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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC457430 1 SC457430 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 home is owned and managed by a private provider. The home can provide care for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager post has been vacant since August 2023.

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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

Date of last inspection: 31 October 2022

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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: SC457430 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

31/10/2022 Full Good 30/03/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 14/10/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 05/06/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC457430 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are well supported by staff when they are moving in or out of the home. Staff organise leaving parties for children and continue to offer practical and emotional support to them after they have left. For children who are new to the home, the manager ensures that the children visit the home prior to moving in. As a result, children who have moved into and out of the home have had positive experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a range of positive experiences, such as going on trips and days out. Staff listen to what the children want to do and plan the activities with them. This has provided the children with opportunities to gain new experiences and explore their interests. Staff help children to understand the reasons why some of their requests cannot be agreed. This helps children feel valued and respected.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have used their own initiative to learn about the children’s culture and family history to ensure that the care provided to children is culturally sensitive. For example, staff work with parents to learn how to make traditional food so that the children can continue to enjoy their favourite meals. Staff celebrate special festivities with the children. This helps the children to feel connected to their community.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff recognise the importance of family time and respond in a thoughtful way. Staff work closely with social workers to make sure the time that children spend with their loved ones is positive. The children also enjoy the time that they spend with their friends in the community. This means that the children share similar social experiences to their peers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children engage positively in their education with the support of staff. The manager advocates for children when there are challenges and ensures that alternative arrangements are explored. When children are not attending school, staff help them to learn life skills. Because of this, children start to make progress from their individual starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children well to ensure that their health needs are met. Children are registered with local medical practices. Staff educate the children about good health, and they support the children to make informed decisions about their health. Staff work with the children to help them to understand the risks associated with smoking and vaping.

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

Children’s care plans and risk assessments are detailed and clear. Plans are regularly updated and provide staff with information on each child’s specific risks and vulnerabilities. Staff understand their safeguarding roles and responsibilities. Inspection report for children’s home: SC457430 4 When children are unkind to each other, the staff identify and address this immediately. The staff use regular key-work sessions to help the children to understand why bullying behaviour is not acceptable. This helps the children to develop socially acceptable behaviours.

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

Supportive discussions take place regularly and focus on the children’s needs. The staff are sensitive to the children’s past trauma and have an empathetic and nurturing approach. This helps the children to feel supported and understood. Staff use a range of tools to provide the children with targeted work to promote their safety. Subsequently, there has been a reduction in children being involved in risk- taking behaviours.

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

Incidents where children go missing from home are rare. When children do go missing, the staff understand what their roles and responsibilities are and act accordingly. Staff request a return home interview in a timely manner to ensure that children can speak with an independent person. This enables children to share their experiences and discuss any worries or concerns. When the interviews do not happen in timescales, staff raise this with the relevant local authority. This practice ensures that children are better protected and supported to return home safely.

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

The use of physical intervention is low and used only as a last resort to keep the children and others safe. Staff keep professionals and family informed following any incidents. The manager reviews all incidents and has discussions with staff and children to reflect on these incidents. This helps to ensure safe practice around the use of holds and allows staff to consider their approach to supporting the children with their emotions.

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

Children’s online access is not being monitored consistently. When there are known concerns about internet usage, staff do not consistently follow the guidance in place to ensure that these risks are managed. Staff do not have a full understanding of the websites or social media that children use and are therefore unable to accurately assess their risk. This oversight left children vulnerable.

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

Staff use rewards and consequences to promote socially acceptable behaviours. However, the use of consequences is not yet consistently effective. At times, children have not been offered opportunities to complete reparation work. This is a missed opportunity to help children to understand the impact of their actions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The acting manager works effectively with the senior management team within the organisation. This has helped to ensure appropriate management oversight of the children’s progress and operation of the home. The acting manager has not yet applied to register with Ofsted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The acting manager ensures that staff receive regular supervision and have annual appraisals. Supervisions focus on reflection on care practice and are used alongside Inspection report for children’s home: SC457430 5 individual appraisals to support staff with their identified training needs. Good oversight of staff practice helps to ensure that care is consistent and of high quality.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings take place regularly and are well attended by the staff team. This provides an opportunity for the staff team to get together and share information and reflect on their practice. This helps the manager to maintain oversight of her staff and the care they provide to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have up-to-date mandatory and additional training, and the manager has a good oversight of staff development needs. This has helped the staff to progress their knowledge and skills to enable them to better meet the needs of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff have positive working relationships with partner agencies, schools and family members. This ensures that the children are at the centre of a network of support. Feedback from professionals has been positive about the care provided to the children by the staff. Inspection report for children’s home: SC457430 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that there are appropriate arrangements to monitor and review children’s internet use for safeguarding purpose. 24 February 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that any sanctions used to address poor behaviour should be restorative in nature, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38)

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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: SC457430 7

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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

Cherie Chen, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC457430 8 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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Inspector

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