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

Assurance visit report: SC456409 1 SC456409

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for one child or young person who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is one of a number of children’s homes operated by a private company.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted on 8 September 2020. She also manages another home within the company, which is in close proximity to this home.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: Outstanding

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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. Assurance visit report: SC456409 2

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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.

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The care of children

This home provides a homely environment for children. It is suitably decorated and warm. Children are encouraged to become involved in decisions about the home. They have the opportunity to choose furnishings and decorate their bedroom and communal areas, helping them to develop a sense of belonging and pride. Some areas of the home appear tired and have been identified to undergo further redecoration and refurbishment.

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The care of children

Since the last inspection, staff have supported children to have positive, planned transitions when joining and leaving the home. The child currently living in the home has lived there for several months. He says he is happy and that this home is, ‘the best home he has ever lived in.’

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The care of children

The child told the inspector that he knows the staff care about him and that they are helping him. He benefits from positive and trusting relationships with staff who understand his needs. The staff team promotes positive choices through the implementation of clear and consistent boundaries, supporting the child to feel safe.

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The care of children

The staff team has been proactive in managing the challenges posed by the recent COVID-19 pandemic. The staff have implemented robust hygiene practices and have responded promptly to any health concerns. Emotional health needs are understood. The team liaises with the therapist attached to the home and access specialist services as required.

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The care of children

Staff help the child to keep in touch with people who are important to him. They have worked closely with the child’s placing authority and his family to maintain communication and support socially distanced visits.

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The care of children

The staff team has supported the child to re-engage in education. He attended during the period when schools were only open to some children due to COVID-19 restrictions. The staff also provided opportunities for learning through creative projects around the home. More recently, the child has been reluctant to attend education and the staff team is working with the education provider and wider network to address this. They promote and encourage his attendance but clearer routines and expectations when he is not attending school would further strengthen the work the team is doing to encourage and support his education and learning.

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The safety of children

The child living in the home says he feels safe. He knows who to talk to if he has any worries and feels listened to. Assurance visit report: SC456409 3 Professionals report that they feel that staff know how to respond to incidents and keep children safe. Communication is of a high standard and the team regularly consults the wider system to promote a proactive response to managing risks. This has included engaging professionals to work with children around specific concerns.

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The safety of children

Risks are well understood. Staff have access to detailed, robust, risk and behaviour management plans. These plans are regularly reviewed and provide clear guidance and strategies for staff to use to reduce and manage risk. Inconsistencies in recordings between plans were identified during the visit. The registered manager is taking appropriate action to address this.

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The safety of children

Missing-from-home procedures are consistently followed. The staff are proactive in looking for the child and seek to divert him from engaging in behaviours which may cause harm to himself or others.

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The safety of children

Incidents are responded to quickly and are well managed. Safeguarding incidents which have required police involvement have been proportionate. Debriefs take place and strategies are implemented to minimise risk and reduce further incidents. Staff are often able to help the child regulate his behaviours calmly. The frequency of incidents is reducing and the use of sanctions and physical interventions are low.

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Leaders and managers

The manager has been registered since September 2020. She is supported by a deputy manager and two team leaders. They are developing a child-focused, inclusive ethos in the home and provide clear leadership and guidance to the team.

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Leaders and managers

Staff are suitably qualified or working towards a recognised qualification. Following some staffing changes, a core staff team is now in place. The staff know the home and the child well. Agency staff are not used and, if needed, the team is supported by bank staff or staff who know the child that work at the other home managed by the same manager. At times, staff are asked to cover in other homes run by the organisation. The manager has implemented processes to minimise the effect of any staff changes.

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Leaders and managers

Staff confirm they feel supported. They benefit from regular formal and informal supervision and have the opportunity to reflect on incidents. Inductions are robust, and staff have access to training, regular team meetings and support from the management team and therapist attached to the home. Because of restrictions imposed due to the pandemic, training has been predominantly online but face-to- face courses are now restarting across the organisation.

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Leaders and managers

Internal monitoring systems are in place and used to develop practice. Further scrutiny of these would enable the manager to have greater oversight of the home and avoid potential shortfalls. Assurance visit report: SC456409 4 The manager has recently implemented a system to ensure serious incidents are reported to Ofsted. However, several serious incidents which predate this system had not been reported as required.

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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, the 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 registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 31 January 2021

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure staff consistently pursue education attendance and that routines and expectations are in place when children are not attending. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.14) Assurance visit report: SC456409 5  The registered person should ensure that high standards are maintained throughout the home. Some areas appear tired and the kitchen area and bathroom floor would benefit from refurbishment. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should make best use of information from internal monitoring to ensure continuous improvement. They should be skilled in anticipating difficulties and reviewing incidents, such as rota and details in records. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspectors

Caroline Bertram, Social Care Inspector Mark Broomhead, Regulatory Inspection Manager Assurance visit report: SC456409 6 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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