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

Assurance visit report: SC437305 1 SC437305

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and operated by a private provider. It is registered for up to six children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is well qualified and experienced. She has been registered to manage the home since December 2011.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 18 February 2020

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Information about this visit

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), Ofsted suspended all routine inspections in March 2020. As part of a phased return to routine inspection, we are undertaking assurance visits to children's social care services that are inspected under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF).

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Information about this visit

At these visits, inspectors evaluate the extent to which:

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Information about this visit

 children are well cared for  children are safe  leaders and managers are exercising strong leadership. This visit was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000, following the published guidance for assurance visits.

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Information about this visit

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills is leading Ofsted’s work into how England’s social care system has delivered child-centred practice and care within the context of the restrictions placed on society during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Findings from the visit

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit. Assurance visit report: SC437305 2

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The care of children

Children say that they feel well cared for. The staff treat the children with dignity and respect in a very warm and nurturing home. The staff act as good parents, offering the children good levels of stability and structure. The majority of the children are thriving. One child said, ‘This is the best home in the world.’

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The care of children

The children are involved fully in the running of the home and their plans, such as carrying out COVID-19 temperature checks on visitors and spending their pocket money online. Listening to the children’s views has helped the staff to plan a wide range of activities. The children have been cooking and baking, going on bike rides, taking trips to places of interest, playing games, going fishing and celebrating special events. Children have personalised their bedrooms to suit their hobbies and interests. The photographs that are displayed around the home show positive memories of the children’s enjoyable activities during and after lockdown.

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The care of children

Children have engaged in chats with the staff about the COVID-19 pandemic and the equality issues for black people movement, which has helped to raise their awareness and dispel any myths. Children say that they feel closer to the staff and have got through the challenging times together. Some children say that the emotional support provided to them by the manager and staff has given them comfort when they have felt sad. Access to the clinical advice continues to provide staff with the support and guidance to meet the children’s emotional health needs.

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The care of children

Staff have helped the children to stay in touch with family and significant others during lockdown through phone and video calls. Children have also understood the need to maintain social distancing during face-to-face contacts. Their sense of belonging and well-being have been enhanced significantly by these meetings.

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The care of children

Children have engaged in their education timetables at the home during the lockdown period. Most children have benefited from the clear routine and structure that the staff have provided. As a result, the children have returned to their education placements with minimum disruption. The relationships between the staff team and educational providers continue to promote the children’s educational outcomes effectively.

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The safety of children

Children live in a safe and supportive environment. Staff protect the children from bullying and other forms of harm. Children say that they feel ‘very safe’ and one child rated their safety as ‘a trillion out of 10’.

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The safety of children

Comprehensive written risk assessments include all the known risks to the children’s vulnerabilities. They provide the staff with clear guidance, which informs them about how to reduce and manage the risks to children. The discussions that the staff have with children about some of their risky behaviours help the children to understand why the staff may worry about them. Assurance visit report: SC437305 3 There is a coordinated response when children go missing from the home, which focuses on returning children back home quickly. The follow-up work with children enables them to talk to staff about their reasons for going missing. Children are supported by the staff to understand the risks to their welfare when staff do not know where they are.

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The safety of children

The consistent routines and boundaries applied by the staff in the home help the children to feel safe. The staff have used educational resources to help children to understand the impact of their negative behaviours on other people’s feelings. For example, staff have found that talking to some children about discrimination, injustice and moral values helps them to develop socially acceptable behaviour and empathy for others.

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The safety of children

Allegations are acted on safely and decisively by the managers. The measures taken to move a child on from the home following an incident were made in the best interests of all the children.

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Leaders and managers

The management in the home is strong and they provide stability for the staff and the children. The high standards of care for the children have been maintained throughout the COVID-19 period. The excellent support that the registered manager provides to the staff team has helped the staff morale to stay firm. The staff team has grown stronger. No staff have taken sick leave, which has provided the children with consistent care and protection during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Leaders and managers

The registered manager has provided the staff team with good opportunities to work to their strengths and develop their skills. Regular supervision, support and training opportunities have helped the staff to carry out their roles and responsibilities effectively.

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Leaders and managers

Excellent communication with professionals and families has taken place during the COVID-19 pandemic. This has kept everyone up to date with the children’s progress. The registered manager is an excellent advocate for the children. She works in collaboration with other professionals, and this meets the children's needs in line with their plans. The registered manager is realistic about the times when the home can no longer meet some children’s needs. The transitional arrangements are well planned to ensure that children experience positive endings.

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Leaders and managers

The registered manager has a good understanding of the staff’s and the home’s strengths and areas for development. This is demonstrated and evaluated in the regulation 45 monitoring review report. Yet, the views of the staff and family members are missing from the report. This does not enable the registered manager to consider how the views of staff and parents may improve the quality of the service. The independent visitor’s reports are positive. They conclude consistently that children are safeguarded effectively and their welfare is promoted.

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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 system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (5))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, include the views of staff and parents in the review report. 31/03/2021

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Cambian Childcare Limited, Metropolitan House, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar EN6 1AG

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Susan Fitzsimmons

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Inspector

Jacqueline Malcolm, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC437305 5 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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