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

Inspection report children’s home: SC456413 1 SC456413 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.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is equipped to take a young person with a high level of complex needs. These needs, described in the home’s statement of purpose, range from inability to manage their emotions to anti-social and dangerous behaviour that home or foster care have not been able to manage.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been in post since March 2019. She has submitted her application to Ofsted to be the registered manager for this home.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 17 to 18 September 2019

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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: SC456413 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/08/2018 Full Good 15/06/2017 Full Good 16/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 03/05/2016 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC456413 3

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Recommendation

 Where children placed in a home are not participating in education because they have been excluded or are not on a school roll for some other reason, the registered person and staff must work closely with the placing authority so that the child is supported and enabled to resume full-time education as soon as possible. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.1)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The current child has lived at the home since 10 July 2019. The child’s social worker told the inspector, ‘The change in such a short space of time has been really nice to see, especially when I consider his previous disrupted placements. This significant change is because the manager and staff are welcoming, and they have an open and honest approach with the child. I couldn’t fault them.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have a good insight into the things that are important to the child. They are fully aware of the issues affecting his emotional well-being and those that are likely to cause him anxiety and distress. This means that staff are able to anticipate challenging situations and ensure that the appropriate care and support are in place.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff value the child’s views and opinions. They continually seek these out. Staff have written the care plan with the child, and he has a good understanding of the care and support that is planned for him. Staff know the child very well, and it is evident that good relationships have developed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Care planning with the child focuses on reducing previous risk and disrupted behaviours. Good progress has been made. This is because missing from home incidents and damage to property have significantly reduced in frequency and severity. The child is engaging and expressing his emotions through key-worker sessions. This allows him to understand the cause and effect of his actions and has helped him to settle in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child had been out of education before coming to this home. The staff are using everyday opportunities and trips out to substitute his schooling and encourage his learning in other ways. The child is keen to learn, and the manager has secured a school placement for him. He has visited the organisation’s school, met the other children and will start on a reduced timetable. These arrangements will allow the child to settle into school and help him with his learning. Inspection report children’s home: SC456413 4 The child enjoys regular contact with those who are important to him. The staff support him to maintain strong and positive relationships with family members. This ensures that he has a strong sense of identity and a feeling of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some children have successfully moved out of the home since the last inspection. When the manager has taken decisions to end a child’s placement early, this is for safeguarding reasons. In such cases, the manager has worked in partnership with the child’s placing authority to find an alternative, more appropriate placement. Positive feedback has been received from all the children and their families about the quality of care they experienced in the home.

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

The home provides a welcoming and safe environment for the child. He told the inspector that he feels safe in the home and he is protected by staff. He is aware of the home’s plans to encourage his safety and can identify his own progress in keeping himself safe. This has positively influenced his self-esteem and confidence. Since he came to this home, there has been a significant decrease in incidents.

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

The child’s risk assessments are clear and provide details of the identified risks and strategies for staff to follow. These assessments link with the child’s behaviour management plans. This means that staff have a good understanding of the identified risks and how to manage these. Since arriving at the home, the child has become increasingly safer.

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

Staff know the triggers to the child’s behaviour. They share this information with each other. Compared with the child’s behaviour in his previous placements, there has been a significant improvement. This demonstrates that staff can successfully manage his behaviour. This is helping the child to feel secure.

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

Incidents of physical intervention are rare. On the rare occasions when it has been used, this has been to ensure the safety and protection of a child. There has only been one incident of the current child going missing since he has been living at the home, despite his being classed as at high risk. This is significant progress.

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

The manager and staff work positively with external agencies that are involved in the care of the child. A social worker confirmed that she receives regular updates on the progress made by her child and any relevant incidents or events. The manager challenges agencies to ensure that the child receives the services and support that he needs.

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

Home maintenance and regular health and safety checks are carried out. These arrangements protect the child, staff and visitors. Additionally, safer recruitment practices ensure that staff are suitably vetted before they start work in the home. Inspection report children’s home: SC456413 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager commenced her role in the home in March 2019. She has made an application to Ofsted to be the registered manager of the home. The manager is enrolled on the relevant level 5 diploma. The manager and her deputy manager are experienced and provide the staff with clear leadership and support in the home. Together they run a good-quality home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Following some turnover of staff under the previous manager, the team has now stabilised. Staff reported a good level of support and spoke highly of the manager and each other. All staff reported a good level of training and supervision. Team meetings are held regularly and are well attended.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The stability and commitment of the staff are a strength of the home. They work well as a team, and this ensures that the child receives consistent care and support. A staff member told the inspector, ‘We are a working family who care for each other and the children who live in this home.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff use everyday opportunities to help the child understand the importance of equality and tolerance. They use effective relationships and informal conversations to help him think about these issues.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and deputy manager have a clear vision for the home’s future development. To support this, they have developed an effective internal auditing and monitoring system. This helps them to understand the quality of care that the child receives, and they take effective action when necessary to make improvements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager notifies Ofsted of any significant events in a timely manner. This means that the inspector can review information quickly to assess whether managers and staff have taken appropriate action to safeguard the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection have been met.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: SC456413 6 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: SC456413 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: Metropolitan House, 3 Drakes Road, Potters Bar, EN6 1AG

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Inspector

Mark Kersh, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC456413 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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