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

Inspection report children’s home: SC456409 1 SC456409 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is one of a number of privately run children’s homes operated by a private company. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for one young person who may need support with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The registered manager also manages another two home within the company, which are in close proximity to this home.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: None Inspection report children’s home: SC456409 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/07/2017 Full Good 09/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 10/11/2016 Full Good 07/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC456409 3

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Recommendations

 For the children’s home to be a homely environment, the registered person should ensure that high standards are maintained throughout the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) This is with specific reference to replacing broken fence panels and ensuring an appropriate level of privacy in the garden.  Children must be listened to and enabled to report any allegations at the earliest opportunity. Any allegation of harm or abuse must be addressed in line with the home’s child protection policy. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraph 9.17) This is with regard to ensuring that young people are provided with an outcome and feedback to any issues raised.  All staff in a care role, including external agency or bank staff, must have the qualification in regulation 32(4) within the relevant timescales in regulation

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Recommendations

32(5). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.12)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The current young person has been living at the home for a short period of time. He has settled in very well and is making good progress. His independent reviewing officer said: ‘It is quite remarkable how settled he is. We have seen a significant change in his behaviour and he is happy and relaxed at the home.’ The young person confirmed that he is happy and settled. He told the inspector: ‘I made the right choice coming here. I like it and staff are really nice. This is a place where I can just be myself.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Relationships are a major strength. In a short space of time, the young person has developed strong and meaningful attachments with the manager and the staff team who are committed to providing him with positive experiences. This results in a calm and harmonious atmosphere in which the young person is able to thrive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are good role models for the young person. Staff maintain meaningful dialogue with the young person and encourage him to express his views, through individual sessions, feedback questionnaires and house meetings. Staff were observed to be nurturing and supportive in all of their interactions with the young person, spending good-quality time together and making sure that the young person’s needs are at the Inspection report children’s home: SC456409 4 centre of their practice.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide educational opportunities such as project work, reading, writing and trips to museums. This helps develop the young person’s confidence and promotes his academic achievement and ability. This positive learning environment has also helped reintegrate the young person into more conventional education. His attendance has increased from 20% to over 80%. This represents significant progress and a change in attitude to learning. This also provides a good foundation on which to build and improve future prospects.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Contact is promoted and maintained in a way that meets the young person’s best interests. As a result, the young person is able to maintain links and develop relationships with those who are significant to him.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff monitor the young person’s health and provide the necessary support to ensure that routine appointments and checks are up to date. Staff also provide good information about the importance of healthy lifestyles and promptly seek specialist interventions, such as sexual health services substance, when necessary. Currently, the young person is making good choices about his health and is refraining from behaviours which may pose a risk to him.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young person spoke enthusiastically about the things he has done since living at the home. These include bowling, trips to places of interests and going to the cinema. These experiences promote confidence and enhance social skills, as well as providing the young person with the opportunity to try new things and develop interests.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is suitably decorated, comfortable and provides a homely atmosphere. However, on the day of the inspection, the inspector observed broken fence panels in the garden. This does not provide suitable privacy and detracts from the homeliness of the environment. The registered manager is taking appropriate action to address this shortfall.

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

Since the last inspection, one young person has moved to another provision. This was in his best interest because the placement went into decline. Leaders and managers displayed a commitment to overcoming these difficulties, and there is good evidence of inter-agency work. As a result, the young person was able to move on positively and has since settled into his new provision.

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

The recent admission was carefully considered and sensitively managed in the best interest of the young person. The registered manager undertook a detailed assessment of need prior to offering a placement. Once the decision was made to place, the registered manager worked closely with the placing authority to ensure that the transition into the home was well planned and sensitively managed. As a result, the young person has quickly settled into a good routine. Inspection report children’s home: SC456409 5 The young person told the inspector that he feels safe at the home. He knows that he can talk to staff if he has any concerns or worries. The young person benefits from high levels of support and supervision provided by a staff team that is trained in all aspects of safeguarding. Staff present as knowledgeable and confident in implementing the home’s safeguarding policies and procedures and take a highly proactive approach to ensuring

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

A young person who no longer resides at the home made four allegations against members of the staff team. These were all dealt with promptly and in consultation with safeguarding professionals. Allegation management records provide an overview of the action taken and outcome, but fail to indicate that the registered manager has provided the young person with an outcome to any issues raised. Records made in this way do not stand up to scrutiny in the event of a further complaint.

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

Risk assessments clearly identify risks for the young person alongside strategies for staff to manage these risks. The assessments are regularly reviewed, and updates are communicated to all staff. This ensures that they are aware of any changes to the risks associated with the young person.

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

Behaviour management strategies employed by staff are based on open and honest conversations, negotiations and guidance. Staff challenge negative behaviour, and consistent practice helps the young person self-regulate and articulate his feelings. Documents reviewed during the inspection highlight a minimal use of sanctions, and there have been no reported incidents of restraint.

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

Effective safeguarding arrangements are in place when a young person goes missing from home. On the occasions when this has occurred, staff implement agreed procedures and go looking for the young person and return them safely back home with the support of the police. All episodes are monitored, fully considered and reviewed, to promote the young person’s safety. Return interviews are undertaken by an independent person. This provides the young person with the opportunity to talk to someone independent of the home about the reasons for going missing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is effectively led and managed by a skilled, committed and experienced registered manager. The deputy manager further strengthened the home’s management position. The deputy manager provides effective support and cover for the manager, which promotes the smooth and efficient operation of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have a broad range of experience and skills that enable them to effectively meet the needs of the young person living at the home. Leaders, managers and staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities and they are all given regular opportunities to develop and reflect on practice. Team meetings and handovers provide good opportunities to discuss the young person’s progress and to identify areas for development. These mechanisms contribute to positive communication and consistency within the team. Inspection report children’s home: SC456409 6 Managers ensure that staff have appropriate training and reflective supervision opportunities that stretch and challenge their care practice. Staff said that they are very happy working at the home and enjoy working with the young person. Staff feel very well supported, and that their skills and experience are valued within the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A very small percentage of the staff team have not yet completed their level 3 diploma for residential childcare within the required timescale. That said, the manager has maintained a thorough overview of training and has already taken some action to address this shortfall.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Partnership working is a key strength of this home. Staff and managers understand their professional responsibilities, as well as those of other agencies. They challenge agencies and placing authorities and advocate effectively on behalf of the young person. The registered manager makes good use of escalation strategies and monitors responses from placing authorities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are good systems in place for reviewing and monitoring the quality of care provided at the home. The independent visitor reports clearly on whether, in their opinion, the young person is effectively safeguarded. This ensures that there are impartial assessments of the home’s safeguarding arrangements and promotes the young person’s welfare.

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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

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: SC456409 7

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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

Ceri Evans, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC456409 8 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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