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

Inspection report children’s home: SC026910 1 SC026910 Registered provider: Cambian Autism Services Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home is registered for up to 68 children who have autism spectrum disorders and/or learning disabilities. The service operates as a residential special school that also provides accommodation for 52 weeks of the year. As a result, it is registered as a children’s home. The home provides care across 11 houses. The home is owned by a private national organisation.

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Inspection date: 4 December 2019

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 4 December 2019

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC026910 2

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection, four requirements and three recommendations were made. Leaders and managers have met three of the requirements and all of the recommendations. Staffing the children’s home with enough permanent staff remains an ongoing issue which does have an impact on the service. Leaders and managers are using several different avenues to recruit. Leaders and managers have recruited 21 new staff since May 2019, but 17 staff have left. The use of agency staff to cover shifts continues, but the number of different agency staff caring for children has reduced. A new system is in place for the vetting of agency staff which is in line with safer recruitment practices. This process includes looking at the experience of the agency worker against the needs of the children. The frequency and quality of staff supervision has improved but is not consistent across the staff team. Leaders and managers have identified this and are acting to

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

address this with staff who are responsible for providing supervision. Leaders and managers are now monitoring the training for all staff effectively, including agency staff. This ensures that staff receive the training that they need to meet the children’s needs and for their personal development. The management of safeguarding concerns is appropriate. Where required, detailed investigations are carried out with clear outcome actions set and lessons learned identified. Leaders and managers need to ensure that all investigations and actions set from them are completed in a timely manner. There have been medication errors since the previous inspection, and this has been a historical concern. Leaders and managers implemented a new system since the previous inspection, but this has not been effective in reducing errors. Another new system has been developed but is yet to be implemented. A ‘failsafe’ system needs

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

to be urgently implemented. Behaviour is managed well. There has been a reduction in the number of restraints used. One example of this is a child’s incidents of restraint reducing from 31 in the first six months of this year to eight in the last six months. The monitoring of restraint records has led to an improvement in their quality. The quality of children’s records has improved. These now provide clear information on children’s progress and achievements, including work on their independence skills. Staff use photographs to evidence this. These files demonstrate children’s involvement in planning their care wherever possible. Included in these records is Inspection report children’s home: SC026910 3 good evidence seen of improving activities for children which also link to the achievements and progress being made by the children. Inspection report children’s home: SC026910 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/05/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 22/10/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/03/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 11/07/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC026910 5

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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

13: The leadership and management standard 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. 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; ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b), (2)(c)(d)(e)(h)) 29/02/2020

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Requirement Due date

23. Medicines The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. In particular the registered person must ensure that— medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child. (Regulation 23(1)(2)(b)) In particular, urgently implement a system to ensure that medication is not missed. 29/02/2020

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Recommendations

 The registered person should make best use of information from independent and internal monitoring to ensure continuous improvement. They are responsible for proactively implementing lessons learned and sustaining good practice. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 55, Inspection report children’s home: SC026910 6 paragraph 10.24) In particular, ensure that internal investigations and actions arising from them are completed swiftly to ensure that lessons learned are implemented effectively.  The registered person must have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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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

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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: SC026910 7

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Autism Services Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector(s)

Wendy Anderson, Social Care Inspector Paula Lahey, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC026910 8 to 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(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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