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

Interim inspection report children’s home: 1159258 1 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 registered to provide care and accommodation for three children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is privately owned and is part of a large national organisation.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, there have been three new admissions to the home and three discharges. The registered manager’s planning for these admissions has been of mixed quality. This is because the registered manager did not ensure that all relevant information was available prior to the admission of two young people. Positively, the registered manager has taken steps to address this, by implementing a new admission process. Consequently, the suitability of the latest admission to the home was well considered and appropriate. A social worker told the inspector how impressed she was at the level of detail requested in advance of placement: ‘I felt that they could thoroughly meet [the young person’s] needs.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people say that they like the home and think that the staff are nice. One young Interim inspection report children’s home: 1159258 2 person said, ‘I think it is outstanding.’ Another young person told the inspector, ‘I like everything about it.’ Similarly, staff speak with pride about young people’s achievements and show a genuine care and affection for the young people. For example, a member of staff told the inspector that she sees the young people as an extension of her own family.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has recently benefited from a renovation, as part of an extension to the house. As such, young people enjoy an impressive living space which, despite its size, is homely and inviting. Young people are currently working with staff to create a graffiti wall in one room. This activity is helping to strengthen young people’s relationships with staff, while also providing them with a greater sense of belonging. However, some parts of the home are in need of further improvement. For example, damaged bathroom and kitchen units detract from the appearance of the home. Reassuringly, the registered manager has taken steps to address these areas of improvement.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff work hard to support young people to overcome the barriers to attending school. Staff work closely with education providers to ensure that the necessary support is in place, both at school and in the home. A deputy headteacher told the inspector that staff, ‘have been really positive and proactive in getting information from us.’ As a result, one young person, who is new to the home, has started to attend school despite a history of not attending. Although it is early days, this is a significant breakthrough for the young person.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has experienced a period of turbulence over the last eight months, with periods of increased risk-taking behaviours by some young people. These have included young people misusing substances in the community, and going missing. Positively, these behaviours have now ceased, and over the last month young people’s behaviours have been settled. Staff are using a range of incentives to promote young people’s positive behaviours. For example, one young person is working towards gaining a ticket for a premiership football match.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff do not consistently ensure that a young person receives an interview from an independent person following an incident of them going missing. This is a missed opportunity to understand why they went missing, and to identify strategies to reduce the likelihood of this happening again.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection, one requirement and three recommendations were raised. The requirement and two of the recommendations have been met. For example, staff ensure that Ofsted is notified of any significant incidents that occur in the home within a timely manner.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

However, one recommendation is not fully met. Specifically, staff have had mixed success in assessing and reviewing risk. For young people who have been at the home for some time, risk assessments are detailed and thorough, and this affords staff with clear guidance on how to keep young people safe. However, for one young person, who is new to the home, staff have been slow to ensure that potential risks, including the likelihood of the young person going missing, are considered and planned for. The Interim inspection report children’s home: 1159258 3 impact of this has been low, as the young person has been settled since arriving in placement.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/05/2017 Full Good 21/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 26/04/2016 Full Requires improvement

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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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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. (Regulation 12 (1) and (2) (a) (i)) 30/03/2018

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Recommendations

 For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of the children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. In particular, the registered provider will take steps to fix the damage to the kitchen and bathroom cupboards. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or Interim inspection report children’s home: 1159258 4 away from the home without permission, staff arrange for the responsible local authority to provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Staff should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)

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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’.

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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

Paul Robinson, social care inspector Interim inspection report children’s home: 1159258 5 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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