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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC455991 1 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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SC455991 Registered provider: Cambian Signpost Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a large national provider of children’s social care services. The home is registered to care for up to four children who may have social and emotional difficulties or learning disabilities. At the time of the inspection, three children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2025.

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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

Date of last inspection: 6 November 2024

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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: SC455991 2 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/11/2024 Full Good 21/02/2024 Full Outstanding 07/03/2023 Full Outstanding 12/05/2021 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC455991 3 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Time was spent with the children throughout the two days of inspection. Two children spoke to the inspector about the home. Children say that they like living at the home, they get to do fun things, and that they have good relationships with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make considerable progress in this home. The risks that one child faces have substantially reduced since living in the home. The manager has identified college provision for one child to meet their specific educational needs, and two children have been supported to sit GCSE exams by staff who have completed training to act as exam invigilators, meaning that children are able to achieve their educational potential.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves into the home are well planned. One child spoke fondly of being supported by family on their move-in day, which was in line with their wishes. Children do not always get to visit the home prior to moving in due to the risks that they face. There is careful planning around children’s needs, and how individual risks may interact. Staff work closely with other agencies to promote considered planning. This includes speaking with any previous carers about children’s care needs prior to children moving in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children say that they are not happy with their long-term plans, the manager takes this seriously and requests planning meetings to raise these concerns on the child’s behalf. Children are helped to engage with advocates when their views do not align with their long-term care plans. This means that children feel listened to and feel able to meaningfully contribute to decision-making about their futures.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are taken seriously, and considerable support is given to children when needed. External agencies are identified and referred to in order to offer children additional support with specific needs. This support is well timed. Professionals say that children’s health needs are met with care and attention, and that children are helped to understand and manage their own health needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Care plans and behaviour support plans give staff clear information on how to support children in the home. The plans contain relevant background information as well as information on current risks. Children are helped to create ‘all about me plans’ containing the information that they want staff to know about them. New staff to the home are encouraged to read these to help them learn about the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children spend time with people who are important to them. Children are supported to engage with important family events, such as weddings and birthdays. Staff are respectful and thoughtful about how they offer individual support to children to ensure that they are fully able to partake in family celebrations. Staff ensure that children are able to contribute meaningful gestures in line with their wishes. For example, one child made a flower wreath to mark the birthday of a relative who had passed away. Inspection report for children’s home: SC455991 4 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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

Since the last inspection, there has been one incident that resulted in restraint being used to safeguard a child. This physical intervention by staff was brief and proportionate to the risks that the child was facing. Following this incident, there was a clear focus on repairing the relationship between child and staff member.

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

When children go missing from home, staff search for them diligently and try to maintain contact with them. Children receive a warm welcome when they return to the home. There is good multi-agency work taking place, which helps bring children home safely. Leaders and managers have made considerable efforts to engage with wider agencies to improve information-sharing and ensure that all risks are known.

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

When children harm themselves, staff respond in a warm and nurturing way. Follow-up conversations are held with children to help them reflect on their actions, and a caring and therapeutic approach is used with children to help them think about what led up to their actions. This means that children feel cared for and supported.

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

When children misuse substances, medical attention is sought as appropriate. Children are helped to engage with agencies, who try to help children reduce their use. The manager is reflective following incidents about how to support the child moving forward. When staff have concerns about children using substances, room searches are completed as appropriate. The child is asked for their permission prior to searches being undertaken.

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

Staff understand children’s needs and risks well and engage in regular, meaningful conversations with children to help them learn about the risks that they face. There are some areas where staff knowledge about safeguarding and procedures to protect children could be improved to ensure that all children receive a consistent response from staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Inspection report for children’s home: SC455991 5 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is passionate and knowledgeable about the impact of trauma on children. There is an established core team that provides stability and consistency to the children in the home. The manager is committed to providing a high standard of care and leading a good staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have good vision for the development of this home and have ambitious expectations for what children can achieve. There is good oversight by the registered manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff engage in training that is relevant to the needs of the children and is of a high standard. Staff have been able to use their training to support children with sensitive issues, and to engage in meaningful conversations about how children’s choices can impact their future outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff who work in the home say that they are supported well. They are proud of the children’s achievements and what they achieve for children as a close staff team. Staff speak positively of the manager and feel that they can raise concerns as needed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings and supervisions take place regularly and include good reflection on how staff work with children, and children’s feelings. More could be done to ensure that there is good reflection on how staff practice can improve, and how children can be helped to make further progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Family members say that there is good communication between them and the staff. One parent commented that their child is much more settled since being in the home and generally presents as being happier. This parent also discussed that the child was helped by staff to take part in an important family celebration, which was a positive experience for the child. Inspection report for children’s home: SC455991 6 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE Inspection report for children’s home: SC455991 7 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff are knowledgeable about safeguarding and are aware of what actions to take if they had safeguarding concerns about the practice of other staff in the home (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.14) Inspection report for children’s home: SC455991 8 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Cambian Signpost Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Minnette Sims, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC455991 9 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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Inspector

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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