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

Inspection report children’s home: SC476286 1 SC476286 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for up to five children who have suffered trauma in their lives. The aim is to work therapeutically with children so that they can either return home or live in a family environment.

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 good

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 16 October 2018

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC476286 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/10/2018 Full Good 04/05/2017 Full Good 19/01/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 08/06/2016 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children’s home: SC476286 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.3

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff—

p.3

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.

p.3

Requirement Due date

This is in relation to young people having access to the home’s and staff’s keys, other staff’s belongings and other items in the adult office. 28/02/2020

p.3

Requirement Due date

the privacy of children is appropriately protected.

p.3

Requirement Due date

This is in relation to children having access to information pertaining to staff and young people in the adult office. 28/02/2020

p.3

Recommendations

 Ensure that supervision of staff practice ensures that individual adults in the home are engaged in the safeguarding culture of the home, so they understand what they would need to do if they found other staff misusing their position to the detriment of the safety of a child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.14)  Ensure that all children’s case records are kept up to date and stored securely whilst they remain in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3) Inspection report children’s home: SC476286 4  Children’s home staff should act as effective advocates for or on behalf of a child who may be experiencing difficulties with education or training matters including, but not limited to, attainment, admissions, attendance or behaviour as any good parent would do. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is starting to settle down after a period of instability. There have been several changes in children, staff and managers in recent months. As children settle in, they are building some positive relationships with the adults. The staff know the children well and create opportunities to support them. Their nurturing approach is clear. Children rely on carers for emotional reassurance and hugs, which are a regular occurrence. Children receive affection at a time when they really need it. This helps them to cope with their trauma.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home’s therapeutic approach suits the group of children who are living there. Children who have previously been unable to talk to adults in a meaningful way, start to engage. Social workers report very positively about how this helps children to progress. One reported: ‘The placement is fantastic.’ Another stated that a child: ‘Has made great strides.’

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children start to experience a more normal life. For example, one child has been to her new school friend’s birthday party. Other children have been on day trips and on holidays.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most children attend school and are progressing well in their education. Each child’s progress is carefully monitored, and their starting point is well considered. Some children, who have not attended school before, cope well because of the support they receive. Children know that school is a priority and an expectation. One child’s local authority has not organised a child’s education as they should have done. Despite this, staff have done their best to access tutoring during this period. Managers have pushed for improvement and for a school placement to be found. However, the child’s education has continued to drift. Leaders could have escalated this further.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have only left the home to move on to the next stage in their lives. They have been prepared well for this. Placement endings have all been positive and children have had leaving parties and presents. They have taken away memory books and photographs to help them to reflect on their positive experiences. Careful placement matching means that children live safely with one another.

p.4

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

Children are safe despite their very complex behaviours. Incidents are regular, but this is not a reflection of poor behaviour management. For some children, their behaviour Inspection report children’s home: SC476286 5 reflects their trauma. This is well understood by all in the home. Each incident is very carefully analysed and therapeutic input helps to inform children’s care plans.

p.4

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

Carers only use physical intervention as a last resort and as a safety measure. Each physical intervention record is carefully checked by a manager. Staff know that their actions will be scrutinised and that they will be expected to reflect on their performance. One new member of staff reported: ‘Managers care. They are always looking at what more we could be doing.’ This careful analysis and reflection reduce risks to children. Some newer staff members are still developing in their behaviour management practice, but managers keep a very close eye on them as their skills develop.

p.5

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

There is good multi-agency working, which helps to protect children. Staff work with the most up-to-date information to keep children safe. If children go missing, there is an excellent response from the staff. Children become safer because of creative work with the child afterwards. Children engage well in this work. This is particularly positive for some children because of their low starting points.

p.5

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

There was an isolated example of an adult not passing on a concern about a colleague to their manager. There is no demonstrable impact on the child concerned. However, this does not ensure that there is always a positive safeguarding culture.

p.5

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

There have been incidents of children’s heightened behaviour in the adult office. During one incident, a child took the home’s keys. Lessons have not been learned from this and keys were found to be in full view to children during the inspection. Children are currently allowed in the office and the door is often open. There needs to be a review of the current open-door policy to ensure that the risks can be managed. Also, children came into the office during the inspection and were seen to be looking at confidential documents. There is the risk of privacy being compromised.

p.5

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

Two key documents in relation to children’s significant incidents could not be located. It is now impossible to review these incidents. Recording needs to improve to make sure that a full picture can be established.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The leadership team has changed several times since the last inspection. There is now an established management team once again and an opportunity for a more settled period of management.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Communication between the new management team is not always effective. The registered manager did not know about some safeguarding information. However, she acknowledges that changes to the leadership team need to be better managed. She is already striving to put this right.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There have been several new staff members since the last visit. Some are still developing, and their performance is being closely monitored. Support is readily available, both in a planned way and on an ad hoc basis after particularly difficult shifts Inspection report children’s home: SC476286 6 or incidents. The new team is still at the forming stage, but leaders are extremely aware of this. Induction, training and monitoring of performance are top priorities. All adults are very good at caring for this very vulnerable group of young children and understand their needs very well.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The quality of care has remained good at a time of change. Leaders have a very good understanding of what is good practice in the home and what needs to improve.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has a very clear statement of purpose document and placing authorities are fully aware of how the home aims to operate. They choose this specialised service based on the comprehensive information provided by the home. Social workers commented that the home delivers what it sets out to do for the children. One said: ‘The placement is fantastic. I am impressed with therapy. We get what we expected.’

p.6

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.

p.6

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: SC476286 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

Caroline Brailsford: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC476286 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 looked after children, 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