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

Inspection report children’s home: SC011185 1 SC011185 Registered provider: Calcot Services For Children Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home provides care for up to seven young people. The provider states in its statement of purpose that it provides care for young people with complex emotional, social and behavioural difficulties. The home provides a therapeutic approach to care, which can include psychotherapy, art, drama and music therapy. The registered manager was registered with Ofsted in February 2018.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 11 to 12 September 2018

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 12 September 2017

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC011185 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/09/2017 Full Good 08/02/2017 Full Good 07/07/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 24/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC011185 3

p.2

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.

p.3

Requirement Due date

Behaviour management policies and records

p.3

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 24 hours of a restraint in relation to a child in the home a record is made which includes a description of any injury to the child. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(viii)) 01/12/2018

p.3

Recommendations

 Ensure that for children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9). In particular, ensure that bulbs in the main lounge light fittings are working.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people live in a home which is life enriching and builds their resilience, confidence and self-esteem. They are making encouraging progress and they are aspirational for their futures. Young people stated that the home is a ‘decent place’ and ‘staff are doing as much as possible’.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work holistically to provide targeted support. Young people said that the home is ‘family orientated’ and ‘adults are really nice and very understanding’ of their needs. They develop secure attachments, working in partnership with staff to form their care planning objectives.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The majority of children are attending school or college; where there are issues, staff tenaciously advocate for children’s educational needs. Within the home, young people Inspection report children’s home: SC011185 4 can earn additional certificates through a nationally accredited scheme. Young people receive encouragement to enter competitions and to fulfil their potential.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people pursue their hobbies and talents by engaging in a wide range of activities. Within the home, there is an arts and crafts room and a music room. Young people also enjoy going on holidays, which further expands their experiences.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are highly influential within the home, the organisation and further afield. Two of the young people are members of the ‘Calcot Council’. Young people also contribute positively to society though their volunteering and charitable work.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people benefit from improvements to their physical, emotional, social and psychological well-being. They receive a wide range of therapeutic support, which helps them with managing their emotions. A good example of improved outcomes is providing young people with alternative options to self-harming.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people learn the skills needed for adulthood in an age-appropriate manner. A semi-independence scheme enables young people to manage their own budget. Older young people receive support with finding employment and applying for a provisional driving licence and a passport.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff value each young person’s heritage and there is a good understanding of religious and cultural needs. Young people learn about diversity, which is educational and helps them to appreciate difference. Staff are also good at facilitating contact where it is in a young person’s best interests.

p.4

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

Young people said that they feel safe and that they learn the importance of keeping themselves safe. This includes online safety and the dangers of child sexual exploitation. A police officer praised the ‘good communication and willingness to work with partners to ensure the children in their care are safeguarded’.

p.4

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

Positive holding is used where young people are unable to regulate their emotions and behaviour. On one occasion, a young person stated that they were hurt during a physical intervention. Records do not evidence that staff explored this issue, although the registered manager explained that an injury had not been seen.

p.4

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

There are currently no issues in relation to episodes of going missing or radicalisation. Leaders and managers have developed a memorandum of understanding with their regional police force. A social worker stated that their young person’s ‘behaviour and attitude has improved significantly’.

p.4

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

There is a strong, targeted multi-agency approach to tackling child sexual exploitation. Leaders and managers attend a monthly meeting where multi-agency strategies are agreed upon to keep each individual young person safe. A police officer described staff as ‘proactive’ in notifying them of concerns. Inspection report children’s home: SC011185 5 The organisation’s recruitment practices are thorough and young people contribute to the process. Staff benefit from ongoing relevant training, which helps them to protect young people. Staff praised the recent training regarding the risk of young people becoming involved in child sexual exploitation and child criminal exploitation ‘county lines’.

p.4

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

The comprehensive risk management system identifies possible hazards or risks of harm. Certificates and regular checks confirm the safety of the environment. The only issue identified was in relation to some light bulbs not working in the main lounge.

p.5

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

Young people’s positive behaviour is reinforced through the organisation’s reward system. Staff use consequences where rules, boundaries and expectations are broken or not met. A social worker praised the ‘clear boundaries while remaining supportive and empathetic’.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered managers have created a culture of high aspiration and positivity, which contributed to them winning the organisation’s ‘manager of the year’ award. The registered managers know the home’s strengths and are working through their action plan for continual improvement. A young person’s relative described the care as ‘excellent’ and a police officer highlighted ‘this home goes from strength to strength’.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There is an excellent commitment to working in partnership and engaging in open communication. Staff maintain computerised records, which can be accessed by social workers and young people’s appropriate relatives. The organisation’s comprehensive website and social media presence additionally provides young people and others with general information.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The requirement and recommendations from the last inspection have been addressed. Young people benefit from improved health and well-being outcomes and there have been no episodes of young people going missing from the home. Key-work sessions also highlight the importance of healthy and nurturing relationships, while the staffing issue has been resolved.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Young people receive care from an experienced and committed staff team. Staff benefit from regular appraisals and reflective individual and collective clinical supervision with a psychotherapist. A police officer described the staff team as ‘brilliant’.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff have excellent training opportunities and the vast majority have completed their vocational training. The registered manager inspires staff with innovative research and developments, which contribute to the high-quality care.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers influence, and are updated on changes within social care, through their membership of internal and national groups. They confidently influence the social care sector through offering social work students placements in their role of social Inspection report children’s home: SC011185 6 work education.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers empower young people to champion equality for children in care and advocate for national change. Young people have given talks to social work students and petitioned members of Parliament.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home excels in providing young people with a spacious, comfortable family-style place to live. Visiting dogs and the ability for young people to keep pets enhances the homely environment. A staff member highlighted ‘just being homely is therapeutic in itself’.

p.6

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.

p.6

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: SC011185 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Calcot Services For Children Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 8 Brewery Court, Theale, Reading, Berkshire RG7 5AJ

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered managers: Sarah Walton, Cassandra Venn

p.7

Inspector

Sharon Payne: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC011185 8 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.

p.7

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8