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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC476271 1 SC476271 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 private company and is registered to provide care for up to five children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, five children were living in the home. All were spoken to during the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 27 February 2024

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC476271 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/02/2024 Full Outstanding 15/03/2023 Full Outstanding 19/08/2021 Full Good 22/01/2020 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC476271 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children make excellent progress because of the exceptional care they receive from staff. Staff create a highly nurturing home environment in which they develop trusting and affectionate relationships with children. Since the last inspection, two children have moved into the home. The children are flourishing because of the inspirational skills and commitment of the staff in supporting children. A social worker described one child’s progress since moving in as ‘astonishing’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff are strong and persistent advocates for children and their education, understanding the importance of this for children’s aspirations and ambitions. One child who had been excluded 11 times is now excelling in school and has not received an exclusion in 12 months. Staff challenge education plans effectively when these are not stimulating children’s learning. Education professionals said staff are excellent in their communication and support for children. One teacher said, ‘If all children were supported like this it would be amazing.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The manager has researched how pet therapy supports children’s development. The home makes use of two therapy-trained dogs; one visits twice weekly and the other once a month. One dog is trained to recognise when children’s mental health is low and how to support children. Children speak lovingly about their pet therapy dogs and the activities they enjoy together. Staff are inquisitive about children’s mental health and understand when children need additional support. For example, one child is being supported with their feelings of grief regarding a friend’s death, and the pressure of exam revision.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff understand the benefits of physical activities in developing children’s emotional resilience and confidence. Children enjoy walking and hiking, visiting and helping at animal farms, cycling, swimming and horse-riding. Staff actively encourage children to participate in activities that support their confidence, social interactions and independence. One child enjoys playing basketball and is a member of three basketball teams. Another child is a member of a football team and has received awards for their enthusiasm and football skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s equality, diversity and inclusion are highly valued by staff. The manager and staff are imaginative in supporting children to share their views, wishes and feelings. This creates dynamic and inclusive conversations between the children. Children talk to each other about their respective health needs. Staff support children to learn about and become involved in their community. Children bake biscuits for their neighbours, raise money for charity, visit the elderly in their homes and help at community events.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children live in a welcoming and comfortable home. There is a spacious dining area where children and staff enjoy eating together. Vibrant interactions between the children and staff take place at mealtimes. This creates a sense of belonging and positive role Inspection report for children’s home: SC476271 4 modelling for children. There are photos of children proudly displayed throughout the home. Staff take pride in supporting children to design their bedrooms to reflect their diversity. Children are delighted to show their bedrooms. There is a large garden that children enjoy, with a trampoline and football and basketball goals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The manager and staff are persistent in their support for children when they move out. This helps children know they are highly valued by staff. Since the last inspection, two children have experienced well-organised and planned moves. One child has moved to live with foster carers and one child has moved to supported living. Staff support children who have left to maintain any special relationships they have with children who remain living in the home. One child was thrilled when he received a birthday present from a child who had left.

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

Staff have a good understanding of how to keep children safe. They are inquisitive about risk and understand that risks are dynamic. This helps children to learn about risk, in line with their age and emotional maturity. Staff thoughtfully develop consistent routines and boundaries that help children to feel safe. There are well-organised morning and mealtime routines that support the diverse needs of each child.

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

Children have comprehensive risk and support plans that are developed in consultation with the clinical team. These plans are reviewed and updated regularly to provide effective guidance for all staff. The children’s views, wishes and feelings are meticulously recorded in their plans. The manager and staff team have designed a risk and support plan for each child that reflects their preferred methods of communication. This values children’s right to be involved in helping to create their plans and to be supported to understand them.

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

The manager and staff are creative advocates for children. This creates an inclusive home environment where children feel highly valued and safe to express their views, wishes and feelings. Children enthusiastically use child-friendly technology to share their views and staff encourage children to make decisions about their home together. Children also talk to each other about their choices for their summer holidays together. Staff are proactive in arranging independent advocates for children. As a result, one child’s plan to move to supported living during their exams was reversed. This helped the child to feel safer and to know their views were valued.

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

Staff creatively and safely support children to develop their independence. Staff support children to take part in community events, including helping local charities. This helps to develop children’s confidence in their social interactions and to understand risks in the community. Staff consistently support children to understand the risks of social media and how to make positive choices regarding personal relationships. One child has been supported to safely navigate her peer relationships at school. Staff support children to develop their personal identity, which helps children to feel confident in expressing their views, wishes and feelings. Inspection report for children’s home: SC476271 5 Children do not go missing from their home. Staff proactively support children to understand risk as part of developing their independence. This helps children to feel confident and safer when they are participating in community activities on their own or

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

The management team investigates effectively any allegations made by children. Since the last inspection, there has been one allegation, which was meticulously investigated by a senior manager. This helps children to feel safe and significantly contributes to them not going missing or there being few incidents of concern in their home.

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

Staff are compassionate in supporting children’s relationships with their family and friends. One child was supported to go on holiday abroad with a family member, together with a member of staff. This experience created lifelong memories for the child. Staff actively review how children’s visits with their family can flourish safely. One child’s sister, who previously lived at the home, was supported to stay for a weekend. This is now progressing to the children going on holiday with each other. One family member described the staff as ‘incredible’ in supporting them and their child to develop their relationship.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is inspiring, dedicated and innovative in her ambitions for children to receive exceptional care. The staff team is experienced and highly nurturing and shares the ambitions of the manager. The manager and staff team are exceptionally positive role models for children. The expertise and commitment of the manager and staff team are supporting children to thrive and excel.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel highly valued and supported by the manager. They receive well-organised and reflective supervisions. This helps staff to feel their learning and practice are valued. Staff participate in collaborative team meetings and consultations with the psychologist and external professionals. This helps to enhance staff practice and their understanding of children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has effective monitoring systems in place to review children’s experiences and progress and staff practice. The management team consistently carries out daily audits of children’s care, staff practice and the home. This helps to identify outstanding tasks and for a plan to be implemented to address these.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers value safe recruitment in protecting children. Staff receive well- organised training to develop their learning and practice. The manager is exploring further training for staff to learn about the impact of physical exercise and music in supporting children with neurodiverse needs. The manager recognises that one staff member who joined the staff team has not completed the necessary qualification within timescales. The manager is actively addressing this with the member of staff. Inspection report for children’s home: SC476271 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that all staff in a care role, must have the qualification in regulation 32(4) within the relevant timescale listed in regulation 32(5). (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.12)

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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: SC476271 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

Siân Heffey, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC476271 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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