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

Inspection report children's home: SC457553 1 SC457553 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is part of a large national provision and is located in a rural setting. The home provides care for up to two children. Its statement of purpose states that it provides care for children with emotional and social difficulties and/or learning disabilities. At the time of inspection, one child was living at the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 16 December 2021. They also manage a nearby home operated by the same provider.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 12 January 2022

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: SC457553 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/01/2022 Full Good 12/02/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 19/06/2019 Full Good 18/10/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children's home: SC457553 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is inviting and warm. Downstairs areas provide homely spaces for the child. The child’s bedroom is spacious and personalised in line with their interests. At the beginning of the inspection, all bedroom doors had locks fitted. These locks were used despite there being no current justification for them. Following staff consulting with the child living at the home, the locks were removed from rooms intended for use by children during the inspection.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When the child was not in full time education, carers supported them to have active days and complete educational activities. Activities are documented through pictures. Since transitioning to full-time education, carers work to ensure that this is a positive experience for the child.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s health needs are generally met. While staff acted to protect the child who was using a nicotine vape, this action could have been swifter. When concerns in relation to the child’s physical or mental health arise, consultations with relevant professionals are sought. The registered manager’s actions have been pivotal in securing a cognitive assessment for the child. A thorough clinical plan for the child provides carers with strategies to respond effectively to their behaviours. The child has been supported to attend appointments and to take medication safely.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is loved and well cared for. When staff challenge the child, they do this sensitively. Carers have worked to build a relationship with the child, to meet their needs and make them feel safe. Carers support the child to have positive experiences, nurture their interests and support them to spend time safely with their family.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves into and on from the home are comprehensively planned and managed. Two children have moved on since the last inspection, one to live with family and one to live with previous foster carers. Staff work with all involved to devise individual child-focused plans. Staff maintain contact with the children, which allows the children to know that they have ongoing support if required.

p.3

improvement to be good

Generally, risk assessments are thorough and provide staff with information and strategies. However, a risk assessment in relation to self-harm could be more robust and provide staff with more direction. Plans to reduce risk are not always implemented swiftly enough.

p.3

improvement to be good

An allegation of physical harm made by a child was has previously lived in the home in relation to a carer was reported to the local authority. A social worker spoke to the child following the incident. However, the local authority designated officer Inspection report children's home: SC457553 4 (LADO) was not informed. Carers spoke to the child, but no internal investigation took place. A referral to the LADO was completed after this had been highlighted during the inspection.

p.3

improvement to be good

Over time, incidents have reduced. The registered manager is proactive in monitoring incidents and requesting multi-agency meetings in relation to risk. Staff have some good conversations the child living in the home in relation to risky behaviours and incidents. This allows them to share and gather information, contributing to the child’s plans and risk assessments.

p.4

improvement to be good

The child currently living at the home says that she feels safe and that she would not change anything about the home. She has identified a carer who she can talk to if she has any worries.

p.4

improvement to be good

The child is being supported to develop their own plan to detail how they want carers to support their behaviour. This plan, while incomplete, is written by the child and is being completed at the child’s pace. However, several other children’s case records are written in the first-person narrative from the child’s perspective. Children did not create these documents or agree with what has been written.

p.4

improvement to be good

Positive relationships between children who have previously lived together in the home are prioritised. Where difficulties were identified, measures wereimplemented to protect children and to address the concerns.

p.4

improvement to be good

Medication is stored appropriately and safely. Records in relation to the administration of medicine are completed and show a clear audit trail.

p.4

improvement to be good

When the child goes missing, staff take action to find them and return them home safely. Staff communicate with other professionals and family members, which prevents delay in the child being found. Recordings are detailed and return home interviews are requested. Staff complete debriefs with the child, which supports their learning in relation to managing future incidents.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The members of the leadership team are passionate about children who currently or have previously lived in the home. They have good oversight of the home and good knowledge of the children who live there. They invest time with children to build positive relationships.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Carers feel supported by their manager and deputy manager. Staff feedback is positive in relation to the management team. Carers report that they like working at the home. When the staff are relatively new, they feel able to access advice and support when required.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is proactive in working with professionals. Two social workers and a virtual head were overwhelmingly positive in relation to the registered manager’s practice and drive to support children to achieve. Inspection report children's home: SC457553 5 The registered manager supports carers’ development and learning by identifying learning needs and securing relevant training. When required, bespoke and specialist training has been commissioned in order to support carers to keep children safe and manage risk.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Carers receive regular reflective supervision sessions. These sessions have a good emphasis on the needs of children and how carers can adapt their practice to meet them. The registered manager is currently devising development plans for all carers, which will be reviewed during supervision sessions.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings take place regularly. These focus on children’s and the team’s needs, identifying learning needs.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Recruitment of new staff is managed safely. All required checks are carried out before staff are employed. The home employs an adequate number of staff to meet the needs of the child currently living at the home. Agency staff are not used.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Visits by the independent person require improvement. The visitor does not always visit the home when children are present. They do not regularly gather feedback to inform their view of the quality of care. Reports are limited in content and are therefore limited in supporting the home to identify areas of good or weak practice. Senior leaders had identified this as an area for development and are taking action. Inspection report children's home: SC457553 6

p.5

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

p.6

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare;

p.6

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)(v)(vi)(b))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that all risk assessments are robust and detail all actions carers are expected to take when managing risk.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In addition, ensure that all allegations made by children are reported to all appropriate agencies swiftly and that the 24 April 2023 Inspection report children's home: SC457553 7 necessary investigations are completed.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In addition, where a risk has been identified, ensure that robust plans are in place to protect the child from harm.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

p.7

Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

p.7

Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires. (Regulation 44 (2)(a)(b)) 24 April 2023

p.7

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. In particular, carefully consider the appropriateness of recording the child’s information using first-person narrative. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

p.7

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: SC457553 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Metropolitan House, 3 Drakes Lane, Potters Bar EN6 1AG

p.8

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Victoria Elworthy

p.8

Inspector

Carla Simkiss, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: SC457553 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

p.8

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9