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

Inspection report for children's home: SC405713 1 SC405713 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a large private provider and provides care for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a registered manager in post who is working towards a suitable qualification.

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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: 12 September 2023

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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: SC405713 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/09/2023 Full Good 27/04/2022 Full Good 18/05/2021 Full Good 21/02/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children's home: SC405713 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home. Since the last inspection, one child has moved in. The move was well planned, and the registered manager carefully considered the child’s needs before they moved in. The child was welcomed into the home and settled quickly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are happy and feel settled living at the home. Children have positive relationships with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is comfortable and welcoming, and the registered manager has plans to redecorate the home. However, the children’s bedrooms were untidy. This does not promote a homely environment and does not support children to develop skills to live independently, such as tidying up.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote children’s education and support children to complete their homework. As a result, children are making progress. One child achieved qualifications to support their future career aspirations to become a chef. When children achieve awards, these successes are celebrated.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to maintain important relationships with family and friends. This helps children feel connected to their family and promotes their identity. Staff support children when they face difficulties in relationships. For one child, this led to them rebuilding their relationship with a family member. This practice ensures that children are helped to overcome difficulties so that important relationships are maintained.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When there are plans for children to progress to live independently, there is good liaison with children’s placing authorities to identify next steps. Children have in-house plans to support them to achieve their goals, in line with their local authority care plan.

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

The registered manager and staff know children’s behaviours and risks. Children’s plans include practical advice staff can follow to support them. As a result, some risks have reduced for children.

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

Children’s plans have been regularly reviewed. However, they have not been updated when new risks emerge. This affects the quality of plans and the support offered to children.

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

One child has complex health needs, which are well supported by a team of multi- agency professionals. The registered manager and staff regularly communicate with external agencies around these risks, which ensures that the child’s needs are consistently met. Staff encourage the child to take an appropriate level of responsibility Inspection report for children's home: SC405713 4 as well as supporting them to gain a deeper understanding of their needs and to attend appointments.

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

Staff help children develop awareness of their risks. They speak to children about risks relating to alcohol and drugs and refer them to agencies who can offer additional support. This practice has led to children gaining a better understanding of these risks and there have been no further incidents of children using alcohol or drugs.

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

Children are supported when they make allegations. Although they are generally informed about the outcome of investigations, on one occasion a child did not receive this information. This inconsistent practice does not ensure that children always feel heard when they raise a concern.

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

Safe recruitment practices are in place to ensure that staff working with children are suitable. Any concerns about staff are acted on promptly, and referrals to relevant agencies are made in a timely way.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There have been changes in the home’s management structure. Two managers started at the home but did not register with Ofsted and left the home after a short time. The responsible individual had oversight of the home during this time and these changes did not have a significant impact on the progress and experiences of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a new manager in post, who is now registered with Ofsted. They have the appropriate skills and knowledge and are child-centred. They have developed a rapport with the children and staff team and are working hard to improve the quality of care that children receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Due to changes in the management arrangements for the home, some staff have not received regular supervision and appraisal. Since starting in post, the new manager has ensured that supervisions are held regularly, and that these are of good quality. Staff appraisals have also been scheduled.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has formed positive relationships with children’s placing authorities. They ensure that they work collaboratively to achieve the outcomes set out in children’s care plans. The manager advocates on behalf of children when required.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are suitable monitoring tools in place to evaluate the home’s strengths and weaknesses. The manager makes use of these to monitor the home and improve standards.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Training is delivered to staff, tailored to the needs of children living at the home. Where staff development needs are identified, the registered manager delivers workshops to the team. Specialist training has also been offered. This approach promotes staff development and helps staff to better understand children’s needs. Inspection report for children's home: SC405713 5

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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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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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)(a) (2)(a)(b)(i)(iv)(vi)(vii)(c)(i)(ii)) 2 September 2024 Inspection report for children's home: SC405713 6 The registered manager must ensure that children’s bedrooms are tidy, organised and clean, to promote a homely environment for children to live in and equip them with the necessary life skills to live independently.

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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;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered manager must ensure that risk assessments for children include all known risks and are regularly reviewed, that risks are continually assessed and that staff know what action to take to promote children’s welfare. 2 September 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should address any allegation of harm or abuse in line with the home’s child protection policy. This specifically refers to when children make allegations. The registered manager should ensure that practice is consistent and children are always informed of the outcome of investigations. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraph 9.17)  The registered person should ensure that all staff have their performance and fitness to carry out their role formally appraised at least once annually. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5)  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 Inspection report for children's home: SC405713 7 experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs

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Recommendations

of the children assigned to their care. Staff should receive regular supervision in line with the home’s supervision policy. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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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: SC405713 8

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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

Charlotte Love, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC405713 9 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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