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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC456413 1 SC456413 Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

A private organisation runs the home. It provides care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

One child has moved out of the home and one child has moved into the home during this inspection period. At the time of the inspection, there was one child living in the home who has lived there for a limited time. The child spoke to the inspector about their experiences living in the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2022.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC456413 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/03/2025 Full Good 05/03/2024 Full Good 30/11/2022 Full Good 01/02/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC456413 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is well maintained, and the child’s artwork is proudly displayed in the home. The child’s bedroom is well furnished, and the child takes pride in keeping it clean and tidy. However, there are areas of peeling paint in other areas of the home that require attention.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Transitions for a child leaving the home are well thought through and supportive of transitions to semi-independent living. Staff complete targeted work on budgeting, self- care, laundry and meal preparation. This ensures the child has the skills to support their future plans. Staff take the time to celebrate the child’s time in the home with a mini- break, team meals, parties and thoughtful gifts.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child who has left the home had completed secondary school and had achieved a lot of vocational certificates. This enabled them to enrol at college on their preferred course before moving out of the home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Leaders and managers ensure that a child’s move into the home is well planned and child centred. Plans are adjusted when required to meet the child’s individual needs. Meetings with the child’s network take place to ensure the staff have all the relevant information before the child moves in. The child is provided with a detailed children’s guide. This ensures they have key information about the home and staff and helps them feel welcome.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is fully supported in their education. When a child moves into the home during school closures, leaders and managers ensure alternative plans are in place to support education in the home until a school can be identified.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that the child is registered with key healthcare professionals and supported to attend routine check-ups to ensure they are fit and healthy. Staff also complete discussions with the child about their healthcare needs, ensuring they are informed on a range of health issues.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are committed to supporting every child they care for. They offer many activities inside and outside the home, which helps them get to know the child better, build positive relationships and help the child settle into the home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Leaders and managers ensure that each child’s network meetings are held and well attended to support their education and care planning. However, following the meetings, key documentation, such as updated care plans and personal education plans, is not always kept in the child’s files. This does not ensure that staff are working with the current plans for the child in their care. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456413 4 Although staff regularly discuss targeted areas for development with the child, opportunities are not given for the child to give feedback or express their views and wishes about the home or staff. This does not ensure that the child can contribute to decisions about their day-to-day care.

p.3

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

Staff understand the risks to each child who they care for. Risk management plans provide strategies to support staff to prevent and reduce risk. However, risk management plans are not always updated accurately, and some information is outdated. This does not ensure that staff respond to incidents appropriately if following these plans.

p.4

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

Staff are trained in physical intervention; however, these are not used. When a child is in crisis, staff respond calmly and can use de-escalation strategies to manage situations without further escalation. Staff consider the child’s feelings about rules and boundaries and take the time to explain why they are in place. When possible, staff will provide an appropriate compromise to accommodate the child’s views while also maintaining the house rules. The child’s social worker said, ‘Staff are able to implement boundaries and routine in a way that is not overwhelming to the child.’

p.4

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

Managers and leaders provide good oversight of incidents; however, there are sometimes delays in notifying social workers and the regulator of serious incidents. This prevents the social worker and regulator from having prompt oversight and ensuring effective support measures are in place.

p.4

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

Staff enable each child to reflect on incidents with staff, helping them identify risks and avoid them, particularly in regard to online safety. Leaders and managers also ensure that staff have the opportunity to reflect on practice following challenging incidents.

p.4

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

There have been no missing-from-home incidents. There are clear protocols in place, and staff know them well.

p.4

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

The child is aware of the home’s complaints procedure. Complaints are investigated fully and promptly. The child receives acknowledgement of their complaints and is updated on the outcomes and actions of their complaint.

p.4

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

Staff respond to accidents appropriately, applying first aid and offering medical attention when necessary. Accidents are logged appropriately, and weekly updates share information with the social worker.

p.4

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

Leaders and managers follow safer recruitment procedures and complete further checks when necessary. This ensures that staff are thoroughly checked before being able to provide care to each child, and leaders are assured of the staff’s background and history. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456413 5

p.4

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

An acting manager is currently overseeing the home due to the registered manager taking unexpected leave. As the previous team leader of the home, the acting manager has a good understanding of the home, the child and the staff. The acting manager is motivated by her vision for the home and committed to improving outcomes for the child. Senior leaders fully support her managerial development.

p.5

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

The acting manager has effective monitoring tools to ensure the home’s oversight. Using weekly key performance indicators and monthly audits ensures that all reports and plans have evidence of management oversight. They have devised a quality improvement plan to help them identify areas for development and plans to improve them. This ensures that the staff are delivering good care and the home is operating in line with regulations.

p.5

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

The manager’s quality assurance reports provide a good overview of what is happening for children in the home; however, they fail to address other factors that may impact the quality of care, like the current management of the home. The review identifies actions moving forward, but it fails to address how they will be met or given time limits.

p.5

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

The acting manager is sourcing training specific to the child’s needs; however, some staff members’ mandatory training in health and safety, food hygiene, first aid, fire safety, data protection, and safeguarding children has expired. This does not ensure that staff have the skills to ensure the child’s safety in the home and to respond to concerns effectively.

p.5

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

Team meetings take place monthly and are well attended. They ensure staff are aware of support plans for the child, provide updates on policies and procedures, and provide an overview of general housekeeping. Additional team meetings also ensure staff are fully informed about new children into the home.

p.5

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

Induction programmes for new starters are well structured. This ensures that staff are aware of key information and processes to aid their role.

p.5

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

Supervision sessions take place monthly and are supportive. They focus on planning, outcomes for the child and safeguarding. The acting manager will address practice issues and implement performance plans when necessary. Annual appraisals allow staff to set goals centred around outcomes for the child and personal progression. Staff feel fully supported by the leaders and managers and enjoy working in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC456413 6

p.5

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard requires the registered person to—

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (2)(c))

p.6

Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that staff complete mandatory training promptly to maintain the health and safety of the home and the children’s welfare. 3 October 2025

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b))

p.6

Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that a system is in place so that all serious events are reported to the appropriate people within 24 hours. 3 October 2025

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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; 3 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC456413 7 help each child to express views, wishes, and feelings;

p.6

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; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care. (Regulation 7 (1)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

p.7

Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers need to obtain feedback from each child on the quality of care they receive in the home and ensure that staff regularly consult with children and gather their views, wishes and feelings on their day-to-day care.

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c))

p.7

Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that risk assessments clearly detail responses to the child’s identified risks and that home placement plans reflect the plans of the placing authority. Also, leaders and managers must ensure that statutory care plans and personal education plans are in place for all children living in the home and that admission documentation is signed and dated by relevant professionals on the date of admission. 3 October 2025

p.7

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they provide children with a homely environment, particularly in regard to decoration. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure a complete review of the quality of care provided for children at least once every six months. The review should enable the registered person to identify areas of strength and weakness in the home’s care, which will be captured in the written report. The report should clearly identify any actions required Inspection report for children’s home: SC456413 8 for the next six months of delivery in the home and how those actions will be addressed. The whole review process and the resulting report should be used as a tool for continuous improvement in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 65, paragraph 15.4)

p.7

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: SC456413 9

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Childcare Limited

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 4th Floor, Parkview, 82 Oxford Road, Uxbridge UB8 1UX

p.9

Inspector

Renee Sims, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC456413 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 children looked after, safeguarding, and child protection.

p.9

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.10

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.10

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.10