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

Inspection report children’s home: SC458028 1 SC458028 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

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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 home is run by a large independent provider. The home cares for up to three children who are unable to live in a family setting.

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Information about this children’s home

The home’s manager has been in post since August 2018 but has not registered with Ofsted.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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good

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

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good

Date of last inspection: 12 September 2017

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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: SC458028 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/09/2017 Full Good 27/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 09/11/2016 Full Good 10/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC458028 3

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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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable; and

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(xii) and (xiii)) 28/02/2019

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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)(2)(a)(i)) 28/02/2019

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose. (Regulation 16 (5))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the therapeutic offer reflects the information provided in the statement of purpose. 28/02/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC458028 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There has been significant change since the last full inspection. Some children who had lived in the home for several years and the vast majority of staff who have worked at the home for a few years have moved on. The children’s destinations vary. One child left the home with a job and received help to make a successful transition to semi- independent accommodation.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who are new to the home receive written information about what to expect and experience a positive and warm welcome. One child said, ‘The staff are really nice. They have helped me to settle in a lot.’ Children receive help to personalise their bedrooms, which enables them to feel comfortable and encourages them to invest in their environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children waiting to be enrolled into formal education receive structured help and support. A teacher gives advice and guidance to staff and visits the home to teach the children. This ensures that children remain engaged in learning and that residential staff understand their responsibility to ensure that education is prioritised. When children refuse to engage in formal education, the manager is proactive in addressing this and engages determinedly with other agencies such as the virtual school.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Overall, children get on well with one another. However, on one occasion, one child reported to the previous registered manager that they felt intimidated because of some demands from another child for money. The issues have now been addressed by the current manager because one of the children has moved. Nonetheless, over several months, staff collectively failed to adequately support both children regarding this matter. This reflects a failure to ensure that all members of staff have the confidence to deal with bullying behaviours.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive some help and support to explore loss and to understand the importance of positive emotional well-being. One-to-one discussions with the managers, and key-work sessions, help the children to talk about their feelings. In addition, the staff help some children to attend externally funded one-to-one counselling.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The statement of purpose explains that this home is a therapeutic environment and describes a level of therapeutic intervention. A therapist visits the home monthly and, for example, takes part in the team meetings. On occasions, a therapist provides additional consultation to staff. However, the extent of therapeutic support described in the statement of purpose does not accurately reflect the resource delivered at this home. This could be misleading for children, families and commissioners.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

During this inspection, planned renovations to the home’s interior were well under way. The kitchen is being modernised and the staff office has been divided to provide an additional room for the children to relax in. A staff member said, ‘The home’s manager Inspection report children’s home: SC458028 5 could see that the staff office was too big. The children had asked for some changes, and we listened.’

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

Children feel safe and can identify trusted adults to talk to should they have concerns.

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

Incidents at the home are reducing. Staff have training in physical intervention, but, overall, physical intervention is not used. Staff use encouragement, praise, incentives and rewards to motivate and to encourage positive behaviour. This approach often works well and helps children to modify some behaviours.

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

Some children go missing from the home. Those who do, have frequently gone missing from previous placements. Overall, this behaviour reduces. The home has effective and positive working relationships with other agencies, such as the police. When incidents occur that have the potential to increase children’s vulnerability in the wider community, open communication and the timely sharing of information ensure a coordinated multi- agency response. This helps to reduce external risk.

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

Staff undertake risk assessments, highlighting the areas in which children are likely to benefit from additional support and supervision. However, particularly when new children first move in, risk assessments do not provide enough detail about the expected actions required by staff to monitor the environment and behaviour. This does not help staff to anticipate issues or plan shifts in advance.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The last registered manager left in July 2018. The current manager is suitably qualified and has relevant experience. However, she has not registered with Ofsted, as is required by law. Failure to register means that suitability cannot be tested.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The regular presence of the responsible individual means that there is active senior management oversight and support. The manager was on annual leave during this inspection. Nonetheless, the positive difference that she is making is evident from talking to staff and children and from reading records. The manager has a clear development plan and a sound understanding of the emotional needs of the children. She spends individual time with the children talking to them about their feelings, behaviour and progress. A child said, ‘The manager is really good at coming out of the office to talk to us.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The requirement made at the last full inspection is met. The manager appropriately notifies Ofsted about significant incidents. Regular external monitoring helps the manager to act when minor shortfalls in practice are identified.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The current staff team is forming. The manager is currently making appointments to fill some staffing vacancies. She ensures that staff who do not hold the relevant level 3 qualification are enrolled onto the course. Inspection report children’s home: SC458028 6 The manager is ambitious and keen to make improvements at the home and to build the staff team. Regular staff meetings ensure opportunity for discussion about each of the children. The manager enhances the online and face-to-face training made available from within the wider company by offering additional practice workshops. This approach helps to build staff competence and helps to improve outcomes for children. A social worker for a child who has recently moved in said, ‘I am really pleased with how our child has settled into the home.’

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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: SC458028 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 4th Floor, Waterfront Manbre Wharf, Manbre Road, Hammersmith, London W6 9RH

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Inspector

Rosie Davie: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC458028 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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