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

Inspection report children’s home: SC457181 1 SC457181 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for one child up to the age of 18 years.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been registered since January 2018.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 26 February 2019

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: declined in effectiveness

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC457181 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/02/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 16/05/2018 Full Good 22/02/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 10/07/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: SC457181 3

p.2

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.

p.3

Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

p.3

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; and, ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13(1)(2)(c)(e)) 04/10/2019

p.3

Recommendations

 Staff should provide a nurturing environment that is welcoming, supportive, and which provides appropriate boundaries in relation to young people’s behaviour (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7). In particular, ensure that young people’s bedrooms are clean and discourage young people from eating meals in their bedrooms.  Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day-to-day basis (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5). In particular, ensure that there are rigorous strategies in place for managing unsafe internet use.

p.3

Recommendations

 The registered person should undertake a review that focuses on the quality of the care provided by the home, the experiences of children living there and the impact the care is having on outcomes and improvements for the children. Reviews should be underpinned by the Quality Standards as described in regulations 5 to 14 (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, pages 64–65, paragraph 15.2). In particular, the registered manager must ensure that the review provides a clear analysis of the care provided and how this is impacting on young people’s progress and experiences. Inspection report children’s home: SC457181 4

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young person is making noticeable progress from his starting point. This is down to the consistent, nurturing care that is provided by a warm, friendly and committed staff team.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff have an in-depth understanding of the young person’s strengths, interests and vulnerabilities. High-quality personalised care is helping the young person to build positive relationships with staff he trusts and respects.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

School is a challenge for the young person. However, the staff team works tirelessly with the headteacher to help overcome any barriers to his education. For example, staff have attended school to help teachers supervise the young person and keep him and other pupils safe.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

With the staff’s expert guidance, encouragement and support, the young person is developing independent living skills. Since moving to the home, the young person has learned how to cook, clean, shop and budget. These essential skills will be of great benefit to him in the future.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff have a good understanding of the young person’s health needs and there is a strong focus on promoting a healthy lifestyle. Consistent routines and the staff’s ongoing support have helped the young person to give up smoking, and to improve his sleep pattern and eating habits.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

On the whole, the home is maintained to a high standard. However, the young person prefers to eat alone in his bedroom and, on occasions, this has led to dirty plates and cutlery being left in his bedroom. This detracts from the welcoming, well-cared-for, homely environment that the manager’s and staff’s hard work has achieved.

p.4

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

The young person’s welfare and safety are the manager’s and staff’s priorities. The staff team is wholly aware of the potential risks to the young person. In the main, there are successful protective strategies in place to keep him safe. However, the ways in which staff assess and manage the young person’s internet use can be improved.

p.4

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

Undoubtedly, the young person is safer since he moved into the home. Offending behaviour, substance misuse, going missing from home and potential exploitation have significantly reduced because of the staff’s unwavering support.

p.4

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

Strong partnership working is helping to keep the young person safe. The staff work diligently with other professionals involved with the young person’s care, including his social worker, his youth offending officer and, when necessary, the police. Inspection report children’s home: SC457181 5 The staff have a clear understanding of their safeguarding roles and responsibilities. Suitable staffing levels enable the team to provide the high level of support and supervision that the young person requires.

p.4

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

The home environment and local area are routinely assessed for potential risks and hazards. Regular health and safety checks and monitoring of the local community ensure that the home remains a safe place for the young person to live.

p.5

good

The manager and deputy are extremely child focused. They are committed to providing high standards of care and protection for the young person.

p.5

good

There are many elements of leadership and management that are strong, for example staff support, teamwork and collaboration with other professionals. However, not all of the requirements and recommendations raised at the last inspection have been adequately addressed. Consequently, the home’s improvement journey has been hindered.

p.5

good

Although the manager has established a stable core staff team, the use of different casual workers to cover gaps in the staff rota weakens staff consistency. For example, since March 2019, 23 different casual workers have covered shifts in the home. This shortfall was raised at the last inspection.

p.5

good

Additionally, gaps in the staff’s training, in particular regarding ADHD, fire safety and safer internet use, mean that some staff members are not yet suitably equipped with the knowledge, understanding and skills to meet the young person’s needs.

p.5

good

The manager and deputy undertake regular monitoring of the service. The time they invest in preparing the six-monthly quality of care review is evident. However, the reports continue to lack analysis of the impact the staff’s care and support are having on young people’s progress and experiences.

p.5

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, Inspection report children’s home: SC457181 6 protect and look after.

p.5

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: SC457181 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Metropolitan House, 3 Darkes Road, Potters Bar EN6 1AG

p.7

Inspector

Marina Tully: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC457181 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.

p.7

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.8

Inspector

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

p.8

Inspector

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

p.8