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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC456539 1 SC456539 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 home is operated by a large organisation and is registered to provide care for one child who experiences social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is not yet registered 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 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: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC456539 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/03/2022 Full Good 14/05/2019 Full Good 03/07/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/05/2018 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: SC456539 3

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, one child has left the home. The ending of the placement was unplanned. There had been a significant change to the staff team at the home, which affected the child’s ability to form secure and positive relationships with staff. As a result, together with the child’s reluctance to engage with new staff and services, there was an escalation in the number of significant incidents. This had a negative effect on the overall progress and welfare of the child.

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improvement to be good

The planning for the child’s transition who has recently moved into the home has been appropriate and detailed. This ensures that staff understand the child’s identified and emerging needs.

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improvement to be good

The child’s healthcare needs are supported and there is clear engagement with additional healthcare services to support the physical, emotional and mental health of children. This includes linking with child and adolescent mental health services and the organisation’s in-house psychologist. However, staff do not demonstrate a clear understanding of attachment issues for children and how to manage sexualised behaviour. This limits the ability of staff to manage behaviour effectively.

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improvement to be good

The manager and staff recognise the importance of education for all children. However, engagement in education is not consistent and minimises the ability of the child to reach their full potential. When children do not attend school, staff make sure that education is given high priority throughout the day and engage children in educational tasks.

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improvement to be good

The home suffered significant damage at the start of the year. All damaged areas have now been repaired and redecorated. Further plans to redecorate the lounge are being discussed with the current child in the home to make sure that they are fully involved in sharing their ideas. The child’s bedroom is decorated in accordance with their taste and requirements. Additional furnishings are being purchased which they have chosen.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand the importance of children spending time with family and friends and promote this well, taking account of any restrictions which may be in place. As a result, the child, despite living a significant distance away from their family, has been able to maintain positive relationships with them.

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improvement to be good

The behaviour management strategies used by staff do not consistently support positive behaviours and are, at times, ineffective. For example. strategies used in relation to the child previously living in the home did not help the child to manage Inspection report for children’s home: SC456539 4 volatile and aggressive behaviours. Staff were unable to challenge escalated behaviours consistently, which resulted in increased violence towards staff. Staff have reflected on this, and additional training and guidance have been requested but not yet provided.

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improvement to be good

The child currently living at the home says she has been welcomed into the home, feels safe and is building good relationships with staff. Although the child has recently moved into the home, the manager has ensured that the child has risk assessments in place which are kept under review to record any changes or emerging risks.

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improvement to be good

Staff work hard to make sure that children do not go missing from home and speak with them about keeping safe. When a child was missing, staff followed agreed protocols and ensured that the child had an independent return home interview to provide them with additional support. Missing-from-care risk assessments are in place. However, when this risk had previously reduced, the management of that particular risk ended. Following an increase in the risk of children going missing from care, the risk assessment was not reviewed or reinstated.

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improvement to be good

The manager is aware of her role and responsibility in keeping children safe. As a result of increased behaviours displayed by a child, the manager, in consultation with senior managers, ended a placement for a child as they recognised the safety of the child and staff was compromised. However, increased communication with the placing authority at an earlier stage could have enabled the ending of the placement to be planned.

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good

There have been several staff changes which, at times, have left the home short staffed. Vacancies were covered by the core staff team and experienced bank staff. A new manager, who has experience of working in the home, has been appointed. However, the manager has not yet registered with Ofsted. She has aspirations for all children and wishes for them to achieve the best possible outcomes.

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good

The changes in the staff team had a negative effect on the child who was previously living at the home. Staff tried to manage change to the best of their ability but acknowledge that this did not provide the child with the reassurance they required. These changes contributed to the placement ending in an unplanned manner. There is now a permanent staff team, and the current child who lives at the home has not experienced any changes and is developing good relationships with the staff team.

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good

Newly recruited staff have received a programme of induction, and all staff have completed their mandatory training. However, the manager does not always ensure that staff receive training that is specific to meet children’s needs, particularly in respect of sexualised behaviour and attachment difficulties. This does not provide staff with the knowledge and skills to meet children’s needs. The manager ensures that all staff receive regular supervision and attend monthly team meetings. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456539 5 The manager carries out regular monitoring of the home and has introduced additional systems to improve oversight. She makes adequate use of the external monitoring systems. The independent visitor, who visits monthly, provides an account of children’s progress and identifies areas for continued development.

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good

There has been delay in the manager notifying Ofsted of serious significant events in a timely manner. This hinders the regulator from having the necessary oversight of safeguarding incidents in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456539 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

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

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

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

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that risk management plans address all known risks and include strategies for staff to follow. The registered person must ensure that staff understand children’s risk management plans, including their roles and responsibilities in protecting children. 1 May 2023

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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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 1 May 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC456539 7 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’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(e))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that reports are sent to Ofsted without delay. 1 May 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that expectations of behaviour are high for all staff and children in the home. Standards for behaviour should be clear and unambiguous. Children should be supported to develop understanding and empathy towards each other. Positive behaviour and relationships should be reinforced, praised and encouraged. Poor behaviour should be challenged and discussed. The development of safe, stable and secure relationships with staff in the home should be central to the ethos of the home and support secure attachments that, where appropriate, persist over time. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.11)  The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs. The registered person should understand the key role that they play in the training and development of staff in

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Recommendations

the home. Training should be specific to meet the children’s needs. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)

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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: SC456539 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 5th Floor, Metropolitan House, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar EN6 1AG

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Inspector

Sarah Oldham, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC456539 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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