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

Inspection report for children’s home: 1159258 1 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 children’s home is operated by a large private company. It provides care for up to four children who may have social and/or behavioural difficulties. Three children were being cared for at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is currently absent from work and the deputy manager is in day-to-day charge of the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

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

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1159258 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/05/2021 Full Good 31/07/2019 Full Good 05/03/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 10/07/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1159258 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, a number of children have moved on in a planned way to semi-independence, in line with their care plans. One child has left the home after a short stay as it was recognised that her needs would be better met in a smaller home environment. This child placed with one of the provider’s other homes, which gave them some continuity of relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Three children are living in the home. Two of these children are unaccompanied asylum seekers. All children are making progress, although it is still early days for one child who only recently came to live at the home. Staff are developing their knowledge and understanding of the needs of children coming from different countries and cultures, under traumatic circumstances, so they can meet their needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A teacher for one of the children seeking asylum said, ‘He feels strongly connected to staff in the home and refers to them as his family. This connection is clearly reciprocated as staff speak about him warmly and with high regard.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The decision not to bring a fourth child to live at the home until the relatively new staff team is more established is positive for the children already living in the home. Although there has been a high staff turnover since the last inspection, a core group of staff has remained to provide some consistency.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children are not accessing any education or training. One child is waiting for a school place to be agreed and another child has not received any education or training since leaving school last year. These children’s days lack structure. Although some staff make efforts to engage children with learning in the home, there are no clear expectations of what children should be doing with their time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are not always being provided with healthy meals and on occasions there is an over-reliance on processed food. Children are allowed to eat their meals in their bedrooms. As a result, children are not being provided with the skills and knowledge that they need to make healthy lifestyle choices and to develop the social skills to enjoy communal eating, as they would in a family home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s cultural and religious needs are supported by staff. Two children regularly attend their respective places of worship and have been provided with religious texts in their first languages. This helps children to maintain their sense of culture and identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to pursue their hobbies and interests. One child is a member of a cricket club and has aspirations to be a professional cricketer. He has been supported to gain a place on a cricket course at college from September. This Inspection report for children’s home: 1159258 4 not only supports his career goals it also gives him opportunities to build a positive network of friends with similar interests.

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

Staff have the skills, knowledge and understanding to help children and keep them safe. Their practice is supported by comprehensive written information about children from their placing local authorities, as well as internal placement plans and risk assessments.

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

Physical intervention is rarely used in the home. This helps children manage their emotional distress in a more constructive way and helps build trusting relationships between children and staff.

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

Although the numbers of physical interventions with children are low, the written record of one of these incidents contains no evaluation or discussion with the child by the registered manager. It is unclear if the child’s views have been obtained and if leaders and managers have had effective oversight of intervention practices.

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

When children go missing from home, staff use children’s missing-from-home plans to inform their response. Staff work hard to find children and bring them back home safely. Staff recording of these incidents is, for the most part, good. However, management oversight is not always evident and, in some instances, children have not been offered an independent person to speak to. The registered manager is not always ensuring all mandatory parts of the provider’s forms are completed by staff or by leaders and managers. This reduces the accountability and transparency of practice.

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

The registered manager ensures that information about all serious incidents involving children is shared in a timely manner with their placing authority and other relevant professionals. When allegations are made against staff, leaders and managers ensure that appropriate action is taken to safeguard children and support staff while matters are investigated.

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

The registered manager’s active involvement in multi-agency information-sharing and decision-making helps to reduce risks to children. Information is shared with Ofsted in line with regulation. This helps the regulator make judgements about the effectiveness of the provider’s response to incidents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by an experienced registered manager. The registered manager has recently begun a period of planned absence. During this time, the home’s deputy manager is taking on her responsibilities. The deputy manager is in the process of registering with Ofsted, with a view to being dual registered alongside the permanent manager. Inspection report for children’s home: 1159258 5 These interim management arrangements provide children and staff with continuity. The interim manager is receiving additional support and oversight from the responsible individual. This strengthens the leadership and management of the home during this period.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say that they enjoy working at the home and feel supported and valued by leaders and managers. Staff have regular supervision and team meetings which support them to undertake their roles effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

For the most part, staff are provided with the training they need. However, staff have not had any specialist training to support them to understand the needs of children in their care who are unaccompanied asylum seekers. As a result, leaders and managers have not ensured staff have the understanding and skills to provide effective trauma-informed care which meets children’s emotional and cultural needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers use learning from their regular independent visitor reports to inform and develop practice. Recommendations made by the independent visitor are shared with staff in team meetings. This encourages a culture of learning which positively impacts on children’s experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The interim manager is a strong advocate for the children in his care. He challenges placing authorities when he considers their plans are not in the best interests of children or when children are not getting the services they need. This child-centred approach to leadership helps children to achieve positive outcomes. Inspection report for children’s home: 1159258 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

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

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use 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)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 30 April 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff understand the importance of clear and careful recording. Specifically, that missing-from-home records are completed fully and evaluated by leaders and managers. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that each child is eating a healthy, balanced diet at appropriate intervals through the day. Children should be encouraged to eat communally, not in their bedrooms. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 33, paragraph 7.3)  The registered person should ensure that all staff receive the training they need to understand and care for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11) Inspection report for children’s home: 1159258 7

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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: 1159258 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Dawn Parton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1159258 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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