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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1250902 1

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Calcot Services For Children Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to care for up to seven young people and is owned and managed by a private organisation. The home cares for young people who have a range of learning disabilities. The home is situated over two adjoining properties. In October 2018, the home expanded its registration from four to seven placements.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered by Ofsted in July 2018.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to investigate a recent complaint against the home. The complaint raised several concerns. These included: poor levels of staff training, poor cleanliness in the home, unrepaired damage, insufficient food, unsafe arrangements for giving prescribed medication and non-verbal young people unable to express themselves. Further concerns included: young people not supported to keep themselves clean, one incident where a young person was badly managed in the community, young people not receiving pocket money, poor behaviour management, poor assessments prior to the admission of young people to the home and insufficient staffing levels.

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This monitoring visit

Staff retention in this home is poor. Between 17 October and 10 December 2018, six members of staff have left the home. This has resulted in low staff morale, inconsistent behaviour management and high levels of agency staff. However, young people are supervised in accordance with their care plans and risk assessments.

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This monitoring visit

The support for the registered manager is insufficient. At present, the registered manager is supported by three senior members of staff. However, the senior members of staff lack relevant management experience.

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This monitoring visit

Staff training requires improvement. Managers acknowledged that staff were not Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1250902 2 sufficiently trained to meet the complex needs of a recent admission. For example, staff caring for a young person with a history of physical violence were not restraint trained. This presented a possible risk of harm to both the young person and the staff concerned.

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This monitoring visit

Food hygiene in the home is poor. During this inspection, food items were found to be five days past their expiration date. While staff acted to quickly remove these items, they presented a possible risk to both staff and young people.

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This monitoring visit

Staff work hard to ascertain the wishes and feelings of young people. Young people make good use of PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System) to choose activities and food preferences.

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This monitoring visit

The home is well maintained. Managers ensure that repairs occur quickly, and any damage is rectified.

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This monitoring visit

Medication procedures are safe. Staff carefully record the levels of prescribed medication and store it safely.

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This monitoring visit

Concerns over young people’s hygiene and access to pocket money are unfounded. Case records evidence young people regularly attending to their personal hygiene and receiving weekly pocket money. Staff work hard to establish positive routines for the young people, including prioritising regular exercise.

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This monitoring visit

Behaviour management is poor. One young person recently purchased an energy drink in the presence of two staff members. Staff did not challenge this, despite his risk assessment indicating the harmful affects of consuming high levels of caffeine and him being under the legal age of 16 for buying such products. In addition, the young person concerned was given keys to the home by an agency member of staff. Both incidents occurred on the same day and culminated in the arrest of the young person concerned.

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This monitoring visit

Managers acknowledged the concerns raised by one recent incident in the community. The relevant risk assessment has now been updated, and staff have been reminded of the need for ongoing vigilance when supervising the young person concerned.

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This monitoring visit

Staff do not always challenge decisions made by placing authorities. In one case, a 13-year-old young person was allowed access to video games classified for 15-year- olds. This was despite a history of violent behaviours and a recent serious assault on staff.

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This monitoring visit

Managers acknowledged that the most recent admission was poorly planned. The admission occurred over a weekend which limited preparation time. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1250902 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 19/06/2018 Full Outstanding 07/12/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 30/08/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1250902 4

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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

35: Behaviour management policies and records

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (‘the behaviour management policy’) which sets out— How appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home. (Regulation 35(1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the policy should address the need for staff to have clear guidance concerning the risk factors for each child and to offer a consistent response on key issues such as restricting access to energy drinks. 13/02/2019

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard, the registered provider must ensure–

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably. (Regulation 6(2)(b)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, that the provider ensures that all food kept within the home is fresh and the kitchen is kept clean. 13/02/19

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 13/02/2019 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1250902 5 ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; (Regulation 13(2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the home must ensure that the staff receive physical restraint training and any other training specific to the needs of the young people resident in the home.

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Recommendations

 Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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Recommendations

 The registered person must demonstrate every effort to achieve continuity of staffing to prevent disruption to children’s attachments. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 51, paragraph 10.1)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)

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Recommendations

 Any registered manager placed in charge of a children’s home or staff member in a deputy or supervisory role such as ‘shift leader’ should have substantial relevant experience. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.21)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1250902 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Calcot Services For Children Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Barnaby Dowell, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1250902 7 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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