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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC457272 1 SC457272 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

This privately owned home provides care for up to three children aged between 11 and 18. The home’s aim is to provide care and support to children who may have experienced abuse, neglect and exclusion in the past.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager’s post has been vacant since August 2021. The current manager is in the process of registering with Ofsted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC457272 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/05/2021 Full Good 11/01/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 25/04/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 13/12/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC457272 3

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improvement to be good

There was one child living at the home at the time of inspection. One child had moved on from the home since the last inspection.

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improvement to be good

Although the child is enrolled at an education setting, they do not attend. The child’s education healthcare plan highlights that the education setting cannot meet his needs. Since September 2021, the child has sporadically engaged with home tutoring. The tutor is creative in his approach. The child is making some progress and due to sit functional skills exams. The interim manager raised with the virtual school concerns that the child was not accessing a specialist provision to meet his needs. However, there has been insufficient formal challenge by the home on the child’s behalf. There has been an education place identified. However, there is no certainty that the provision will enrol the child and there has been no application made. The child is not reaching his full educational potential.

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improvement to be good

The child has complex trauma and struggles with sleep hygiene. The child also smokes. The staff have given minimal key-work sessions to address the concerns. The key work does not always look at strategies to manage sleep hygiene or reduce smoking. The child has not been referred to a general practitioner for sleep hygiene or smoking cessation. The child has been supported to attend other routine medical appointments. However, having disrupted sleep has meant that, at times, the child has not been able to engage with education.

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improvement to be good

The child has had a few trips to the seaside and a holiday. He has appropriate independence time. However, he does not have hobbies, attend clubs or enjoy activities regularly. The staff do not always offer meaningful activities and are not always creative in encouraging the child’s participation. Not having hobbies and interests could lead to isolation and a lack of enrichment and enjoyment.

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improvement to be good

The home is clean but does not feel homely. There are communal areas that need repainting, there is residue of stains on the walls and some doors, and door frames need repainting. The garden is not well maintained; the grass is overgrown, there are weeds and a broken goal post. There are no pictures or photographs displayed around the home. The child does not benefit from a well-kept environment.

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improvement to be good

Due to the child’s complex needs, at times he struggles to develop relationships, including with staff. The manager has made good efforts to support and attempt to resolve any issues. The child is now starting to develop trusting relationships with staff. During the inspection, staff were observed to be patient and kind.

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improvement to be good

There have been some previous issues with facilitating the child’s family time due to technology issues. The manager quickly resolved this, and the child is being helped to manage time with his family in challenging and sensitive circumstances. Inspection report for children’s home: SC457272 4 One child has moved on from the home in difficult circumstances. This move was necessary to keep children safe. The child has been supported to experience a positive ending.

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

Staff have the appropriate safeguarding training and understand safeguarding procedures. The staff are confident and well equipped to manage safeguarding incidents.

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

There have been a few incidents during which the police have supported staff. The child’s behaviour support plan is detailed and thorough. The plan includes strategies and guidance on how to manage behaviours effectively. The plans are overseen by the in-house mental health practitioner. Staff understand how to support the child and what he needs to manage his feelings. Staff are managing his behaviours effectively. Staff have not needed to request police support for several months.

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

The staff occasionally use low-level physical interventions, which are appropriate and proportionate. The manager ensures that the child is spoken to following interventions. This close monitoring means that the manager has good oversight and that physical interventions are used minimally.

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

There have been two incidents of the child going missing from home. The child is offered independent interviews following incidents. Staff welcome him back when he returns. There has been a notable decrease in these incidents.

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

Allegations are managed promptly and effectively. The manager and staff follow safeguarding policies and procedures. Effective action helps to keep the child safe.

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good

The registered manager left in August 2021. The home has been consistently overseen by the organisation’s regional assistant manager. A manager was appointed in October 2021. They left in January 2022 before registering with Ofsted. A new manager was appointed in February 2022. The manager is in the process of registering with Ofsted. Although children have benefited from continuity of care, there has been a decline in the overall effectiveness of the leadership and management of the home.

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good

It has been identified in a review for the child that he needs therapy input. During the child’s review, an action was identified to ensure that he has a therapy plan from the local authority. These actions have not been completed by the agreed date, and the manager has not challenged or advocated on behalf of the child. The child does not have an independent advocate. Inspection report for children’s home: SC457272 5 The manager’s record-keeping is not always well organised. Not all the child’s records are up to date. Two of the child’s personal education plans were not held in his records and his care plan from the local authority is out of date.

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good

Staff training is generally good. The staff have training with the in-house mental health practitioner. Most of the staff have a relevant level 3 diploma and all the staff are within agreed timescales to achieve the qualification. The staff have individualised training to understand the child’s needs.

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good

There have been three occasions when the manager has delayed notifying Ofsted about safeguarding incidents. Two of these occasions have been over a weekend. Delaying notifications reduces Ofsted’s ability to monitor the home effectively.

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good

The staff have regular supervision and feel well supported by the manager. The staff say that the manager is approachable and has started to make improvements at the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC457272 6

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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

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 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

In particular, ensure that any actions agreed in the child’s reviews are actioned and that the challenge is made to the relevant person if identified actions have not been carried out. 11 June 2022

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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;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. 11 June 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC457272 7 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the environment is homely and well maintained, including the garden.

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(viii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the child has an appropriate education provision and that he is helped to return to full- time education. 22 July 2022

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Requirement Due date

The enjoyment and achievement standard is that children take part in and benefit from a variety of activities that meet their needs and develop and reflect their creative, cultural, intellectual, physical and social interests and skills.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

develop the child’s interests and hobbies;

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Requirement Due date

participate in activities that the child enjoys and which meet and expand the child’s interests and preferences. (Regulation 9 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff find creative ways to develop and expand the child’s interest and hobbies and that staff offer meaningful activities. 22 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC457272 8 The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the child receives specialist support for smoking cessation and sleep hygiene. In addition, ensure that staff have regular informative discussions with the child about these health concerns. 11 June 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the child’s relevant education plans, formal review minuets and an up-to-date local authority care plan are kept in the child’s records. 22 July 2022

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Recommendation

 The registered person should have a system in place so that all serious events are notified, within 24 hours, to the appropriate people. The system should cover the action that should be followed if the event arises at the weekend or on a public holiday. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.13) Inspection report for children’s home: SC457272 9

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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 for children’s home: SC457272 10

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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

Amy Miles, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC457272 11 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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