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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC066393 1 SC066393 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned. It provides care for up to three children who have social and emotional difficulties. The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 2017.

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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 outstanding

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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

Date of last inspection: 15 September 2021

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC066393 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/09/2021 Full Outstanding 10/02/2020 Full Outstanding 05/12/2018 Full Good 07/03/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC066393 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, two children have moved into the home and one child has left the home. At the time of the inspection, three children lived at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy trusting relationships with staff. Staff have taken the time to understand children’s past experiences and any current concerns. The team carefully considers how the children best receive care from others. Detailed information is included in each child’s plans and acted on by staff, who work therapeutically with children. One child who had previously struggled with speaking about their emotions, has felt safe enough to share historical concerns with the staff team. This is due to the relationships which has been built between staff and children. As a result, children feel valued and understood by the team around them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff respond to challenges that children face with their education. Children develop aspirations and work towards their goals. For example, one child is studying at college and aspires to be a social worker. Some children are making good progress with their learning. For example, a child is engaging with a tutor after a period of non-attendance at school. For one child not in education, employment or training, the manager and the organisation’s education coordinator regularly communicate with education providers to look at possible solutions to this concern. Good partnership working is helping to support the child during this time and to meet the child’s needs while a school place is being identified. In the meantime, the child is volunteering at a local community centre and is learning valuable skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child who moved on from the home has given positive feedback about the care they received. It is clear that the children have positive memories of the home and the support they received from staff. Children who leave the home often want to come back to visit frequently. This shows that children feel a sense of safety and that they remain connected to staff at the home. The child moved on from the home sooner than anticipated. This unplanned move was managed sensitively, and the child was well supported by staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s individualities are celebrated. Staff encourage children to understand their uniqueness. Most recently, staff carried out sessions for International Women’s Day. This was done to ensure that children understand the influence that key women have had on today’s society. Additionally, this was to encourage children to feel that they can achieve greatness. Following a diagnosis of autism, a child created her own PowerPoint to inform the staff team.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Family time has improved from children’s starting points. Over time, staff have supported the children to increase the time that they spend with their families. Staff advocate for children to increase the amount of family time they have when this is appropriate. As a result, children maintain good links with those who matter most to them. Inspection report for children’s home: SC066393 4 The home provides a safe space where children feel comfortable and content. The atmosphere is relaxing, and the home has its own dog, which the children love. There is a height chart in the home where each child records their height to chart their growth and development. Children have been supported to personalise their bedrooms, and one child has a Pride flag with the staff team’s handprints on their wall. Children are provided with a sense of belonging and contentment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a range of activities, for example, children learn to swim and join music and sports clubs. One child also volunteers in the local community with older people. These opportunities enable children to develop valuable life and social skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Locks on communal doors, such as in the kitchen and lounge, detract from the otherwise homely feel of the environment.

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outstanding

Leaders and staff respond promptly and sensitively to complaints made by children. Children are kept at the heart of complaints, and they are updated regularly and informed of the outcome of investigations. This enables children to feel more trusting in the adults around them and that any concerns they have will be listened to and taken seriously.

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outstanding

When children are at crisis point, the team ensures that the child is protected at all costs. This practice has been exceptional and has certainly contributed to keeping children safe. Appropriate de-escalation techniques are used, and children feel safe with staff support. Physical interventions have been dealt with remarkably well by staff who use PACE well to support children.

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outstanding

The team has done some excellent work in supporting children who present self-harming behaviours. This is tailored to children’s individual needs. Children have been more open with staff about their feelings, enabling staff to help them, and risks and incidents have reduced.

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outstanding

When there have been allegations, the manager responds appropriately to these. Prompt action is taken to ensure that children are kept safe. Children feel protected by the team around them due to the high levels of care and support they received during the process.

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outstanding

Children understand how to stay safe online. Staff have sufficient online safety training, and this knowledge is shared with the children. Children have created posters to show their understanding. Parental controls are reviewed regularly to make sure they are effective and appropriate. This good practice helps to ensure that children can use the internet safely.

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outstanding

When children go missing from home, staff respond very well. Staff have a good knowledge of children’s individual missing-from-care protocols. When children return Inspection report for children’s home: SC066393 5 home, appropriate follow-up action is taken. Children are warmly welcomed back to the home. They are given opportunities to reflect on the missing-from-care incident. This gives staff an understanding about how they can better support the children, and as a result, children’s missing-from-home episodes have decreased.

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outstanding

Consequences have not always been managed in line with the home’s statement of purpose. On one occasion, it was agreed for a consequence to be put in place five days after the incident. The consequence was not related to the incident, and it was punitive. The manager had been off during this time, and when she returned, the consequence was not continued. Following this occurrence, a review of how consequences are used was undertaken, which has led to improvements in practice. This shows that managers and staff learn and develop practice to benefit children’s experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is passionate and aspirational for children and wants them to achieve the best outcomes. Staff feel well supported by the manager, and she is held in high regard by them. One staff member said, ‘She is completely child centred. I’ve done this for a long time, but she puts the fun in the job.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Recruitment systems in the home are effective. The manager keeps clear records. The manager takes pride in ensuring that the staff she takes on will benefit the children and enhance their level of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive bespoke training to develop their skills and knowledge. Training has included topics such as children’s mental health, foetal alcohol spectrum disorder, stress management, understanding attachment and adverse childhood experiences. This enables staff to meet children’s individual needs well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive good-quality supervision from leaders. Supervision sessions are used as opportunities for staff to reflect on practice with children, discuss their own development and review any additional support that they may require. The manager uses a cycle of reflection as a way of supporting staff. This has been helpful in allowing staff to review the effectiveness of their practice. One staff member said, ‘The manager supports me, and any time I need her, she is there.’ This support enables staff to feel more confident in their roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monitoring systems in the home are effective. The manager has strong oversight of the running of the home. This has helped them to address any shortfalls at the earliest opportunity. Inspection report for children’s home: SC066393 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing and supportive environment throughout. In particular, they should consider whether locks on internal doors to communal rooms continue to be necessary and are in keeping with the therapeutic approach to care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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: SC066393 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Chanel Bryant, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC066393 8 regulates and inspects 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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