Children's Home run by Calcot Services for Children Limited in West Berkshire

Unique reference number SC011185 Inspector Maire Atherton Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Calcot Services for Children Limited Registered person address 200 Brook Drive Green Park READING RG2 6UB

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Responsible individual Sukhbir Singh Registered manager Mary Helen Anne Smith Date of last inspection 01/07/2014 2 of 5 Inspection date 29/01/2015

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Previous inspection good Enforcement action since last inspection none

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This inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has improved effectiveness .

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This inspection

The young people thrive in a nurturing, supportive environment where they feel safe. Staff effectively work to the strengths of the young people, to secure improvements in many aspects of their lives. One social worker described the progress of a young person as 'massive' and reported that, 'they work at her pace and keep her safe'.

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This inspection

There have been significant reductions in risky behaviours and instances of young people going missing. Those in placement, some time, are engaged in education and making good progress from their starting points.

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This inspection

Staff are successful in helping young people to see setbacks as opportunities to effect change that may prevent recurrence: for example gaining an insight into the impact of bullying and then changing behaviour in the light of this. One young person said, 'They help me through stuff, I don't get angry as much as I used to, I'm starting to like myself a bit more.' This work is underpinned by individualised behaviour management strategies with a focus on incentives. The young people understand the system in place and are working towards rewards that they have chosen. While young people appreciate the tangible rewards, one young person acknowledged that the way staff expressed pleasure at an educational achievement also felt like a reward: he stated 'They were happy and I was happy that they were happy'.

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This inspection

Young people have a good understanding of their health needs and work well with staff to address these: for example taking medication regularly and engaging with specialist health professionals. There is a lack of detailed recording about the length of time between doses of medication although staff can outline this knowledge verbally. Young people participate in regular leisure activities and staff support them to try new things. One young person reflected with pleasure on a trip to a Polish 3 of 5 restaurant as part of a cultural evening.

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This inspection

Of the four young people who have moved out since the last inspection, three moved to semi-independence and one to another children's home, in accordance with their plans. All these moves were well planned and facilitated. Thorough end of placement reports outlined the progress the young person made and the areas to continue to work on. Staff manage emergency admissions well, with young people settling into the home smoothly. The work of staff with young people is informed by detailed plans which outline individual support needs. The manager is proactive in seeking additional information to inform good quality planning for the young people.

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This inspection

There is strong leadership and management in the home. The manager knows the strengths of the home and areas for development. These are shared with the staff team so they are working to common goals outlined in the development plan. There is thorough monitoring of the service both through the visits by the independent visitor and monthly checks and quarterly evaluation by the manager. These systems are used to good effect to identify shortfalls and take appropriate action. This has led to specialist training for staff including around drug misuse and child sexual exploitation. Patterns and trends have also been identified and used to lead day-to- day planning and risk assessment.

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This inspection

There was one requirement and one recommendation made at the last inspection and both have been met. Any gaps in employment records of staff have been satisfactorily explored. A full fire risk assessment of the premises has been undertaken by professionals in the field.

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This inspection

As a result of this inspection, one recommendation has been made to improve the recording of use of medication. 4 of 5

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered for up to seven young people and is owned and managed by a private organisation. This home caters for young people who have a range of emotional and behavioural difficulties. The home aims to offer a service which supports young people to reflect on and heal from their traumatic experiences with the overall aim of preparing young people to be ready to leave care.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/07/2014 Full good 06/02/2014 Interim satisfactory progress 14/06/2013 Full outstanding 14/01/2013 Interim satisfactory progress

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Recommendations

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

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Recommendations

 ensure there is written information about the minimum length of time between morning and evening doses of medication (Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations Volume 5 para 2.51) Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Recommendations

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What inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspections we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the Inspection of children’s homes: framework for inspection.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The 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 relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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Information about this inspection

The report details the main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation, and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the framework of inspection for children's homes.

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