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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC455991 1 SC455991 Registered provider: Cambian Signpost 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 national provider of children’s social care services. The home is set in the countryside and is close to farm buildings and an expanse of fields with farm animals.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care for up to four children at any one time. The children may have social and/or emotional difficulties or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since 30 January 2023 but has worked in the home for over three years.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC455991 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/05/2021 Full Outstanding 13/11/2019 Full Good 14/02/2019 Full Good 04/06/2018 Interim Not judged Inspection report for children’s home: SC455991 3

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outstanding

The home is welcoming and decorated to an exceptional standard. Indoor and outdoor space is plentiful for four children to live and carry out activities. Internally, rooms are set out to support children’s learning, activities and relaxation. The newly fitted kitchen provides an area where group cooking can take place. Children’s bedrooms are personalised and have sufficient storage. Plans to add an additional bathroom will only add to the functionality of the home.

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outstanding

Carers document children’s positive and memorable experiences. Photos of the children at special events or on trips out are displayed throughout the home. Carers make colourful and attractive photobooks for children. This work is embedded in practice and will provide the children with invaluable memories and support them to reflect on their time in the home.

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outstanding

Children’s cultural and identity needs are recognised and supported. Carers are inquisitive about children’s cultures and learn from those with knowledge. Carers put this learning into practice, which helps children to feel highly valued. Culture nights are a regular feature in the home’s diary, supporting children to learn about others. Carers support children to spend time with family and friends where safe and appropriate. Where appropriate, carers put substantial effort in to supporting children to spend positive time with family.

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outstanding

Children make excellent progress. When they do not attend full-time education, the support provided for children to learn at home is exceptional. Carers have comprehensive knowledge of local educational provisions and carefully consider, while involving the child, the right option for the child. One child was regularly going missing before moving to the home. Since moving in, the child has been missing once. The child reported, ‘If I want to do something, I do it. Don’t know why I’m staying and not missing, I just am, it’s good here and they listen.’ Professionals report that children make substantial progress while living in the home.

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outstanding

Children who live in the home are loved and well cared for. Carers are dedicated to the children and strive to build relationships, to meet their needs and to make them feel safe. Carers advocate for children and support them to have a voice. Children communicate with carers when they have a worry or concern. Carers’ responses to children are honest and warm, which supports children to feel valued, listened to and understood.

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outstanding

Moves for children are meticulously planned and managed. Planning for children who move into the home considers the needs of all children and the skill set and experience of carers. When children move on from the home, comprehensive plans are put in place with the aim of providing children with as seamless transition as possible. The home benefits from a new annex. This allows carers to provide Inspection report for children’s home: SC455991 4 ongoing support to children in the early stages of fully independent living. This will only benefit children at a period of their life when anxieties are likely to be high.

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outstanding

Decisions regarding children moving to the home are informed by robust assessment and consideration of risk. Carers work hard to welcome children to the home and allay any worries they may have. All children are considered as well as the skill set of staff.

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outstanding

Concerns in relation to staff practice are dealt with efficiently. When concerns are raised, rapid action is taken to safeguard children. Children are spoken to, which enables carers to understand their narrative. Children are provided with an excellent level of support and are kept informed of the investigation process. Thorough investigations are carried out to ensure that children receive the level of care they are entitled to.

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outstanding

Learning and research are used to improve practice and outcomes for children. The registered manager has used innovative research to develop training for the carers. This has contributed to building a loving and caring culture in the home. Carers report that this training has had a profoundly positive impact on their work, supporting them to develop strong and trusting relationships with children.

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outstanding

Children feel safe and loved. Three children said that they feel safe and identified carers who they can talk to. One child said, ‘Help from the home has been amazing, I call it my home, I don’t like calling them carers, they are just people for me.’ A child attributed their educational achievements and the cessation of their self-harm as a direct result of the care, love and support they receive from carers.

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outstanding

Risks are comprehensively assessed and clearly documented. Plans are robust and contain information necessary for carers to keep children safe. When children go missing from home, plans are followed and carers go above and beyond to find them. Carers work to identify triggers that lead to children going missing.

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outstanding

Work to reduce risk is identified and carried out. Carers identify and refer children to support services that specialise in working with children to reduce specific risks. On occasions, children have chosen not to or have felt unable to meet with external agencies. When this occurs, carers go over and above to engage children in knowledgeable, meaningful and clear conversations in relation to risk. The work completed by carers has resulted in children developing essential self-awareness and safety skills. Carers can adapt their style of communication to meet the needs of the child in that moment.

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outstanding

Family members are positive about the care provided to children. They report that children feel safe and talk about positive experiences and relationships within the home. One family member commented on how carers had supported a child to progress in all areas, something that they had never envisaged. Inspection report for children’s home: SC455991 5 Clinical support is seen as a valuable resource and is well utilised. Monthly meetings with the clinical team complement carers’ ongoing practice. Recent consultation with the clinical team has considered a child’s experiences, needs and behaviours, which resulted in a thorough plan on how to work with the child and reduce risk.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is run by a manager who has impressive knowledge of the children who live in the home and carers who work there. The manager worked in the home for several years before taking on the manager role. Their transition from a deputy to the manager was seamless; there is no visible impact on the children or carers. Relationships between the manager and carers are overwhelmingly positive. Carers and other professionals express nothing but praise for the manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

A strength of the home is building relationships with other agencies. All professionals consulted were explicitly positive about the relationships they have with the registered manager and the levels of communication and information- sharing. It is evident that the management team are dedicated to working with others to meet the needs of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The standard of supervision is excellent. Supervision is reflective and regular. Carers are encouraged to be reflective. There is a clear emphasis on children’s needs and how carers can adapt their practice to meet them. Training and development feature heavily within records, which highlights how learning and development are valued in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Team meetings take place regularly. Where areas for improvement are identified these are documented and addressed in a timely manner. Recordings clearly show relevant actions and achievements. Like supervision, there is a focus on children and training and development. This emphasises how the registered manager is committed to embedding exceptional child-focused practice in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has excellent oversight of all areas of the home. They consistently review children’s records and promote safe and effective practice. They have a clear focus on building a knowledgeable and stable home where children can feel safe and have their needs met. Staff are professional and motivated to provide an outstanding level of care to all children. The staff team are consistent, knowledgeable and put children first.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Documents that contain information about children are comprehensive and clear. Care planning evolves with the needs of children. Plans provide the reader with important information about all elements of a child’s life necessary to provide them with a meticulous level of care. Children’s plans include input from the child, where appropriate.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Recruitment of new staff is managed safely. Rigorous checks are completed prior to new carers being employed. Staffing levels meets the needs of the children currently Inspection report for children’s home: SC455991 6 living in the home. Agency staff are not used. In having a stable team of carers, children experience stability and consistency of care and are supported to develop trusting and loving relationships with their carers. Inspection report for children’s home: SC455991 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: SC455991 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Signpost Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Victoria Elworthy

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Inspector

Carla Simkiss, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC455991 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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