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

Inspection report for children's home: SC456532 1 SC456532 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

The home is run by a private organisation and is registered to care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since 6 March 2013.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, there was one child living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and/or the care and experiences of children and young people are poor, and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: 11 January 2023

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC456532 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/01/2023 Full Good 15/02/2022 Full Good 18/02/2020 Full Good 04/07/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home: SC456532 3

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inadequate

The inspection was prompted by an increase in safeguarding notifications and a complaint raised regarding staff practice and the child’s welfare. During the full inspection, significant shortfalls were identified in safeguarding practice and the leadership and management of the home, which meant that the child’s safety, experiences and progress were compromised.

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inadequate

The moving-in process for the child was not well thought out and considered. The child’s social worker said that the home was cold on arrival and that the correct bedding was not in place.

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inadequate

Staff do not support the child to understand how to make a complaint. The child told the inspector that they had reported a leak in their bedroom to staff, but this had not been resolved. The leak had caused the carpet in the child’s bedroom to become saturated. This matter was only resolved when the inspector raised the concern during the inspection.

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inadequate

There is not a regular staff team in place. This means that the child is cared for by adults who are not known to them. These adults do not know or understand the child’s interests and what is important to them. Furthermore, staff have used the police to manage the child’s behaviour. Consequently, the chance for the child to build meaningful relationships with staff is reduced.

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inadequate

Staff do not demonstrate that they are ambitious for the child to reach their full academic potential. They do not follow the child’s education plan, which requires staff to regularly encourage the child to work with the tutor during the two-hour home session. When the child refuses to engage, staff allow the tutor to leave early, which means there are missed opportunities for the child to learn. On one occasion, the tutor spent only 10 minutes of the two-hour session in the home before leaving.

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inadequate

The child’s experience of living in the home is poor. There are restrictions on the child spending time with friends in the community, and the child is not supported to engage in activities of their choice in the home. For example, the child reported that requests for items such as a trampoline and football net had been ignored by staff. The child is often bored and left feeling that their wishes and feelings are not considered.

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inadequate

The home environment is not warm and homely. The sofas in the conservatory are damaged, something that the child complained about during the inspection. Furthermore, the lights in the conservatory do not work, which means the child cannot use this area of the home. In addition, the child’s mattress had multiple holes in it and had graffiti on it. Inspection report for children's home: SC456532 4 Despite the shortfalls, the child has been supported to maintain relationships with people they consider important, such as their family.

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

Arrangements for safeguarding the child are ineffective. Staff are unclear about their roles and responsibilities in regard to keeping the child safe. When there are concerns about the child’s welfare, staff have not taken steps to reduce the risk of harm. For example, staff frequently use the police to manage the child’s behaviour, even though they are aware that this often leads to the child going missing from home.

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

The response to the child going missing from home is not well coordinated. Staff do not always search for the child. Staff rely on the police to undertake this and return the child home. When staff know the child’s whereabouts, they do not take all the necessary measures to return the child home safely. In addition, staff do not make every effort to ensure that the child has access to an independent return home interview. Managers have not considered any emerging patterns of behaviour leading up to the child going missing. As such, risks to the child are not fully explored, identified and reduced.

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

Allegations made by the child are not handled in accordance with statutory guidance. For example, following a child’s allegation about a member of staff, leaders and managers were not notified immediately, and the staff member was allowed to continue caring for the child.

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

Risk management plans are not reflective of the child’s current risks. They are confusing and do not include clear strategies for staff to follow. In addition, plans are not accessible to all staff. For example, the home uses a high number of non- permanent staff who do not have access to the home’s online system, where up-to- date plans for the child are kept.

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

Significant information concerning the child’s safety is not accurately shared with external professionals. Safeguarding notifications do not match information in the home’s records. For example, staff failed to share that they had watched the child go into the home of a family member during a missing-from-home incident and knew where the child was overnight.

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

Responses to behaviour management are inconsistent and ineffective. Strategies to manage the child’s behaviour are unclear and do not consider the child’s communication needs. Incidents are poorly managed and evaluated by leaders and managers, who do not support staff to consider alternative methods of behaviour management. Inspection report for children's home: SC456532 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home is managed by a registered manager who has the relevant experience. However, the manager has been absent from the home for significant periods, and this has led to poor management oversight and inadequate care of the child. Staffing arrangements are insufficient. Leaders and managers rely on the use of bank and agency staff who do not know the child. Consequently, the child has experienced a lack of stability and consistency and is cared for by people who do not understand their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There is ineffective leadership and management oversight of the quality of care provided in the home. Incidents are not consistently reviewed by leaders and managers. When they are reviewed, this is not always done in a timely manner. Reviews of serious incidents are not undertaken to identify how incidents have occurred or identify any action to be taken to prevent this from happening again. Furthermore, incidents are reported to have been evaluated and signed by the manager when she has been absent from work.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Management oversight of the day-to-day running of the home is inadequate. For example, staff working at the home for the first time report they do not always receive a handover. During the inspection, leaders and managers were unable to evidence that handovers are taking place regularly.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff do not have regular supervision and team meetings as set out in the statement of purpose. This is a missed opportunity for leaders, managers and staff to reflect on their learning and development and the child’s progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers do not ensure that the home is maintained to a high standard. When repairs are identified, these are not responded to in a timely manner.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have failed to meet the requirement set out in the last inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Following the inspection, two compliance notices were issued. Inspection report for children's home: SC456532 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, The 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that the child’s mattress is replaced. In addition, the child should be supported to access equipment that will enable them to engage in leisure activities in the home. 3 December 2023

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour.

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding; 3 December 2023 Inspection report for children's home: SC456532 7 help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding; and

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children. (Regulation 11 (1)(b) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(xi))

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Requirement Due date

This refers to leaders and managers putting in place clear strategies to help staff manage the child’s behaviour.

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Requirement Due date

Furthermore, leaders, managers and staff must ensure that the child has clear and consistent boundaries and is helped to understand their purpose.

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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

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

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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)(v)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that the child’s risk assessment provides staff with current information about the child’s risks and the actions that staff must take to reduce these risks. This should include the actions they must take to safeguard the child from the risks that the internet may pose. 3 December 2023 Inspection report for children's home: SC456532 8 Furthermore, leaders and managers must ensure that staff take effective action, in line with the child’s relevant plans, when the child is missing from the home.

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Requirement Due date

Furthermore, leaders and managers should ensure that a return home interview is arranged on the child’s return to the home.

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that staff understand what action they must take in response to any allegation being made. They must also ensure that allegations are responded to appropriately and shared with relevant agencies.

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(b) (2)(d)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide consistent care for each child.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care in the home. In addition, they must ensure that robust systems are in place for the monitoring of the home. 3 December 2023 Inspection report for children's home: SC456532 9 * These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: SC456532 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Chibuzo Otache, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC456532 11 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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