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

Inspection report children's home: SC456857 1 SC456857 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The provider states in their statement of purpose that they provide care for one child with EBD (social and emotional difficulties). This home is run by a private organisation.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

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

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC456857 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/01/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 04/09/2019 Full Good 25/02/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness 29/05/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: SC456857 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has lived at the home for two years. She is happy living there and told the inspector that she would give the care she receives, ‘100 out of 10!’. Staff have supported her and remained committed to her. As a result, she has made progress in a number of areas.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education is an integral part of the day. Staff spent time building on the child’s confidence in travelling to school using public transport. She is now able to travel to and from school independently on the bus. This has given her a sense of achievement and built on necessary skills for the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Time with family is supported and well planned by staff. The child’s wishes and feelings have been taken into consideration, and as a result, she has been able to stay overnight with her family. Delays may have been avoided with the use of an independent advocate.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have supported the child with attending health appointments. Detailed health plans ensure that all aspects of her health have been considered. She is encouraged to improve her physical and emotional health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment is in need of modernisation. Although some maintenance has recently taken place, time delays are often apparent. As a result, the home feels tired and less homely than it could be.

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

Staff know and understand the child’s needs. Clear risk management plans in place mean that staff are able to de-escalate effectively, without the need for police involvement or physical intervention. As a result, property damage has hugely reduced and the child has become much more able to self-regulate.

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

Although risk management plans are detailed and include clear strategies for staff, they do not include the need to seek advice from external professionals. This is necessary to ensure that all staff are aware of who needs to be informed when allegations are made and when the child self-harms.

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

Staff acknowledge and encourage positive choices with rewards and incentive plans. However, negative consequences used require further review from the manager to ensure that they help to change behaviour. Long-term financial consequences used mean that the child cannot remember why she is paying reparation.

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

Communication is encouraged and staff take a real interest in the events of the child’s life. As a result, she is comfortable to share information with staff and is Inspection report children’s home: SC456857 4 praised for doing so. When necessary, staff have followed safeguarding protocols to ensure that she is safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The acting manager is in the process of submitting her application to register with Ofsted. Staff said she is approachable and supportive. She is clear in her vision for the future and has high aspirations; however, this has not been reflected in the development plan. A clear plan is needed to ensure that the progress is focused and reviewed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There have been staff shortages in recent months. This has not had an impact on the child. Staff working overtime and consistent bank staff have maintained the consistency for her. Managers are currently recruiting and have expressed the importance of recruiting staff with the necessary skills and qualities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Although the manager and staff feel supported, supervisions and appraisals do not take place in line with policy timescales. This reduces time for reflection and development, which is particularly important for staff who are working additional hours.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are experienced and trained to meet the needs of the child. Although some face-to-face training was not possible throughout COVID-19, staff have been booked onto courses at the earliest opportunity. Staff spoken to were confident in knowing the child’s plans and the strategies that they use to support her.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Organised paperwork systems mean that managers are able to monitor effectively. However, complaints have not always been recorded using the system, making it difficult to see the outcome. This has not been an issue since the acting manager has been in post. Inspection report children’s home: SC456857 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, 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children and use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to ensuring that the home environment is maintained and modernised. 31 July 2021

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Requirement Due date

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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to reviewing the development plan annually. This also relates to ensuring that supervisions for staff and managers take place in line with policy. 31 July 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC456857 6 This also relates to ensuring that complaints are all kept in one place to ensure clear oversight.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all children have access to appropriate advocacy support, and where possible this should be provided by a person that the child chooses. Looked-after children are entitled to an independent advocate to advise them and ensure they have the support needed to express their views, wishes and feelings about their care and lives. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 23, paragraph 4.16)  The registered person should ensure that all staff have their performance and fitness to carry out their role formally appraised at least once annually. This appraisal should take into account, where reasonable and practical, the views of other professionals who have worked with the staff member over the year and children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should include guidance for staff to seek to involve relevant persons whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. This includes professional medical opinion when children have self-harmed and the involvement of the designated officer when children make allegations. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.4)  The registered person should ensure that any sanctions used to address poor behaviour should be restorative in nature, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 47, paragraph 9.38)

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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: SC456857 7

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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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Inspector

Sylvia Eboigbe, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC456857 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

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Inspector

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Inspector

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