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

Inspection report children’s home: SC456959 1 SC456959 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

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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 home is owned and managed by a private provider and provides care for one child who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living in the home and was spoken to as part of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2024.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC456959 2 Inspection report for children’s home: SC456959 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/07/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/12/2021 Full Inadequate 31/07/2019 Full Good 03/10/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC456959 4

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improvement to be good

Shortfalls in safeguarding practices and instability with staffing have had a negative impact on the child’s progress. Since the last inspection, one child has moved into the home. Staff have not had the skills or confidence to manage the child’s behaviours. This has led to incidents for the child escalating.

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improvement to be good

One child moved on from the home in a planned way. Staff offered the child reassurance and emotional support around their move. The child had a positive ending to their placement, and staff have remained in contact with them.

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improvement to be good

The child living in the home is aware of difficulties within the staff team. There are examples of staff undermining each other and not maintaining professional boundaries. This has had an impact on the child’s relationships with staff and on one occasion led to an incident. The manager is aware of this shortfall and has started to address this.

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improvement to be good

The child’s health needs are met. Staff listen to the child’s views on their medication, and they support them to have this reviewed. They encourage the child to regularly take their medication, using education and incentives. This has helped the child develop a positive routine.

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improvement to be good

The child is making progress in education from their individual starting point. The child engages with home tutoring and the provider’s mentoring service. Staff promote lots of activities and new experiences for the child. This has supported them towards life skills qualifications.

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improvement to be good

Staff regularly offer the child praise and rewards. However, not all rewards and consequences for the child are recorded, for example consequences such as supervising the child’s spending. This omission in recording fails to ensure management oversight in order to evaluate the effectiveness of such measures.

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improvement to be good

Staff use external resources and services to support the child’s learning around their behaviours. For example, the fire service visited the child within the home. This helped reduce incidents of the child setting off the home’s smoke alarm.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not follow the child’s plans, which are put in place in order to keep them safe. They do not use behaviour management techniques, including physical intervention, as outlined within the child’s plans. This means that for the child incidents are not effectively de-escalated. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456959 5 On one occasion, staff did not follow the plan in response to an allegation made by the child against a member of staff. This meant the member of staff continued work with the child without any exploration of the allegation, or any repair work for the relationship. This led to a further incident.

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improvement to be good

Incidents in the home have reduced. The manager has made changes in the staff team. Some staff have started to build positive relationships with the child. Other positive changes include the provision of medication for the child, which has enabled improved routines.

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improvement to be good

When incidents take place, staff do not record all relevant information within the child’s records. For example, on one occasion, staff have not included all information which led to an escalation in the child’s behaviours. This has meant triggers for behaviours of concern associated with the child, and shortfalls in staff practice have not been identified within management oversight of the incident.

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improvement to be good

Staff respond well to incidents of self-harm. They seek medical advice and ensure that the child is offered first aid. Staff provide a warm and empathetic approach to the provision of the child’s care. This has allowed the child to open up to staff about their feelings.

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improvement to be good

The child’s risk assessments do not include all relevant information or strategies identified to reduce the risks of all the child’s known behaviours. This does not support staff to offer consistent and safe care to the child.

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improvement to be good

There are no effective risk management strategies in place to manage the child’s internet and phone use. However, at the time of inspection, there was limited evidence of impact on the child

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

There is a suitably qualified manager in post. The manager is dual registered and manages another home within the organisation. The manager has a good understanding of the child’s progress and has demonstrated a commitment towards their care. However, the manager has missed some serious shortfalls in staff practice, which has had an impact on the child’s safety and care.

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

The members of the staff team speak positively of the manager. Staff are having regular supervision and team meetings. They say that they feel supported. The manager uses supervision as an opportunity to check on staff welfare, and address shortfalls identified within staff practice.

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

A high turnover of staff has contributed to disruption for a child. Leaders and managers are aware of this and have made changes to the staff team.

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

Staff are trained relevant to the child’s needs. They make good use of the provider’s clinical team to further develop their understanding of the child’s needs. However, not all Inspection report for children’s home: SC456959 6 training has been effective. There are continued missed opportunities for staff to physically intervene to safeguard the child, despite further training. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456959 7

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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

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

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)(vi)(vii)).

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff follow the strategies outlined in children’s plans to keep them safe, and that children’s plans include clear guidance for staff to follow in regard to children’s known risks. The registered person must ensure that there are effective risk management strategies in place to reduce the risks involved in the child’s phone and internet use. 7 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

promotes their welfare. 7 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC456959 8 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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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’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(c)(e)(h)).

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that there is effective oversight of children’s records, to ensure that shortfalls in staff practice are appropriately addressed. Additionally, the registered person must ensure that the members of the staff team have the skills and experience to offer safe and consistent care to the child.

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) 2(a)(iv)(b)).

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff respond to the child in a professional manner, and that any conflict within the staff team does not have a negative impact 7 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC456959 9 on the child.

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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

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children’s records are accurately recorded and include all relevant information. Additionally, the registered person must ensure that all consequences implemented are recorded. 7 August 2025

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Information about this inspection

The inspector has 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: SC456959 10

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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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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Beverley Williams

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Inspector

Hayley Smith, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC456959 11 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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