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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC026910 1 SC026910 Registered provider: Cambian Autism Services Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home provides care for up to 68 children with autism spectrum disorders and/or learning disabilities. The service operates as a residential special school that also provides accommodation for 52 weeks of the year, therefore it is registered as a children’s home. The home provides care across 11 houses. The home is owned by a private national organisation.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspector only inspected the social care provision at this school. At the time of the inspection, there were 13 children living in the home, with five of the houses operational.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 1 March 2016.

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This monitoring visit

Following a full inspection on 21 and 22 June 2022, Ofsted judged the home to be inadequate. That inspection found serious and widespread failures, primarily as a result of staffing shortages that resulted in a negative impact on the experiences and progress of children. As a result of the concerns, Ofsted issued a notice to restrict admission into the home. This visit monitored the progress of leaders and managers to address the concerns relating to the restriction.

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This monitoring visit

Staffing shortages continue and remain an ongoing challenge for leaders and managers. At the previous inspection, senior leaders told inspectors that, to address the concerns, additional staff would be provided to support the home. This additional support has not been provided. As a result, staffing gaps continue to be filled using temporary staff and overtime. Leaders and managers continue to mitigate the gaps by working directly with children themselves. This continues to Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC026910 2 impact on the time managers have available to make the changes needed to improve experiences in the home.

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This monitoring visit

Management oversight of the staffing situation is now clearer. Managers continue to know what the shortfalls are. Despite this, there continues to be a shortage of staff in the homes. Four out of the five houses have experienced some level of staffing shortage during the monitoring period, with gaps ranging from less than an hour to a full shift. Risk assessments are now in place. These assessments show the negative impact of staffing shortages, for example, the care and support that cannot be provided when staffing levels are low.

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This monitoring visit

Some children continue to experience frequent changes of staff supporting them. This impacts on the quality of relationships they can build and the continuity of care they receive.

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This monitoring visit

Care staff continue to support children when they attend the on-site school, in order to cover gaps in the school staffing sufficiency. Despite this, progress is being made towards staff completing their basic mandatory training. Due to the need to focus on achieving basic level mandatory training, progress has not been made to address the knowledge gap relating to children’s specialised needs. Staff training to lead on site activities such as swimming and trampolining is progressing.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have created systems to track and monitor the quality and purpose of children’s activities and debrief discussions. These monitoring systems are not yet embedded, meaning that the impact of the work of leaders and managers cannot yet be assessed.

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This monitoring visit

Investigations into safeguarding concerns are progressing. Investigations completed by managers in the home avoid delays for children and staff.

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This monitoring visit

As a result of the continued staffing challenges, the restriction notice will remain in place, along with the previously issued requirements. Ofsted will continue to monitor this home and undertake additional inspections. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC026910 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/06/2022 Full Inadequate 01/03/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 04/12/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness 28/05/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC026910 4

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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 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; participate in activities that the child enjoys and which meet and expand the child’s interests and preferences; and make a positive contribution to the home and the wider community; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to a range of activities that enable the child to pursue the child’s interests and hobbies. (Regulation 9 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staffing shortages do not impact on children’s opportunities to enjoy meaningful and enjoyable activities in the community. In addition, ensure staff are provided with training so children can take part in the in- house activities on site.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 18 July 2022

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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—

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Requirement Due date

that staff— 18 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC026910 5 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

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that changes to staffing arrangements include a full consideration of the impact on children and include an assessment of risk, and that behaviour plans identify how to keep children safe dependent on staffing levels.

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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—

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Requirement Due date

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—

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Requirement Due date

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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and 18 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC026910 6 improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(d)(f)(g)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that investigations are concluded in a timely manner and that all staff are up to date with basic and mandatory training. The registered person must ensure that the home is adequately staffed with staff who have appropriate experience. The registered person must also ensure that there is sufficient oversight and monitoring within the home to be able to make meaningful improvements to children’s experiences and quality of care.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the employment of any person on a temporary basis at the children’s home does not prevent children from receiving such continuity of care as is reasonable to meet their needs. (Regulation 31 (1))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 18 July 2022

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used; 18 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC026910 7 the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that all staff and children are spoken to following incidents. This is to obtain the views, thoughts and feeling of children and so that staff are provided with an opportunity to reflect on their practice.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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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. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC026910 8

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Autism Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Clare Nixson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC026910 9 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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