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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC456532 1 SC456532 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

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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 run by a private organisation and is registered to care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since 6 March 2013.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, there were two children living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

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

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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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.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 17 October 2023

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC456532 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/10/2023 Full Inadequate 11/01/2023 Full Good 15/02/2022 Full Good 18/02/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC456532 3

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improvement to be good

One child has been living at the home since July 2024. The other child moved in on the first day of the inspection. One child was spoken to during the inspection.

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improvement to be good

The home has gone through a period of refurbishment. The communal areas and children’s bedrooms have been nicely decorated, and the home is furnished to make it feel homely.. One child’s bedroom was untidy. However, following discussion with the manager, this was quickly addressed by the staff.

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improvement to be good

One child said that they are happy living at the home and have established positive relationships with staff. Staff have taken time to get to know the child’s likes and dislikes and are building trusting relationships with the children.

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improvement to be good

Children are supported to take part in activities of their choice and staff join in the activities with children. This helps children to understand that what matters to them is valued by staff. One child said about living at the home, ‘I like the fact that I can be myself.’

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improvement to be good

Children are registered with essential health services, such as the dentist and GP. Emerging concerns about the children’s health are responded to by staff. However, the health plan for one child did not include relevant information about a health condition. This was promptly rectified during the inspection.

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improvement to be good

One child is currently not attending school. Leaders and managers are completing educational work with the child at home until a new school is identified. However, failure to communicate with the child’s current school means they do not understand the child’s academic ability. In addition, there has been a delay in applying for a new school place, which means the child is missing out on opportunities to learn with their peers.

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improvement to be good

Children are supported to maintain long-standing relationships with significant people in their lives. Staff ensure that family time takes place, by supporting children to spend time with people who are important to them.

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improvement to be good

Children feel safe at the home and say they would speak to their key worker if they were worried or scared. One child’s mother and social worker said they had confidence in the ability of leaders, managers and staff to provide a safe environment for the child. Records demonstrate that health and safety checks of the home routinely take place, to ensure the home provides a safe environment for children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456532 4 Staff understand their roles and responsibilities to safeguard children and take effective action when there is a concern about their welfare and safety. For example, when one child was not following their treatment plan for an existing health condition, staff contacted the hospital to seek the necessary advice and support to avoid the child’s health deteriorating.

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improvement to be good

Safety plans support staff to understand children’s associated risks and the action they should take to protect children from harm. However, updates to plans following incidents do not provide staff with strategies on how to manage new risks. For example, one child’s risk management plan did not include guidance for staff around family time, despite the known risks connected to this. This means the child’s safety and well-being could be compromised.

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improvement to be good

Leaders, managers and staff miss opportunities to complete meaningful key work with children after incidents. For example, despite staff receiving training on self-harm and alternative coping strategies following incidents of one child self-harming, these strategies were not discussed with the child.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers follow recruitment processes that ensure pre-employment checks are undertaken to ensure that staff are suitably vetted and safe to work with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There have been changes to the management arrangements since the last inspection. The registered manager is no longer dual registered and is now solely registered for this home. She is supported by a newly appointed deputy manager. Both are experienced and ambitious for children living in the home to reach their full potential.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Systems to improve the quality of care provided to children have been introduced, although these new systems are not yet fully embedded in practice. Incidents in the home are routinely reviewed by the manager. However, actions to minimise the risk of further harm are not always identified as part of the review.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The staff team is new to the home. As part of their induction, leaders and managers have ensured that staff have completed the provider’s compulsory training programme. In addition, needs-led training has been identified and provided to staff, to ensure that the care provided to children is effective.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff have confidence in leaders and managers to provide them with support. They describe the manager and her deputy as approachable. Staff regularly receive formal supervision, which focuses on their well-being and development. As part of supervision, managers test staff knowledge on topics such as safeguarding, by going through scenario-based questions and reflecting on their responses.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders and managers understand the significance of partnership working. They have developed positive relationships with safeguarding partners such as the police, to ensure that there is a multi-agency approach to safeguarding incidents should they occur. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456532 5 Inspection report for children’s home: SC456532 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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(vi)(viii)(x))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers should ensure that there is no delay in submitting school applications for children. When there are delays, leaders and managers must ensure that this is raised as a concern with the placing authority.

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Requirement Due date

Additionally, leaders and managers must ensure that when a child is enrolled in a school but not attending, they liaise with teaching staff to ensure that children have access to educational material in line with their assessed capabilities. 5 December 2024

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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. 5 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC456532 7 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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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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

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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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)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders, managers and staff should ensure that new risks are included in children’s safety plans.

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Requirement Due date

Furthermore, leaders, managers and staff should ensure that children are supported to learn coping strategies to manage their emotional health.

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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—

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(b) (2)(h)) 5 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC456532 8

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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: SC456532 9

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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

Chibuzo Otache, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC456532 10 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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