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

Inspection report children’s home: SC054468 1 SC054468 Registered provider: Calcot Services for Children Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned by a company which operates several children’s homes in the area. The home is registered to accommodate a maximum of three young people who may have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered since May 2018.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC054468 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/03/2018 Full Good 22/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 07/06/2016 Full Good 09/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC054468 3

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Recommendations

 As set out in regulations 31-33, the registered person is responsible for maintaining good employment practice. They must ensure that recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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Recommendations

 The registered provider should also ensure that the independent person they appoint has the skills and understanding necessary to relate to children in a home’s care; assess all relevant information; and form an impartial judgement about the quality of the home’s care. (‘Guide to the children home regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.8)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children living at this home benefit from care delivered by attentive staff. The staff have developed relationships with the children based on trust and mutual respect. The staff support the children to achieve the best possible outcomes. They have high aspirations for the children, and this passion drives them to support the children to achieve their goals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children are making significant progress. They benefit from a strong culture of striving for the best and aiming high. As a result, they are achieving success that was not previously thought possible. One child has developed increased self-awareness, and consequently is now confident to travel and shop independently. He is learning skills for life and making plans for his future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Making choices is promoted at this home. The children’s views are sought as part of daily life. They are able to effect change: examples include the development of the home, changes to the garden and the decoration of the shared areas of the home. They will soon have a log cabin installed in the garden to provide them with another social area. Children learn to engage effectively in decision-making forums, and some have progressed to being able to attend their whole reviews. This is significant progress and greatly empowers the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

A wide range of meaningful activities and opportunities enhance the skills and experiences of the children. Learning through daily tasks and caring for their rooms and the home form a base from which further skills are developed. One child said, ‘I Inspection report children’s home: SC054468 4 appreciate the skills I am learning here and know I have more opportunities than I would have if I didn’t live here.’ High-quality ‘I can do’ books capture the learning of life skills that the children achieve. Projects such as the design of the front garden incorporate a whole-home approach, and offer opportunities for the children and staff to work together.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff are attuned to the children. They actively demonstrate the playfulness, acceptance, curiosity and empathy ( PACE) parenting model and are interested and reflective in their approach. Staff describe feeling well trained in the model of care. They are skilled at working with attachment and understand the home’s ethos and values, which are intrinsically threaded through their actions. Consequently, they deliver well-informed care in line with the home’s statement of purpose.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Education is positively promoted. Some of the children attend the organisation’s own school. Frequent communication between the home and school ensures that the children are provided with consistent care by well-informed staff. Attendance is excellent, and children are being supported to plan for their future. One child is planning to attend college. The staff are ensuring that visits to colleges are taking place to enable him to make an informed choice.

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

A strong safeguarding culture is well established. Staff know what to report, to whom and when. Risk assessments reliably inform staff of what known risks look like and provide clear strategies to reduce risk that incorporate the home’s therapeutic approach. Observations demonstrate that staff are confident using this guidance to reduce risk. They are skilled in delivering a high-quality service.

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

Restrictive measures are used infrequently. Staff always try distraction, and other de- escalation techniques, empowering the children to make positive choices. Consequently, physical restraint is genuinely a last resort. Records of incidents are clear, with the greatest emphasis on helping the children to understand their behaviour through reflection and talking through other potential outcomes.

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

Opportunities for critical reflection are regular. The staff make good use of these forums to understand the behaviour of the children. They incorporate learning from these forums to enhance the care plans for the children and adapt to their changing needs. As a result of this holistic approach to care, some of the children’s risky behaviours have significantly reduced.

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

Effective communication within the wider community is underpinned by well-established relationships. Positive working relationships with social workers, the police and neighbours ensure a well-integrated approach to community living. The children experience positive links within the community. They regularly access local clubs and leisure activities. As a result, the children have positive experiences in their local community. Inspection report children’s home: SC054468 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has been in post since 2017. She has a proven track record within the organisation. Her passion and dedication to providing a stable base for the children are shared by her team. She ensures that the home looks and feels as much like a family home as possible. She is determined to support the children to achieve the best possible outcomes. As a result, she leads her team effectively to ensure that the outcomes for the children are the best that can possibly be achieved.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managerial monitoring is highly effective. The manager uses her monitoring to provide staff with frequent feedback regarding the quality and purpose of care. However, the independent reports lack rigour. The staff do not find them to be critical or useful for the continued development of the home. The manager has spoken to the senior leaders highlighting this area for improvement and continues to review and monitor the home effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Overall, pre-employment checks are good. However, the provider did not make clear to the recipient the timescales for the receipt of an overseas good conduct check. This meant that there was some avoidable drift and delay. However, this did not have an impact directly on the care being delivered to the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Induction for new staff is comprehensive. Staff said that they felt well prepared for working with the home’s therapeutic approach. One staff member said, ‘This is the best induction I’ve ever had, the training is excellent.’ A comprehensive training programme ensures that staff are able to continue developing their skills. Annual appraisal and frequent supervision ensure that staff have regular reviews of their practice and have clearly agreed goals to work towards.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Children are involved in their plans. Staff work alongside them to develop clear goals. Success is celebrated, as are milestones such as anniversaries, birthdays and festivals. An abundance of photos around the home provide the children with positive reminders as they make memories. As a result of this, the children are proud of their achievements, and frequently exceed expectations in what they can achieve.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager makes effective use of joint working. For example, when children are experiencing challenges, she utilises the support of the therapeutic services available within the organisation, and that of the placing social workers. Plans are formulated using a multi-agency approach to underpin placement stability for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The physical environment of the home is well maintained. Together with the children, the manager and staff have created a very homely environment, with welcoming shared spaces and comfortable areas to relax and socialise. The children’s bedrooms are highly individualised, clean and modern. They provide a safe haven for the children to rest in. Inspection report children’s home: SC054468 6

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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: SC054468 7

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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

Sarah Olliver, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC054468 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 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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