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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC026910 1 SC026910 Registered provider: Cambian Autism Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home provides care for up to 47 children with autism spectrum disorder and/or learning disabilities. The children’s home is on the same site as a special school run by the provider. The inspectors only inspected the social care provision on this site. The home currently provides care across five houses to nine children and four young people. The home is owned by a private national organisation.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2016.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: 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. Inspection report for children’s home: SC026910 2 The restriction of accommodation notice concluded on 20 September 2022 and has not been issued again. Inspection report for children’s home: 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: SC026910 4

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improvement to be good

Children’s experiences have improved since the last full inspection. However, it remains early days in the implementation of the home’s improvement plan and more time is needed to embed the changes. Children receive support from a core group of staff who know them well. Managers are currently inducting newly recruited staff into the home. Staff enjoy working with children and seeing them make progress. Staff understand children’s individual needs and celebrate their achievements. Children’s houses are well decorated and homely, meeting their needs.

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improvement to be good

Staff use creative communication methods to understand children’s views and ideas. This feeds into children’s activity plans. For example, children in one house asked to do more baking and this was provided. Opportunities for children to enjoy outings off site continue to develop. Staff report that ongoing staff shortages mean there are reduced opportunities for planned trips. Managers evaluate activities that children participate in. This helps them to understand and address any barriers there might be. Staff have helped one child to safely travel by bus again, increasing his opportunities. Managers intend to explore new hobbies and interests for children in the local community, although this is yet to happen.

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improvement to be good

Children’s targets and outcomes do not always consider actions to support children’s progress. Targets are not written in a way that children can understand. Managers are aware of the need to improve their oversight and monitoring of children’s progress. Children’s plans do not always contain information about their lives and experiences before moving to the home. As a result, not all staff can easily access information about the child’s background. This means they may lack understanding of the child’s identity.

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improvement to be good

Family members speak about improvements in communication. They say that their children are now accessing more activities in the community.

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improvement to be good

Staff raise concerns when they are worried about the practice of others. Managers investigate the concerns as they arise, resolving them swiftly. Appropriate discussion takes place with safeguarding authorities. As a result, leaders and managers identify learning quickly and take action.

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improvement to be good

When possible, children contribute to their behaviour support plans. The plans give clear guidance about how to respond to best help children. However, children do not receive a version that explains in a way they can understand how adults will support Inspection report for children’s home: SC026910 5 them. Staff use incentives effectively when appropriate. For one child, this helps them to better understand what it means to be kind.

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improvement to be good

Behaviour in the home is well managed. There are few incidents involving physical intervention. For some children, the frequency of incidents has decreased. When there are concerns for other children in relation to increased incidents, meetings are held to explore the support needed. Daily monitoring of incidents ensures managers have oversight and respond to changes. Records of incidents contain clear accounts of what happened. However, debriefs for both children and adults do not always take place. When debriefs are carried out, the quality of the discussion is variable. Management oversight does not evaluate effectively the written information in the record. As a result, managers miss opportunities for staff learning. Reflection and learning from debriefs that do take place do not lead to clear actions.

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improvement to be good

Clear systems ensure managers maintain oversight of medication administration across the home. Delays in reporting medication concerns are investigated by the manager.

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good

An experienced manager leads the home. Managers at all levels identify the areas for improvement. There continue to be a number of staff vacancies in the home. This results in staff, including home managers, covering gaps. Management tracking identifies gaps in staffing levels and leads to timely planning to ensure cover. Care staff continue to cover vacancies at the school, although they report this is reducing. New staff are recruited following safer recruitment processes.

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good

Staff enjoy their work and speak positively of the support they receive from colleagues and managers. However, not all staff receive regular supervision. The manager knows when supervision has not taken place and follows up with staff and the supervisor. Supervision records show staff receive support to explore their experiences and to share their views. Children are central to these discussions. Team meetings do not consistently take place. Although the manager has now identified protected time for these meetings, this has still to be put in place. Managers support staff to complete their mandatory training modules. Plans are in place to develop the training offer in relation to the home’s specialism.

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good

External professionals speak positively about the home. They see their children making progress, and say there have been improvements in the consistency of staffing. Inspection report for children’s home: SC026910 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 particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background. (Regulation 6 (2)(b)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children’s records contain sufficient information about their time before moving to the home so that staff understand their experiences and identity. 28 October 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; and

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Requirement Due date

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 challenges do not impact on children’s opportunities to take part in meaningful and 28 October 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC026910 7 enjoyable activities in the community. In addition, ensure staff are provided with training so children can make use of the activities on site.

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Requirement Due date

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

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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 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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(d)(f)(g)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, 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 in the home to be able to make meaningful improvements to children’s experiences and quality of care.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 28 October 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: SC026910 8 The registered person must ensure that—

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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

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)(b)(i)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that all staff and children are spoken to following incidents to gain their views, thoughts and feelings. Also, ensure 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. 28 October 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience.

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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: SC026910 9

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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 Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspectors

Clare Nixson, Social Care Inspector Kendra Bell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC026910 10 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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