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Children’s homes inspection – Full

Inspection date 02/08/2016

Unique reference number SC456477

Type of inspection Full

Provision subtype Children’s home

Registered provider Cambian Childcare Ltd

Registered provider address 4th Floor, Waterfront, Hammersmith Embankment, London W6 9RU

Responsible individual Susan Fitzsimmons

Registered manager Sharon Robson

Inspector Jacqueline Malcolm

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Inspection date 02/08/2016

Previous inspection judgement Inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection

None

This inspection

The overall experiences and progress of children and young people living in the home are

Good

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

How well children and young people are helped and protected

Good

The impact and effectiveness of leaders and managers

Good

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SC456477

Summary of findings

The children’s home provision is good because:

Young people benefit from a caring and resilient staff team which has developed good, trusting relationships with them and makes a special effort to ensure that their care experience is positive and improves their outcomes.

Young people’s good engagement in their health and education improves their life chances and provides them with opportunities to prosper.

Young people’s views, wishes and feelings are sought and they are listened to. This makes them feel valued and cared about. Staff advocate on their behalf and ensure that their rights are promoted and that they can access the services they need.

The staff team embraces important relationships that young people share with their families and works effectively to maintain safe and appropriate contact arrangements.

The home has a strong and motivated registered manager who works effectively with the staff team, professionals and parents to deliver individualised care to young people that improves their outcomes.

The registered manager and responsible individual demonstrate capacity to

improve by taking action to meet the requirements raised at the last

inspection. This has led to significant changes in the home and,

consequently, young people are safer.

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What does the children’s home need to do to improve?

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person(s) meets the Care Standards Act 2000, 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.

Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant

person without delay if there is any other incident relating to a

child which the registered person considers to be serious.

(Regulation 40 (4)(e))

30/09/2016

Recommendation

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:

Any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent visitor must make a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)

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Full report

Information about this children’s home

A private company operates this children’s home. It provides care and accommodation for up to four young people with emotional or behavioural difficulties.

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/06/2016 Full Inadequate

29/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

15/12/2015 Full Good

16/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

23/10/2014 Full Good

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Inspection judgements

Judgement grade

The overall experiences and progress of children and young people living in the home are

Good

There have been a number of noticeable improvements since the last inspection

several weeks ago, when the home received an inadequate judgement.

Specifically, placement changes have occurred that have significantly altered the

group dynamics. This links to a series of safeguarding incidents that led to the

abrupt ending of some placements, instigated by the local authority and,

reluctantly, by the provider. The staff team has responded to these major

challenges with skill and flair. Their effective partnerships and challenges towards

other professionals have promoted the young people’s welfare and rights under

some very difficult circumstances.

The staff team’s child-focus and determination to minimise the impact of the young

people’s departures, balanced with the need for them to be safe, have led to

successful transitions to alternative placements. The continued support from the

staff team, with which the young people have established positive and nurturing

relationships, clearly shows that they are held in high affection. Consequently,

young people have moved on in the best way possible, both emotionally and

practically.

Those young people returning after an extended stay away are delighted to come

back to the place they call home. Good matching with existing and new admissions

ensures a compatible mix of young people whose highly personalised care plans

meet their diverse and complex needs. Good impact risk assessments and relevant

information equip staff effectively to deliver high quality care that invests in young

people and ensures that they have an enjoyable experience, stay safe and make

good progress. A professional commented, ‘It’s the best place for him. The staff

are very, very good.’ A parent described their child’s move as, ‘A blessing in

disguise.’

Young people’s life chances improve through their excellent school attendance.

Those young people with a poor education history have made a positive start,

sustaining regular school attendance and making steady progress. Those young

people who have an established education routine continue to make good

progress, moving up a set in some subjects. Staff continue to work with education

providers to ensure that the young people stay on track, which helps to counter

any barriers to their development.

Good promotion and access to health professionals meet young people’s identified

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holistic health needs. Healthy lifestyles, consisting of nutritiously balanced and

portion-controlled meals and exercise, improve young people’s overall wellbeing

and fitness levels. Young people who smoke are actively discouraged through

supportive advice and discussions that staff have with them about the health

implications.

The young people are happy to participate in activities that provide hours of fun and respite. Their activity plans provide structure and keep them occupied, both inside and outside of the home. At the time of the inspection, the young people were away on a camping trip, which helps them to experience new adventures and to socialise in different environments.

Young people and staff share warm, trusting and engaging relationships, enabling the young people to make sense of their histories and build their confidence. Excellent key work sessions integrate effectively with the young people’s individual care plans, reinforce routines and boundaries and act on their daily experiences.

The active promotion of the ‘child’s voice’ and facilitating young people’s wishes and feelings are strengths of the team. Young people are regularly encouraged to share their views in different ways, such as partaking in regular house meetings and speaking with staff individually about a range of pertinent issues, such as personalising their rooms. Young people know which adults they can talk to if they are unhappy and wish to raise a concern.

Good contact arrangements keep young people in touch with their loved ones, reinforcing their cultural identity and sense of belonging. The staff team forges good relationships with parents and families in recognition of their significant role and appropriate invitations to the home brings them closer to their children. A parent said that they were building positive relationships with staff and commented about the home, ‘I think it’s lovely.’

Young people are responsive to developing skills for life, such as travelling

independently, paying attention to their personal hygiene, attending to their

bedroom and getting involved in kitchen chores. These tasks help young people to

increase their self-esteem in their own abilities.

Judgement grade

How well children and young people are helped and protected

Good

At the last inspection, a requirement made was in relation to the protection of

children. It required the provider to work within the agreed multi-agency and risk

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management strategies to protect vulnerable young people, particularly those at

risk of child sexual exploitation. The provider was also required to make sure that

staff understood that the young people’s openness and honesty does not always

equate to them effecting change, and can increase risk. The prompt action taken

to address the requirement, supplemented by a training session with the police

with expertise in child sexual exploitation, has helped them to gain an improved

appreciation of the risks and to learn mutually valuable lessons. A member of staff

described the training as, ‘A good eye opener.’ The training has enhanced the

practices for working together and communication between the police and the staff

team in addressing child sexual exploitation.

The provider gave notice on a placement for a young person that presented high

levels of risk. However, it was expedited because the risks continued to escalate

out of the control of the staff team, which meant they were unable to keep her

safe. Consequently, the young person’s departure has resulted in an immediate

downward trend in the number of ‘missing from home’ incidents and other

associated risks. Professionals and a parent consider young people to be safe at

the home. The recent safeguarding training has led to challenge from staff when

professionals are not delivering their safeguarding responsibilities. This has started

to become a more obvious feature within the team.

Robust risk management strategies recognise young people’s individual

vulnerabilities, and their implementation serves as a protective shield. Regular

updates of the risk assessments ensure that staff remain vigilant to any threats to

young people’s safety and welfare.

Consistent and caring messages about the house rules and boundaries are

discussed with the young people to promote a harmonious home life. Appropriate

consequences help those young people with criminal and anger issues to self-

regulate so that they can learn socially acceptable ways. Regular visits to the home

by the local police community support officers provide an informal means of

building relationships with the young people. Their interventions are proactively

sought by staff to speak to young people about their negative behaviours that, if

not addressed, could lead to their criminalisation. Positive rewards acknowledge

good behaviour and help young people to improve their self-esteem. As a result of

the relationships that develop, and the approaches taken by staff, physical

intervention is not a frequent measure used by the staff team.

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Judgement grade

The impact and effectiveness of leaders and managers

Good

The registered manager is suitably qualified, experienced, very competent and organised. She is highly child-focused, leads by example and has a comprehensive understanding of the young people’s needs and risks. She is very supportive to the staff team, which, in turn, holds her in high regard. One said that they, ‘get so much support’ from the manager and their regular supervision and relevant training helps to inform their care of the young people.

The manager and responsible individual have responded positively to meeting all of

the shortfalls identified at the last inspection. They both clearly understand the

strengths of the service. The steps already taken to improve practice ensures that

young people are safe, placements are suitable and the lessons learned inform

future practice positively.

A supervisory discussion with a staff member, regarding their involvement in an incident that increased the risk of a sexually exploited young person, has taken place. Lessons learned from the event provide an assurance that a further incident will not happen.

The manager has a clear understanding of her responsibility to engage with other professionals to effect improved outcomes in young people’s lives and to do this within prompt timescales. Her recent engagement with a local authority expedited a placement move that was becoming increasingly risky. Improved practices for working together with the police have led to better communication with regard to caring for young people at risk of child sexual exploitation. Similarly, good working relationships with local authorities have led to the positive admissions of young people into the home. A future meeting with existing local authority senior managers to review the decision-making and find a way forward, following young people’s discharge from the home at very short notice, is due to be convened.

Moving young people between different holiday homes is practice that the provider has undertaken to cease. This ensures that there are no undue delays when returning young people to the place they identify as ‘home’.

There are no further concerns relating to young people at risk of child sexual exploitation. Staff have no issues in relation to ascertaining young people’s views, wishes and feelings. The current group of young people are responsive to the various strong staff interventions in these areas.

The manager recognises and acknowledges that notifications to Ofsted must be stand-alone documents that make clear the incident, the outcome and action taken, including the steps to prevent a further occurrence. This promotes good safeguarding practices. However, not all of the safeguarding notifications have been sent to Ofsted, which inhibits Ofsted from carrying out its safeguarding duties. This omission has not been a detriment to young people’s welfare, due to

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the other actions taken by the manager in partnership with the police, local authority and the young person.

The provider has commissioned a new organisation to conduct regulation 44 visits at the home. The independent person is due to visit the young people and staff team by way of introduction. The manager intends to use the opportunity to agree on expectations and ensure that the role provides effective rigour and scrutiny to help her to drive forward improvements in the home and lead to timelier reports to Ofsted. The recommendation raised at the last inspection in relation to the quality of regulation 44 reports is yet to be determined. This recommendation is therefore repeated.

Professionals and family members continue to speak highly about the quality of

service provided to the young people by the staff team and about the good

communication. One independent reviewing officer commented: ‘All paperwork is

sent to us, communication is good.’

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against ‘Inspection of children’s homes: framework for inspection’.

An outstanding children’s home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time.

A good children’s home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

In a children’s home that requires improvement, there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of children looked after is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place. However, the children’s home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people.

A children’s home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children’s home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children’s home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after.

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service 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’.

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the guidance ‘Raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy

of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

The Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted) 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, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons

and other secure establishments. It inspects services for children looked after and child protection.

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