Children's Home run by Calcot Services for Children Limited in Hampshire

Inspection report children’s home: 1250902 1 Registered provider: Calcot Services For Children

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered for up to four young people and is owned and managed by a private organisation. The home caters for young people who have a range of learning disabilities.

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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: First inspection

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: None

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people have made good progress in many areas of their development. They are more confident, becoming more independent and now access helpful therapeutic support. Professionals describe progress as brilliant.  All staff are committed to the children in their care and successfully achieve a Inspection report children’s home: 1250902 2 consistent approach to supporting them.  Managers and staff do not give up and they strive to ensure that young people are happy, safe and develop as a result of their placements.  Young people’s rights are integral to how the home operates and staff advocate purposefully for them if they feel other services and professionals are not fulfilling their responsibilities.  There are very strong and effective working relationships with parents and professionals. All spoken to were very positive and reflected the impact the home has had on young people’s progress.  Managers are ambitious and creative in their approach. They lead by example

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Key findings from this inspection

and act as good role models for the staff team.

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Key findings from this inspection

The children’s home’s areas for development:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Information from local authorities is not fully taken into account when decisions on a placement are made. Impact risk assessments are not then reviewed to ensure the compatibility of young people in placement and their corresponding safety.  Some individual risk assessments lack the required clarity and do not reliably inform staff of the actions to take in order to reduce risks.  The staff training programme needs coordinating to determine if staff require additional training in areas such as mental health awareness.

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Recent inspection history

This is the first inspection of this service. Inspection report children’s home: 1250902 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet 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.

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered person must ensure: (2)(a)(i) that staff assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans and to make arrangements to reduce the risk. (Regulation 12 (2)(a)(i)) In particular, ensure that staff are working to up-to-date individual risk assessments. 30/09/2017

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered person must ensure: (2)(b) that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12(2)(b)) In particular, use body maps when relevant to provide clear audit trails. 30/09/2017

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the care planning standard, the registered person must ensure: (2)(b)(ii) arrangements are in place to manage and review the placement of each child in the home. (Regulation 14(2)(b)(ii)) In particular, ensure that impact risk assessments are completed in detail with all information taken into account and reviewed to ensure that each child is suitable for the placement. 30/09/2017

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Recommendations

 Ensure that staff engage proactively to contribute fully to the relevant plans for the child’s care on an ongoing basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.3) In particular, ensure that targets for children are specific.  Ensure the workforce plan is kept up to date to ensure all necessary training is Inspection report children’s home: 1250902 4 undertaken. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8) In particular, ensure that staff undertake regular training in mental health awareness and that there is clear oversight of training records.  Ensure staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5) In particular, ensure that risk assessments identify risk before and after

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The aims of the service include ‘to treat all young people in our care as unique individuals, and to encourage and support young people to achieve and thrive with unlimited outcomes in life by promoting young people to make safe decisions now and in their future.’ These aims are delivered through everyday practice, and they underpin the belief and passion of staff. Young people are given the support that they need to begin to reach their full potential and thrive. The staff have successfully created an environment where, through the highly individualised care, young people are happy, relaxed and begin to make progress. Although this home has only recently opened, the staff team works extremely well together and this has created a positive and caring atmosphere. Staff, young people and families are openly accepted and fully involved in all decisions in the home. There have been some challenges with placements; however, staff have sought hard to adapt

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

practice and they have not given up. Instead, staff have embraced and learned from placements and developed together as a result. Young people enjoy a range of experiences and care that enable each young person’s emotional and physical well-being to develop. Some young people who, prior to this placement, had confined themselves to their rooms, are now more confident, engage with staff and access the community. Previous anxieties in social situations have reduced. Staff have worked with professionals to ensure that young people get the necessary individual support and advice. Parents and professionals describe the progress made by young people as remarkable. Young people are happier and exhibit less challenging behaviours and are more independent. Young people are now able to initiate opportunities for social interaction independently, and they have grown in self- confidence. Staff invest quality time with young people. They offer each young person the

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

opportunity to be heard and to be understood. Young people’s rights are integral to how the home operates, and staff advocate well for them if they feel other services and professionals are not fulfilling their responsibilities. For example, in one instance, staff have involved the children’s commissioner. Young people are supported to make choices in many aspects of their care, including the choice of staff they work with, the activities Inspection report children’s home: 1250902 5 they take part in and the meals they eat. Young people are encouraged to express their views and feelings in how the home is run. Young people are able to access a range of social and educational opportunities outside of the home, which would not have been otherwise possible for some young people. Examples include opportunities for work experience, cinema trips and visits to the Isle of Wight. Every day of the school holidays involved a new trip with activities being carefully

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

considered to ensure that young people were able to make the most of these opportunities. Staff do not allow young people’s disability to be a barrier to accessing the community. Young people were seen to be well prepared through the use of individual communication systems and they were happy about the choices this enabled them to make. Young people were able to explain where they had gone on activities; they were excited at being able to re-tell these adventures. Targets to develop independence have been identified for young people. However, there is a focus on a desired outcome that is generic. These targets are not broken down into realistic goals and it is difficult to monitor the progress made. This inhibits regular reviews to ensure that targets are still appropriate and achievable. Achievements that young people have made are fully celebrated, with certificates being awarded and star charts are used to motivate young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the opening of the home, staff have managed transitions into the home well and there has been one emergency discharge. Managers and staff worked with the necessary professionals to ensure that the move out was in the best interests of the young person and others in placement. The local authority was extremely pleased with the support offered around this placement. Impact risk assessments are completed prior to admission; however, these do not take into account vulnerabilities such as emotional and mental health. In addition, information from local authorities is not taken into account when decisions on a placement are made. These are not reviewed to ensure that the compatibility of young people in placement is safe, and if the placement continues to meet young people’s complex needs.

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

Young people appear comfortable in the presence of staff; for example, they approach staff when they require help and support. One young person stated that he felt safe and liked living in the home. Young people have learned a level of tolerance which previously they found difficult. They accept each other’s differences and are now beginning to develop friendships with each other. Bullying has not been a concern and, through effective role modelling by staff, young people are beginning to treat each other with respect. Staff have a good understanding of child protection and safeguarding, and their role in protecting young people. They are aware of individual vulnerabilities and how to reduce risk. The young people are not currently assessed as displaying high risk in the areas of self-harm and child sexual exploitation. Some young people display self-injurious behaviours; staff are very aware and monitor the occurrence of these and will access

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

support of external professionals if necessary. Staff have received training in radicalisation awareness. They demonstrated good knowledge of the vulnerabilities of Inspection report children’s home: 1250902 6 the young people due to their disability and potential grooming. Staff have contacted local police officers to provide some advice to the young people with a focus on online safety. When young people are placed, consideration is given as to whether they could put themselves at risk by going off-site. The necessary protocols are put in place to enable staff to be aware of the risks in this area. High staffing levels minimise its likelihood. There have not been any occurrences since the home opened; however, staff remain vigilant. Staff are consistent in their management of behaviours, with clear and consistent boundaries. Positive behaviour is consistently promoted. Sanctions are not used directly,

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

but the consequences of actions are explained. Through this, young people begin to understand the implications of behaviours and gain an increased sense of personal responsibility. There has been frequent use of physical intervention since the home has opened with one particular young person. The young person went into crisis while in placement and the interventions were necessary to prevent injury to himself and others. Incidents following any challenging behaviours are recorded. However, during the inspection some records of physical interventions gave limited information in relation to injuries and bruising to young people. Body maps are not completed, and accident sheets lack any detail of a bruise or marks and if referral and monitoring is required. This leads to assumptions and incomplete audit trials. During the course of the inspection, the manager took action to start to implement a more rigorous procedure to manage

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

this. There are a range of risk assessments that are put in place as soon as a young person is admitted into the home. However, risk assessments are not clear on the risk level before and after strategies are implemented. In addition, individual risk assessments do not detail information identified in local authority paperwork and from previous placements. Staff had not been given clear guidelines during this time to prevent reoccurrence of some behaviours. The home has effective links with the local safeguarding board, and there has not been the need to make any referrals since the home opened. Staff are, however, confident in reporting any concerns and who they would go to. Links with other professionals have ensured that well-coordinated responses have been made when staff have considered that young people have placed themselves at risk.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

This home has opened only very recently. Managers have set it on a very good course; they have created good working relationships with external professionals, and ensured that staff have been fully involved in this. This has resulted in a strong and effective team. The manager is ambitious and is looking to ensure that all staff achieve high standards. The use of research is fed back to the staff team to aid learning and development and to ensure that young people’s needs are fully met. The manager ensures that the staff team shares her high expectations. The passion was evident from the manager and staff team in wanting the best for the young people. The manager took action to start to address some of the shortfalls identified during this Inspection report children’s home: 1250902 7 inspection. Staff were fully involved in this and all the decisions made, and this enables them to embrace the learning that sometimes needs to take place. Staff confirm that the

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

management team is approachable and supportive. Managers also work on shift to ensure consistency and this helps them to monitor and ensure that staff are working to the required standards. This also enables managers to be aware of and understand the progress of each young person and if any changes to their care plans are required. Staff confirm that they receive regular supervision, which also gives them the chance to reflect on how to fully support the young people. There are training opportunities for staff to further develop their skills in supporting the young people. Training in relation to mental health has not yet taken place and staff would benefit from this, given the needs of the young people in placement. Although some staff are reported to have awareness of mental health, it is an area that could be further improved. In addition, the training information available is difficult to monitor and to have clear oversight, and it is difficult

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

to determine when refresher training for some staff is due. The manager is very aware of the strengths and weaknesses in the home and she is making plans to address areas that she feels need strengthening. Effective action is taken when weaknesses are highlighted. Monitoring takes place, which is evaluative and identifies any areas for improvement. This enables the home to reflect on current practice. The statement of purpose clearly sets out the ethos of the home and how it is to be achieved. There is evidence of close partnership working with parents and professionals to ensure that these aims are met. Equality and diversity is reflected in practice in the home. Young people have a voice, which staff and managers ensure is heard.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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 whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

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 children’s home: 1250902 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Calcot Services For Children

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Calcot Services for Children Limited C/O Haines Watts Advantage, 87 Castle Street, Reading, Berkshire RG1 7SN

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Inspector

Emeline Evans, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1250902 9 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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