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

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC054468 1 SC054468 Registered provider: Calcot Services for Children Limited

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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 cares for a maximum of three children who may have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in February 2020.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit took place due to Ofsted receiving concerns about the home. These concerns related to a range of issues, including leadership and management and the safety and welfare of children.

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This monitoring visit

The most recent inspection of the home was in June 2021, when it was judged to be outstanding. No requirements or recommendations were made at that time. However, there has been a deterioration in the quality of care since the last inspection.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager will shortly be moving to another home in the organisation and there are plans for the deputy manager to apply for registration. An application has not yet been received.

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This monitoring visit

The home is, overall, exceptionally well presented and is comfortable, warm and homely. However, the one current child’s bedroom is in an unacceptable condition. Wooden boarding completely covers a broken window and has been in place for over four weeks. The wardrobe is damaged and is missing a door. The registered manager and operations manager both confirmed that these issues would be rectified immediately. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC054468 2 There is insufficient challenge and professional curiosity when children choose to spend excessive periods of time away from the home. Inspectors identified that one child has, on occasions, been away from the home for up to six hours at a time. Staff have not ensured that they are aware of the child’s whereabouts or satisfied themselves that the child is engaging in safe and age-appropriate activities. The management team has failed to identify any patterns or trends in the periods of

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This monitoring visit

absence from the home. This is a key failing of the home’s monitoring and review systems.

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This monitoring visit

Positively, there are indicators that children are wanting to spend more time in the home and with each other. The staff team is supportive of children’s friends coming to the home and this enables children to develop their social attachments and form friendships. However, these are very recent developments. There is still much work to do in establishing appropriate boundaries with staff and the building of a culture of mutual respect. For example, there have been occasions when children have demanded to be picked up and brought home at times of their choosing. Staff have agreed to their requests, and have also provided takeaway food at times, instead of encouraging children to eat together as part of the home’s normal routines.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has not ensured that all serious incidents have been notified to Ofsted as required. A search of a child’s room found that there were some prohibited and illegal items. Although the provider took effective action at the time, and liaised with police and other professionals, the failure to notify Ofsted is a concern. This means that the regulator has been unable to review this serious incident and the actions taken in response.

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This monitoring visit

Inspectors reviewed a risk assessment for a child which does not reflect the new agreed approaches to managing risk. These arrangements were agreed in October 2021. There is the potential for staff to be providing care to children based on ineffective approaches or out-of-date information. Furthermore, the placing social worker has not formally agreed the risk assessment so the provider cannot be certain that there is agreement with the actions being taken by the staff to manage risk.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/06/2021 Full Outstanding 29/01/2020 Full Outstanding 19/03/2019 Full Outstanding 06/03/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC054468 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

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii)) 21 January 2022

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically refers to ensuring that all children are actively encouraged and supported to contribute fully to life 21 January 2022 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC054468 4 in the home and further develop positive relationships with staff and each other.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)) 21 January 2022

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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—

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)) 21 January 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(e)) 21 January 2022

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Recommendation

 The registered person should seek to involve the placing authority that places a child looked after in the home, which in practice means working primarily with Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC054468 5 their statutory social worker. This refers to ensuring that children’s social workers are consulted and are in agreement with changes to care and risk management plans. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 11, paragraph 2.5)

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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: SC054468 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: Advantage, 87 Castle Street, Reading, Berkshire RG1 7SN

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Patrycja Soroczynska

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Inspectors

Pete Hylton, Regulatory Inspection Manager John Pledger, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC054468 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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

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