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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC457553 1 SC457553 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 run by a private organisation. It proves care for up to two children who may have social and emotional difficulties and who may have learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

There is currently no registered manager in post.

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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: SC457553 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/03/2024 Full Good 21/02/2023 Full Good 12/01/2022 Full Good 12/02/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC457553 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Time was spent with both children during the inspection. Neither child wanted to speak to the inspector on their own; however, some written feedback was given by one of the children, which was brief and largely negative. This child was experiencing anxiety around changes in staff, and it was felt that their feedback may reflect these feelings of uncertainty. Positive relationships between this child and the staff were noted throughout the inspection, and it was clear that she enjoyed the activities she completed with the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children in this home make good progress in a range of areas, including building relationships with staff, their ability to share their emotions and feelings, managing their own hygiene, engaging with education and an overall reduction in risk-taking behaviours. Children have good relationships with staff, and this undoubtedly contributes to the positive progress that children are making.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home promotes the cultural needs of the children and ensures that relevant practices and celebrations are incorporated into day-to-day life. Children are supported to access shops that reflect their cultural needs. The acting manager ensures that despite language barriers that exist, efforts are made for parents to receive regular updates about the progress that children make. One child has started lessons to develop their language skills, has become more accepting of their heritage, and is now more willing to explore this aspect of their identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children move into the home, this is carefully planned, and multi-agency meetings take place to discuss the progress of introductions. Children’s risks are considered alongside one another. This has contributed to a smooth and uneventful move where two children have started living alongside each other.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff hold regular conversations with children. At times conversations are brief, but they are relevant to the children’s days and their risk-taking behaviours. These conversations reflect that a nurturing approach is shown towards children, particularly when discussing incidents that may have been upsetting to children. The acting manager recognises the need for the recording and oversight of these conversations to improve, and plans are underway to put this into effect.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Care plans are clear and concise; however, important information is regularly missing, including information about children’s backgrounds. This lack of information may affect staff’s ability to get to know and understand children and may also mean that staff are not able to respond to children consistently.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Parents comment positively on the care provided in the home and that their child has settled well during their short time in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC457553 4

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

When children go missing from home, staff follow them, search the local area and contact the police, when necessary, to ensure that children are brought back to the home as soon as possible. It is not always clear if children are receiving a warm welcome from staff when they return home. Management oversight is inconsistent, which means opportunities are missed to learn from incidents, reflect on staff practice and identify patterns in children’s behaviours.

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

When incidents take place of children harming themselves, staff respond by ensuring that appropriate first aid is given. When these incidents come to the attention of staff, their immediate responses to children are variable. However, nurturing and considerate conversations take place with children in the days following these incidents. Again, there is a lack of robust management oversight over these incidents, which means that opportunities to learn and identify patterns are missed.

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

Risk assessments do not include all the relevant information, such as the level of violence children may display, previous incidents that have taken place and work that staff should complete with children to reduce risk-taking behaviours. This means that staff may not be aware of the risks that children can at times present, and this may impact on their ability to respond safely.

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

When children have raised concerns around the actions of staff, these have been reported to the local authority designated officer appropriately, and investigations have been undertaken where necessary. When children have raised concerns, they have not always received feedback following investigations in a timely manner.

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

Safer recruitment checks are undertaken diligently to ensure that staff who are employed are experienced, suitable and safe to work with vulnerable children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Education and social care professionals speak highly of the care provided to children. One professional commented that the staff have supported a child well children when they have been upset, despite this child not having lived in the home for very long. Professionals report that there is good communication between the home and external professionals. It is also reported that the acting manager is proactive in supporting children and that they escalate issues appropriately.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are aware of the weaknesses of the home and the support needs of the staff team, and they have good vision for the service. When recommendations are made by external professionals, these are considered and actioned appropriately.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monthly audit reports consider different aspects of children’s development and the services that are in place to support their progress. There is regular monitoring of Inspection report for children’s home: SC457553 5 different aspects of care being provided to ensure that children’s needs are met and that they are making good progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are used as a forum to discuss the children individually and the different aspects of their care. Significant incidents are not regularly discussed, which means that opportunities to learn and reflect as a team are missed. At times, limited reflection means that opportunities are missed, for example to develop children’s wider relationships.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision sessions cover important themes and allow reflection on relationships with children, safeguarding issues and the way in which the home can improve. However, supervision sessions miss opportunities to reflect on significant incidents and any possible learning from these. Inspection report for children’s home: SC457553 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 care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home.

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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

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(b)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children’s plans are up to date and clearly and accurately outline all aspects of children’s care. 21 February 2025

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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

help each child to understand how to keep safe; 21 February 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC457553 7 understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(v))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that when children present risk-taking behaviours, their plans are clear and reflect all relevant behaviours. Additionally, the registered person must ensure that plans include the work that staff should carry out to reduce children’s risk-taking behaviour.

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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

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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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)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that they have effective oversight of staff practice to ensure that staff are adhering to children’s plans. Additionally, the registered person should ensure that they have effective oversight of incidents taking place in the home to ensure that they know what leads up to them and how staff respond so that learning and reflective practice can take place. 21 February 2025

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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: SC457553 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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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Nicola McClements

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Inspector

Min Sims, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC457553 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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