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 Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to care for up to seven children and is owned and managed by a private organisation. The home cares for children 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.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in July 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 requires improvement to be good

p.1

good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1250902 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/03/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 19/06/2018 Full Outstanding 07/12/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 30/08/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1250902 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

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

p.3

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13(2)(c))

p.3

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that the competency of staff is routinely, and regularly, assessed. 30/09/2019

p.3

Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. (Regulation 23(1)) 30/09/2019

p.3

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)

p.3

Recommendations

 The policy for the protection of children from abuse of neglect should be available and explained to children and their families as well as to all staff, whatever their role. The registered person must make sure that all staff are familiar with this policy and act in accordance with it, in particular how to use it to report a concern. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraph 9.21) In particular, ensure that all staff are sufficiently knowledgeable about the roles and responsibilities of external safeguarding agencies. Inspection report children’s home: 1250902 4

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are very happy living in this home and have made good progress. Parents, social workers and other professionals say that the staff provide good-quality care for children. One parent is impressed by the staff team’s understanding and consistent approach to managing their child’s autism spectrum disorder, stating that, ‘This is the best I’ve seen him for a long, long, long, time.’

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are responsive to the children. A range of methods which include Makaton, pec symbols, social stories, and objects of reference, aid communication. One child who struggled to communicate is now comfortable and aminated when talking to staff. Another child is responding well to a range of communication methods which include writing down their thoughts. As a result, the children have a voice.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Independent advocacy services are sought for each child. This provides them with additional support to express their views, wishes and feelings.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy spacious and comfortable accommodation. The choice of decor, pictures and photographs creates a calming and homely atmosphere. Children’s bedrooms are highly personalised and unique. Alongside the children live Bruv the African snail, Angel the goldfish and two guinea pigs. This allows the children to enjoy the experience of caring for a pet.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The extensive range of toys, games and resources enable children to enjoy activities, from gardening and art projects to being able to relax watching a film cinema-style. The sunken trampoline, a sensory garden, and a specific area for one child to ride their tricycle have all been developed based on children’s interests and individual needs.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from varied opportunities to develop life skills and extend their social and educational experiences. Local events, such as Gay Pride and Autism Pride, enabled the children to take part in a colour run, as well as experiencing what it feels like to hold a tarantula spider.

p.4

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

Staff provide children with a safe and supportive place in which to live. Impact assessments have been revised. New referrals are assessed in considering the child’s needs and the likely impact of the child moving in. Well-written risk assessments inform staff on how to manage the children’s safety inside and outside of the home.

p.4

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

The manager and staff have a good understanding of the therapeutic needs of the children. The team is supported by two therapists who provide regular group consultation. This provides a platform for staff to reflect on and assess the children’s progress, and review and develop new strategies to support their well-being and to Inspection report children’s home: 1250902 5 manage their behaviour.

p.4

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

Staff are able to identify the organisation’s own safeguarding processes. However, not all staff are confident in their knowledge of the wider safeguarding frameworks in the local authority.

p.5

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

Staff have received training in medication and managing complex healthcare needs. However, there is no clear process for assessing the competence of staff. This is further compounded by a failure to ensure that medication records are clear and free from errors. There is the potential that children’s medication has been subject to errors. Leaders and managers could not confirm if all records were accurate.

p.5

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

Some children have highly complex health needs. Specialist nurses within the organisation work with external health professionals to provide support and training for the staff. This assists staff to develop the necessary skills to undertake specific healthcare tasks.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The home has experienced a period of instability. This has been compounded by some complexities arising from a new admission. Staffing ratios have not always been maintained. This has left staff feeling vulnerable and unsupported. The registered manager will shortly be leaving the home. A new manager, who is yet to apply to register with Ofsted, is now in post.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Since the last inspection in March 2019, there has been one complaint made to Ofsted about the home. The complaint related to medication, staffing and management, and was reviewed as part of the inspection.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders and managers are in the process of exploring how they can improve staff retention. Recruitment to fill current vacancies remains ongoing.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There are inconsistencies in how the home is monitored. For example, while care planning is appropriately managed, there is poor oversight of medication processes and the effectiveness of staff training.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Supervision has not been regularly delivered. The new manager has addressed this and there is a recent improvement. She has clear plans to ensure that this improvement is maintained with a strong drive to develop the skills and knowledge of the newly formed team. Staff reported an improvement in team morale and reflected positively on the recent increase in the level of support being provided.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Serious incidents are notified to Ofsted. The statement of purpose has been regularly reviewed and has recently been sent to Ofsted. Inspection report children’s home: 1250902 6

p.5

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: 1250902 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

Inspector

Joe Davys, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1250902 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