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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476286 1 SC476286

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Cambian Childcare Ltd

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned. It is registered to provide care for five children between the ages of four and 18 who have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspector was aware during this inspection that serious child protection allegations were being investigated by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate allegations of this kind, actions taken by the setting in response to the allegations were considered alongside other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform inspectors’ judgements.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was undertaken remotely in line with COVID-19 guidance. The visit was carried out in order to review the home’s safeguarding processes following concerns and complaints received by Ofsted. The inspector also reviewed the arrangements for the care and supervision of children.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager and staff have not recognised the seriousness of a potential safeguarding concern. As a result, the manager did not follow appropriate safeguarding procedures. Senior managers have recognised this shortfall and have already addressed the matter. They have implemented an action plan and safety plans for the children.

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This monitoring visit

Communication from the home to social workers, schools, parents and carers has been poor. Several parents have not been given important information about their children. Poor contact with parents and carers has led to unnecessary frustration, stress and upset. Families are confused about contact arrangements. This does not help children to stay in contact with people important to them. Some professionals Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476286 2 have also been left unclear about children’s safety because they are not kept updated.

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This monitoring visit

At night, when a child’s bedroom door opens, the ‘sleep in’ staff are alerted by a door alarm system. This means that staff can monitor the whereabouts of children. Neither of the staff ‘sleep in’ rooms contains the alarm box. Staff rely on hearing the alarm going off in a different room. There is a risk that staff might sleep through the alarm, and children could be awake and unsupervised.

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This monitoring visit

Two children’s bedrooms have contained broken furniture for several weeks. In another bedroom, serious damage to a wall, which occurred several weeks ago, has not yet been fully repaired. Some very young children have been able to move heavy furniture in their bedrooms because it has not been safely secured. Children could come to harm if furniture falls on top of them.

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This monitoring visit

Out of a team of 14 staff, there are nine who are new to the home and still in their six-month probationary period. High staff turnover has not provided the consistency that children need at this stage in their life. The home’s statement of purpose has not been updated for over 12 months and is not up to date. Parents, placing authorities and Ofsted have not been aware of significant staff changes.

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This monitoring visit

The organisation’s own independent visitor has not picked up on the shortfalls in their monthly inspections. The visitor has not spoken to enough of the home’s staff, school staff, parents, families or social workers to obtain a full understanding of the operation of the home. Opportunities have been missed to identify shortfalls and rectify these at an early stage.

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This monitoring visit

The manager and staff have shown great commitment to children in the home during the pandemic, making sure that the children have been engaged in fun and stimulating activities. The manager showed particular commitment when a number of staff were unable to work due to COVID-19 restrictions. She committed herself fully to the home, so that she was able provide continuous care to the children.

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This monitoring visit

The organisation and the registered manager accept the failings identified in this report and are already working hard on action plans to secure improvement.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 28/01/2020 Full Good 16/10/2018 Full Good 04/05/2017 Full Good 19/01/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476286 3

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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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

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

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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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

This is in relation to responding appropriately to safeguarding matters in line with safeguarding procedures. This is also in relation to the safety of furniture in children’s bedrooms. 28 February 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476286 4 The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

A visit by the independent person to the home may be unannounced.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person’s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5))

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Requirement Due date

This is in relation to talking to staff, children, other professionals and parents/carers as part of the visit. 28 February 2021

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing 28 February 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476286 5 authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This is in relation to communication with other professionals, parents and carers.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This is in relation to regular updates and making sure that Ofsted, other professionals and parents/carers are aware of these updates. 28 February 2021

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff understand for each child what the placing authority has recorded in the relevant plan as an appropriate level of contact with family and friends. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 38, paragraph 8.3)  The registered person should ensure that staff provide a nurturing environment that is welcoming, supportive and which provides appropriate boundaries in relation to their behaviour (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7). This is in relation to broken furniture and damage to walls in children’s bedrooms.  The registered person should ensure that children’s home staff comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc); however, in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than institutional impression (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations

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Recommendations

including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9). This is in relation to the door alarm monitoring system. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476286 6

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Caroline Brailsford, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC476286 7 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

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Inspector

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Inspector

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