed the home’s location risk assessment with them and their opinions are included in this important document. Supporting children to understand risks enables them to learn the skills to recognise any potential dangers.

p.4

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

All professionals and parents spoken with are confident that children are safe. One child said, ‘I used to run off every day in my other placements. I’m happy here, I feel safe and I don’t want to run off now. Kids only run away because they feel unsafe, you know.’ Extremely strong relationships with the staff enable the children to trust them and to explore aspects of their behaviour. There has only been one missing from home incident since the last inspection. Staff did absolutely everything they could to locate the child and ensured their safe return several hours later. Children will be able to reflect on this caring approach in the future and will know that they were cared about, whatever their behaviour.

p.5

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

The staff take practical and pragmatic steps to ensure that when tensions arise between the children, they intervene quickly to de-escalate any signs of conflict. This reduces the likelihood of children feeling bullied and helps to maintain a positive atmosphere in the home.

p.5

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

There have been no incidents of physical intervention since the last inspection. The competent staff manage challenging behaviours extremely well. A social worker said, ‘I’m very happy with the placement. He can now regulate his emotions; prior to arriving, he could not do this and he has learned how to remove himself from situations. The staff are very good with recognising his triggers; they have worked so hard with him on his behaviour.’ The strategies implemented and high-quality care given enable the children to learn how to manage and reduce difficult behaviours.

p.5

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

Staffing arrangements of this home are stable, with an established, experienced and cohesive staff team. Effective recruitment procedures enable the careful selection and recruitment of new staff. Vigilant monitoring of visitors to the home further protects children from potential harm.

p.5

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

All staff receive mandatory safeguarding training. The staff spoken with during this inspection are very clear in their knowledge and confident to instigate the home’s policy and procedure. There has been one safeguarding referral made to the designated officer since the last inspection. Careful recording and details of the chronology demonstrate that the manager has taken action quickly, reported appropriately and followed up concerns tenaciously. The designated officer confirmed that they have no concerns regarding the home and that safeguarding is effective.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is dynamic and inspirational in her style of leadership, providing outstanding leadership and management of this service. She is highly experienced, long- serving, qualified to level 4 and currently undertaking her level 5 diploma. She works cohesively with team leaders and the staff to ensure that the home is consistently high- Inspection report children’s home: SC458027 6 performing and has a continuous drive to improve. Staff spoken with describe the manager as amazing, having extremely high standards and very supportive to them and the children.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff feel well supported and well trained. They are very knowledgeable about how they should deliver care. Staff either hold a relevant level 3 diploma or are working towards this required professional qualification within the necessary timescales. The wide range of training includes mandatory training, such as behaviour management, safeguarding and first aid. The staff receive clinical training and support from the provider’s therapist to enhance their skills further. Recently, there have been bespoke training sessions on domestic violence and drug awareness. This personalised approach equips the staff exceptionally well to meet children’s complex and changing needs.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The arrangements for monitoring the children’s progress and the care provided are meticulous. The manager consistently oversees on a daily basis and undertakes full monthly audits. Carefully developed systems capture data that evidences the positive influence that the home has had on children’s lives. Alongside this, the home benefits from receiving good-quality monthly monitoring reports from the independent visitor. These reports identify any areas requiring attention, which the manager immediately responds to. This proactive reaction by the manager ensures continuous progress.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff attend monthly team meetings, receive regular good-quality supervision and yearly appraisals. Staff report that they feel valued and inspired. One said, ‘I had in-depth supervision regularly at the beginning as I felt unsettled when I joined. The manager has been so supportive to me progressing and has taught me so much.’ The manager allocates time in meetings and supervision to discuss the children’s individual needs and any new incidents. By working together as an organised and motivated team, the staff ensure that they remain consistent in their practice and interactions with the children.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager reviews the home’s statement of purpose and updates it promptly with any changes. Staff are very knowledgeable about the home’s objectives. They take pride in their work and are very proud to be helping the children to achieve their goals.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager invests time in ensuring that very positive, effective relationships with professionals continue. She and the staff share any new information and provide up-to- date progress reports promptly. Professionals welcome the proactive approach to communication. One social worker said, ‘Communication is really good, can be daily. I also receive weekly summaries and monthly progress plans. I have a really good relationship with this home.’ A teacher said, ‘Communication is excellent. Every morning, we receive a very detailed handover from the staff to gain his mood and details of events overnight. They are really good at working in partnership with us.’ This multidisciplinary approach ensures that appropriate professionals carefully monitor the children’s progress. Inspection report children’s home: SC458027 7

p.6

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.

p.7

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: SC458027 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd

p.8

Children’s home details

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

p.8

Inspector

Lynne Drage, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC458027 9 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.

p.8

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspector

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

p.9