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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC066393 1 SC066393

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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

This is a privately owned home that is part of a large organisation. The home provides care for up to three children who have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered in August 2024.

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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: SC066393 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/03/2024 Full Good 12/03/2023 Full Good 15/09/2021 Full Outstanding 10/02/2020 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC066393 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of the inspection, three children were living at the home. One child has lived in the home for three years, and planning is taking place to support them to move on. Children form positive relationships with staff and enjoy spending time with them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, two children have left the home and two children have moved in. Children leaving the home are well supported, with robust planning in place to support them with moving on to independence. Children are involved in all aspects of this planning. These children remain in touch with the home and share updates about their ongoing achievements, demonstrating the positive relationships they built with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children move into the home, planning is not always effective. One child moved in an emergency, and within seven days, another child moved in. Despite more planning taking place for the second child, not enough information was known about the first child’s needs to fully assess whether this was an appropriate match.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is welcoming and is generally maintained to a good standard. However, some areas of the home need updating. One child’s bedroom is personalised, but the other two bedrooms do not reflect the identities of the children. There are items in the garden that are no longer in use. This affects children’s ability to use these areas and detracts from the homely environment. The manager has a plan in place to address these issues.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making good progress in their education. When children are not in school, staff support them to engage in education at home. This supports their learning and offers them structure and routine. Where needed, the registered manager liaises with relevant agencies so that suitable school provisions can be identified.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a range of activities and opportunities. When children express an interest in a new activity, staff take the time to help them pursue this. Children enjoy holidays, days out and a range of activities in the local and wider community.

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

The registered manager has robust oversight of incidents that take place. They take prompt action to address issues, review any learning and implement any action points. This oversight ensures that staff can continue to improve care and practice for children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC066393 4 Staff and the registered manager understand the risks to each child, and there are suitable risk management plans to address these. These plans are regularly reviewed and updated to ensure that staff have access to the information they need to keep children safe. However, there are some inconsistencies in how staff respond to the children, including some staff members not challenging inappropriate language or behaviour at the time it happens. This gives mixed messages to children. In addition, staff’s use of language when recording incidents needs to improve to ensure that it is clear and objective.

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

The staff team is supported by the organisation’s therapeutic team to inform its practice. The home has an allocated therapist who visits the home each month, which means that the children’s emotional health needs are monitored and managed well.

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

The registered manager consults with other agencies involved in children’s lives in relation to protecting them from harm. Cannabis misuse was identified as a risk factor for one child, and the manager acted quickly to provide support for the child. This ensures that children are provided with the right multi-agency support to keep them safe.

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

Children know how to make a complaint when they feel the need to. There has been one complaint made by a child. The manager responded to this swiftly, resolved the complaint and kept the child updated about the actions taken. The child was satisfied with the outcome.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager leads by example and is child-focused. She understands the strengths and areas for development in the home and takes action to address any shortfalls as they arise.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Safe recruitment processes are in place. The registered manager has taken steps to ensure that a consistent approach is taken.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive training that is specific to children’s needs to ensure that they have the skills required to meet these needs effectively. In addition to core training, staff are offered additional specialist upskilling workshops that are tailored to children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive monthly supervision from the registered manager, where they discuss a range of topics, including staff’s practice with the children. Staff find these helpful and feel well supported by the manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have good-quality relationships with external professionals involved in children’s lives. This is cascaded down by the registered manager, who values partnership working. The feedback received from professionals confirms that there is good partnership working in place. Inspection report for children’s home: SC066393 5 The registered manager works hard to engage with the local community. The home has a community engagement plan, and the manager also supports the children in restorative work within the community when needed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s families feel well supported and speak positively about the communication and support they get from the manager and staff. Inspection report for children’s home: SC066393 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 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

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;

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same. (Regulation 11 (1)(b) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(v)(x))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff are consistently following the plans for each child so that children receive a consistent response and approach from all staff members. 11 September

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. 27 September Inspection report for children’s home: SC066393 7 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home; and

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(b)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, managers must demonstrate child-centred planning when children enter the home and consider the needs of all of the children within the home.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should ensure that children are given a choice about how their personal space is decorated. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.19)

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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: SC066393 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

Kate Savage, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC066393 9 regulates and inspects 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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