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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC388991 1 SC388991 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for up to two children who have emotional and social difficulties. Two children were living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC388991 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/08/2023 Full Good 10/01/2023 Full Good 14/09/2021 Full Good 19/02/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC388991 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of the inspection, one child had been living in the home for just over a year, and the other child had been living there for some years.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported by staff who know them well. One child is being helped to prepare to live independently in the future. Progress in some areas has been slower than in others, but since the last inspection, their personal care has improved; they have opened a bank account and shop for and prepare most of their own meals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work with children to explore their interests. As a result, both children enjoyed a go-karting experience recently.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are in good general health. Staff encourage them to keep routine health appointments and have successfully supported one child to attend an appointment that they had previously found difficult to attend. Referrals have been made to specialist emotional support and substance misuse services in response to the emerging needs of one child. Staff have supported them to engage with those services.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote the importance of education. One child has recently completed their exams, and the other has been supported to return to school after periods of exclusion. Staff accompany them to school to support school staff if needed, and the child’s reduced timetable has recently been increased.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of children’s relationships with people who are important to them, and children are helped to stay connected with family and friends. Arrangements are kept under review and revised to reflect changing circumstances. The mother of one child said that staff help her child to keep in touch and visit her, although she lives some distance away from the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is spacious, and both children have large bedrooms. Damaged furniture has been partially replaced in one child’s room, and other furniture has been ordered following a recent incident of damage. A sensory room has recently been converted to a small home gym in response to one child’s request for fitness equipment in the home. The children’s bathroom has been refurbished since the last inspection, and parts of the home were being decorated during the inspection. Damage to the home is not always repaired promptly, and areas of the home would benefit from further redecoration.

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

There have been no incidents of children going missing from home since the last inspection. One child has struggled to keep to arrangements made for time with family and friends. Staff have been proactive in managing this, keeping in touch by phone and text and collecting them to return them to the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC388991 4 Behaviour management plans are in place, and positive behaviour is encouraged using incentives. One child enjoys baking a favourite cake as a reward. Risk assessments are updated in response to changing circumstances.

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

Physical intervention is very rarely used in this home; there has only been one incident since the last inspection. Although it is clear the manager was made aware of the incident at the time, and discussed it with the staff and child involved, there is no subsequent analysis by the manager of any learning arising from the incident.

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

One allegation has been made since the last inspection, and this was referred to the appropriate safeguarding agencies.

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

Medication is stored safely, and records are kept of its administration or when a child refuses it.

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

Safer recruitment processes are in place. This reduces the risk of unsuitable people being employed in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is undertaking a relevant level 5 qualification and expects to complete it soon.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The requirements made at the last inspection have been partially met. Some improvements have been made to the home environment, but a requirement has been restated in relation to the prompt repair of damage and redecoration of some areas of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has a range of tools to support her understanding of the management of the home. These include incident reports, monthly audits and regular feedback from professionals who visit the home. For example, the looked after children’s nurse, who completed one child’s annual health review, gave feedback that staff understand the child’s health needs well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are no vacancies in the staff team. Any gaps in the rota due to staff absence are filled by a small group of staff to support continuity of care and reduce the impact of changes on the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff speak positively about working in the home. They receive regular supervision and describe feeling well supported. Training is up to date, and one of the staff members gave examples of how the training they receive supports them to respond to the children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are well attended and are used to discuss the children’s care and progress. They are also used to share information and build team morale through activities and celebrations. Inspection report for children’s home: SC388991 5 The home maintains positive relationships with children’s families and the professionals who work with them. One child’s social worker reported that the home deals with any concerns professionally and keeps her up to date. Inspection report for children’s home: SC388991 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

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)(2)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to improving the physical environment and ensuring that furniture and equipment is replaced or repaired in a timely way when required. 31 August 2024

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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: SC388991 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: Metropolitan House, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar EN6 1AG

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Inspector

Janet Fraser, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC388991 8 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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