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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC456857 1 SC456857 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

A large national provider owns this home. It provides care for one child who may experience social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered with Ofsted in February 2013. The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living in the home. The child was 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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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and/or the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: 4 February 2025

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: r equires improvement to be good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC456857 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/02/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 06/02/2024 Full Good 18/01/2023 Full Good 19/05/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC456857 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Poor and ineffective leadership and management arrangements and safeguarding practices have had a significant negative impact on the experiences and progress of the child living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

One child who has moved on from the home did not consistently receive an adequate level of care from the staff team. The child had been exposed to sexual exploitation and criminal exploitation. Leaders and managers failed to act or report the concerns in line with safeguarding procedures. As a result, the child continued to experience significant harm.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Leaders and managers failed to consider all the child’s known risks and vulnerabilities before a decision was made for the child to move into the home. This resulted in the child’s experiences and progress being hindered by the ineffective care planning, poor safeguarding practice and poor leadership and management of the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Leader, managers and staff do not understand the individual needs of the child. Placing authority care plans are not available and therefore the home’s care plans do not align with local authority plans. This impacts on the quality of care provided to the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

One child said that they were rushed to move on from the home and that their feelings were not considered in the process. For example, the child moving in had new furniture moved into their bedroom before the other child had moved out. The child said, ‘The staff could not wait to get rid of me.’

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

Risks are not identified, understood or managed by leaders, managers and staff. Staff do not have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities in safeguarding children. Risk assessments are not sufficiently detailed or effective in informing practice, as they do not contain clear strategies to manage and reduce risks, leaving children vulnerable to harm.

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

Leaders and managers do not consider safeguarding risks, such as staff taking a child wild swimming in a local reservoir, with no risk management plan. There was no evidence that health and safety checks had been carried out before this activity. This placed the child at risk of significant harm.

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

There is evidence that staff have not followed the whistle-blowing policy. Concerns raised internally have not been shared with the appropriate people. This has hampered any protective safeguards being put in place to keep the child safe. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456857 4 Several key documents, including risk assessments, placement plans and care plans, did not include all the relevant information. This shortfall compromises the effectiveness of care planning and information-sharing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers and staff do not demonstrate any learning from safeguarding incidents. Leaders, managers and staff lack professional curiosity. There is limited evaluation of safeguarding incidents, to improve the safety and welfare of children and the practice of staff. The management oversight of incident records is not sufficiently robust and lacks effective evaluation, resulting in limited learning from incidents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff do not consistently receive practice-related supervision, limiting opportunities for reflection, guidance and professional development. This lack of oversight may negatively impact staff practice, performance and the overall quality of care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Team meetings are not used effectively to share key information or concerns, meaning staff do not receive up-to-date guidance to support consistent care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager does not ensure effective oversight by an independent person. Significant incidents are not consistently identified in the monthly report, limiting regulatory oversight and the ability to evaluate safeguarding practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers do not consistently report safeguarding concerns to Ofsted. This meant that, on one occasion, the regulator’s oversight of a significant incident was limited. On another occasion, when a child was subject to criminal and sexual exploitation, this was not shared with Ofsted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Safeguarding information and concerns about a child’s exploitation were not shared with a child’s new placement and their social worker. The social worker said that this would have altered the care plan for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There are gaps in the specific training provided to staff, including in therapeutic parenting training, despite this being a recommendation of the in-house therapist. Additionally, there is a lack of ongoing professional development opportunities to further develop staff skills.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home has had a complete turnover of staff. Although some efforts have been made to ensure that staff are brought in from within the same organisation, this has led to a lack of continuity in the care provided.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Shortfalls identified and requirements made at the previous inspection have not all been addressed. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456857 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 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;

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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

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that they act on any sign that a child may be at risk of significant harm.

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Requirement Due date

Additionally, the registered person must ensure that risk assessments provide an accurate and up-to-date reflection of children’s current risks and vulnerabilities. Staff must understand what they need to do to keep children safe. 4 August 2025

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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 4 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC456857 6 registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that they lead and manage the home consistently, so children receive care in line with the home’s statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff have the necessary knowledge, skills and experience, and provide safe and effective care to children.

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c)(d)) 4 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC456857 7 The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. The registered person may only—

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff receive regular practice-related supervision, in line with the home’s statement of purpose. 4 August 2025

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare; 4 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC456857 8 help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child;

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Requirement Due date

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s privacy will be respected and the circumstances when it may have to be limited;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to prepare for any review of the child’s relevant plans and to make the child’s views, wishes and feelings known for the purposes of that review; and

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Requirement Due date

make each child aware of and, if necessary, remind them of each of the matters in sub-paragraph (d)(i) to (iii);

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Requirement Due date

is enabled to provide feedback to, and raise issues with, a relevant person about the support and services that the child receives;

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Requirement Due date

has access to the home’s children’s guide, and the home’s complaints procedure, when the child’s placement in the home is agreed and throughout the child’s stay in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

is given appropriate advocacy support. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(b)(i)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that any child moving on from the home is supported to feel cared for and the transition is managed with the child’s best interests at heart.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; 4 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC456857 9 there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child —

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

A visit by the independent person to the home may be unannounced.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit ("the independent person’s report") which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5)) 4 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC456857 10 Specifically, the registered person must ensure that any concerns highlighted by the independent person are acted on and shared with the appropriate agencies.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry.

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Requirement Due date

if the child dies before attaining the age of 18, for 15 years from the date of the child’s death;

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in cases not falling within sub-paragraph (a), for 75 years from the child’s date of birth;

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securely in the children’s home during the period when the child to whom the case records relate is accommodated there; and

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Requirement Due date

in a secure place after the child has ceased to be accommodated in the home. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)) 4 August 2025

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the 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 the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if— 4 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC456857 11 the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(e)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children’s needs and the ability of staff to meet these are rigorously assessed before children move into the home.

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Requirement Due date

Additionally, the registered person must ensure that all possible measures are taken to prevent children from moving out in an unplanned way. This includes joint working with the local authority and other partner agencies to provide support to the child.

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Requirement Due date

Additionally, the registered person must ensure that they receive all required documentation from placing authorities for children in their care and that statutory looked-after children review meetings take place within the required time frames.

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that each child is supported to learn and provided with resources, and that staff are creative in providing opportunities for children to study and learn. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 18, paragraph 5.18)  The registered person should ensure that they have consent from those with parental responsibility and the placing authority for the use of any monitoring equipment. This should be regularly reviewed to ensure that this is a necessary and proportionate measure to keep children safe. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.16)

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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: SC456857 12

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 5th Floor, Metropolitan House, 3 Darkes Lane, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire EN6 1AG

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Inspector

James Meeks, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC456857 13 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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