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

Inspection report for children's home: SC434806 1 SC434806 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and operated by a large national provider. It is registered to provide care for up to three children.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post for over four years.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

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

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

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

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

p.1

Enforcement action since last inspection:

A full inspection was conducted on 2 August 2023 which resulted in the home being judged inadequate. Compliance notices were served under regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard. On 13 September 2023, Ofsted carried out a monitoring visit and found that both compliance notices had been met. Inspection report for children's home: SC434806 2 A restriction of accommodation notice was issued following the full inspection in August 2023. This notice prevented the provider from admitting new children to the home. The restriction of accommodation notice was lifted on 30 October 2023. Inspection report for children's home: SC434806 3

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/08/2023 Full Inadequate 11/05/2022 Full Good 21/09/2021 Full Good 30/07/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC434806 4

p.3

improvement to be good

The child living at the home has formed positive relationships with staff. There is often laughter in the home and the child seeks out the staff to have chats and to share jokes. These relationships create a fun and relaxed atmosphere. However, staff are not confident in setting consistent and clear expectations. This leaves uncertainty for the child as to what is expected and why.

p.4

improvement to be good

Staff support the child to build positive memories through activities. Staff encourage the child to arrange their own activities that reflect their hobbies and interests. The relationship between the manager and the child is particularly strong. The child enjoys activities with the manager, including going fishing or to the driving range. This positive work is not always captured in records and means that the child’s day- to-day experiences are not formally evidenced.

p.4

improvement to be good

Staff place a strong emphasis on education. Staff have supported the child to enrol on a college course of their choice. Staff support the child to attend college each day and will advocate for the child when necessary to promote academic success.

p.4

improvement to be good

Staff promote a healthy diet. The child has begun to opt for more healthy options, such as vegetables to snack on. The child has a good understanding of their health and can speak for themselves during health appointments. However, the same level of support is not given to helping the child stop their dependency on using vapes.

p.4

improvement to be good

The child’s risk assessments and care plans are thorough and up to date. However, staff lack the confidence to challenge the child when this would be in their best interests. For example, while the manager was on leave, the child refused to let staff in their bedroom. Staff were unable to manage this situation effectively, which resulted in the bedroom not being cleaned until the manager returned from leave.

p.4

improvement to be good

Staff have supported the child to understand the risks of using the internet. The child now has a good understanding of internet safety. They are encouraged to use their skills in a positive way, such as coaching other children on games.

p.4

improvement to be good

The manager does not always ensure that staff are safely recruited. There are gaps in the recording of how employment decisions are made when concerns are raised during the recruitment process.

p.4

improvement to be good

The support of staff has enabled the child to make safer decisions. For example, concerns relating to child criminal exploitation have reduced as the child has become Inspection report for children's home: SC434806 5 more informed in assessing whether a friendship is positive or could be a negative influence.

p.4

good

The manager has high aspirations for their staff and is enthusiastic in promoting positive outcomes for the child.

p.5

good

The manager’s oversight of the home requires improvement. For example, he was unaware of an informal warning being given to a member of staff. The manager has begun to develop a new process to improve his oversight. This is yet to be embedded in practice.

p.5

good

Staff feel supported by the manager and the responsible individual. Although staff supervisions take place regularly, they do not include in-depth discussion about the care of children. This is a missed opportunity to improve care and/or to address poor practice.

p.5

good

The manager has formed a strong professional relationship with the child. The child names the manager as someone they would turn to in a time of need.

p.5

good

Staff are unable to provide consistent care to the child without the regular direction of the manager. For example, staff will often first go to the manager before making a decision. The manager has started to put a plan in place to ensure that staff know their roles and what decisions they can make without his involvement. This is in its infancy and the impact of this change is not yet evident in day-to-day practice. Inspection report for children's home: SC434806 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, 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.

p.6

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—

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

p.6

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;

p.6

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)(a)(b)(f)(h))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This relates to the registered person having thorough oversight of issues in the home, such as staff being given informal warnings by team leaders. It also relates to the registered person ensuring that staff have the experience and confidence to support children. 7 December 2023

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

p.6

Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3). 7 December 2023 Inspection report for children's home: SC434806 7 The requirements are that—

p.6

Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

p.7

Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

p.7

Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(a)(b)(d))

p.7

Requirement Due date

This relates to any concerns highlighted during schedule 2 checks being appropriately assessed and a clear outcome being documented of decision-making in relation to a candidate’s suitability to work.

p.7

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home’s records on each child represent a significant contribution to their life history. Staff should keep and encourage children to keep appropriate memorabilia of the time spent living at the home and help them record significant life events. This specifically relates to ensuring daily records include descriptions of activities and conversations held with the child to give a more detailed picture of their lived experience. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.5)  The registered person should ensure that, in line with their individual health plans and the ethos of the home, children are offered advice, support and guidance on health and well-being. Staff should have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to help children understand and, where necessary, work to change negative behaviours in key areas of health and well-being such as the use of tobacco. This

p.7

Recommendations

relates to the child’s uses of vapes. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.18)  The registered person should have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2) Inspection report for children's home: SC434806 8

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 for children's home: SC434806 9

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

p.9

Children’s home details

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

p.9

Inspector

Ellen Monk, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC434806 10 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.9

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.10

Inspector

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

p.10

Inspector

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

p.10