Children's Home run by London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham in Hammersmith and Fulham

Inspection report for children’s home: SC443337 1 SC443337 Registered provider: London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This local authority home provides full-time care or short breaks for up to 7 children with physical and learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered with Ofsted in February 2012 and the manager registered with Ofsted in January 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 4 children were living at the home.

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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 outstanding

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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: 15 October 2025

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC443337 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/10/2025 Full Good 25/09/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 03/01/2024 Full Good 07/02/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC443337 3

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Summary of findings

Children receive high-quality care from experienced staff who know them well. Children’s needs are met to a consistently high standard, and as a result, children make excellent progress from their starting points. Children have multidisciplinary safety plans that are highly individualised and dynamic. Risks to children are significantly reduced by staff who understand and respond effectively to children’s vulnerabilities. Leaders and managers are highly ambitious for children. Leaders and managers lead by example; they are reflective, available and transparent in their approach to ensuring that children with complex needs have meaningful life experiences that make a positive difference to their outcomes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children express either verbally, or through their preferred way of communicating, that they like visiting or living at the home. Children receive high-quality and individualised care from committed and experienced staff, which helps them to feel settled. Children develop positive relationships with staff, who know their personalities and preferences and talk affectionately about them. One social worker described staff as ‘loving’ the children they care for. The independent reviewing officer for another child wrote, ‘The distressed boy that first presented is now a person of the past.’ Consequently, the quality of children’s lives is improved by consistent and sensitive care, which increases significantly the progress that they make.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

All the children living at the home are in education and are doing well. Staff work closely with their education colleagues to ensure that behaviour support plans are implemented consistently at school and in the home. This helps children to manage transitions from the home to the school environment, resulting in children being settled and able to participate fully in their education programme.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are supported by staff to attend regular meetings as a group to express their wishes and feelings. Children are consulted about activities they might want to do, and what they would like to happen in the home. Staff interpret the voices of children using the child’s preferred method of communication, including picture symbols and visual and vocal cues. The meetings are recorded, and pictures are taken of the children attending and any activities that may have taken place at the meeting.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Key-work sessions with children cover a wide range of areas, such as developing their independence through dressing or cleaning their teeth, or preparing children for forthcoming events such as a trip to the barber’s. These sessions help children to develop confidence, promoting success through repetition and rehearsal. Inspection report for children’s home: SC443337 4 Children participate in a range of activities in the home and in the community. Staff work diligently to ensure that children’s wishes and feelings regarding their choices of activity are acted on when possible and in line with any safety plan for that child. A large soft-surface garden area provides children with sensory play opportunities, bike riding and space to just sit and be still. Children visit museums, go bowling and go for walks in the community or country parks. Children’s achievements are celebrated, and activities are well documented through photos and the views of the staff and the

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

children themselves. There is a strong emphasis on ensuring that children’s lived experiences are recorded for them to see.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Managers and staff work well with family members of the children to ensure continuity of care when on short breaks. One family member of a child on a short break described the manager’s response to a concern they had as ‘helpful and realistic’. Managers and staff understand the importance of family connections to children and promote family links when possible. An excellent piece of work has been undertaken by staff and managers, who worked collaboratively with an agency to promote links between one child and their family. The difference to the child’s presentation because of this positive connection is evident to staff and managers and they continue to support these links.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

When children move on from the home, particularly to adult social care, managers and staff are meticulous in their approach to transition planning. Managers and staff are an integral part of the planning process, having known the child for several years in many cases. Children benefit from staff who advocate on their behalf and work effectively with adult social care agencies to provide the best possible move into adult care.

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

Children’s safety in the home and in the community incorporates a number of elements. This includes positive behaviour support plans, deprivation of liberty order requirements, school behaviour support strategies and risk assessments completed by staff. The range and quality of information mean that children’s safety plans are highly individualised, ensuring that staff understand and can respond effectively to make sure that children are kept safe.

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

Managers and staff know children well and are alert to signs of distress or changes in behaviour that may mean safety plans need to be reviewed. The level of risk and incidents for children compared to when they initially arrived at the home have significantly reduced. Children are helped by staff to manage their responses to stressful situations through communicating their feelings in a way that can be understood, whether this is verbally or using picture symbols.

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

When safeguarding incidents occur, leaders and managers address these promptly, ensuring that children’s safety remains paramount. Reflective discussions and clear and achievable actions to address shortfalls in keeping children safe are embedded in practice. One such investigation of an incident highlighted to leaders and managers the need for staff to exercise greater professional curiosity, even if this meant questioning Inspection report for children’s home: SC443337 5 the decisions of senior staff to ensure the right safeguarding procedures are being followed. The high level of review and analysis of incidents demonstrates leaders’ and managers’ commitment to learning when safeguarding concerns arise, so that staff are proactive, rather than reactive, in keeping children safe.

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

Staff complete key-work sessions to gain the child’s view on any incidents that occur. This helps children to begin to think about their emotional responses and possible triggers in stressful situations, which may give them some insight as well as helping to strengthen safety plans.

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

Leaders and managers consult appropriately with the local authority designated officer when safeguarding concerns are brought to their attention. Ofsted receives regular and detailed updates in respect of ongoing safeguarding matters. Leaders and managers demonstrate a high level of transparency, seeking additional safeguarding expertise and oversight when necessary to inform their decisions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers are highly ambitious for children and talk proudly about children’s achievements. Leaders and managers lead by example, spending time with staff and children to improve practice and create an environment in which the care of children with complex needs is carried out to a high standard. Leaders and managers know children well and play a significant role in the care planning for children to ensure the best outcomes. Leaders and managers are visible, present and accessible to staff and children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers promote a strong learning culture in the home. Effective auditing and tracking tools help to evidence the work with children, identifying patterns and trends. Leaders and managers make excellent use of the expertise provided by the independent visitor to the home in critically appraising the service. Reflective practice is actively encouraged, in which staff are supported by managers to think about their responses to children, including what could have been done differently and what has worked well. This means that leaders and managers have a clear overview of the strengths of the home and can respond promptly to address shortfalls.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff talk positively about the support that they receive from leaders and managers, many of whom have worked at the home for many years. Leaders and managers have introduced an initiative based on the traffic light system (green, amber and red) to support staff to achieve key tasks and embed standards, recognising achievements and exceptional work. Staff appreciate the recognition of their work, enhancing their confidence in what they are doing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive appropriate training for their roles, some of which may be specialised according to the needs of children. Supervision is reflective, with clear ideas and tasks for progressing issues. Robust and comprehensive responses from leaders and Inspection report for children’s home: SC443337 6 managers to practice issues ensure that staff understand what is expected of them, and staff strive to exceed these expectations.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers work collaboratively and effectively with a range of professionals, agencies and families. This includes schools, intensive behaviour support teams and psychological and psychiatric services. Leaders and managers understand the importance of developing and sustaining relationships with others to ensure the best possible care, experiences and futures for children. This a real strength of the leadership at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

One independent reviewing officer for a child at the home wrote that the staff not only meets the child’s needs, but that they ‘often go above and beyond. They are child focused working with each child as a person first and as individuals. Their collaborative work is of a high standard, embracing innovative ideas and professionals along with family members and more established workers. I greatly appreciate the whole team and the collaborative work they do in [name of child’s] best interests’. Inspection report for children’s home: SC443337 7

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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: SC443337 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 3rd Floor, 145 King Street, London W6 9XY

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Inspector

Colin Bent, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC443337 9 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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