Children's home run by Reamcare Limited in Kingston upon Thames

Inspection report children's home: SC481369 1 SC481369 Registered provider: Reamcare 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 and accommodation for up to five children who have learning and/or physical disabilities.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Inspectors were aware during this inspection that serious child protection allegations were being investigated by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate allegations of this kind, actions taken by the setting in response to the allegations were considered alongside other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform inspectors’ judgements.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

p.1

outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

p.1

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.

p.1

outstanding

Date of last inspection: 10 February 2020

p.1

outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

p.1

outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: SC481369 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/02/2020 Full Outstanding 15/10/2018 Full Outstanding 12/12/2017 Full Outstanding 07/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children's home: SC481369 3

p.2

outstanding

Children make outstanding progress from their starting points as a direct result of the exceptional care provided by the staff and managers. One headteacher said, ‘They care extraordinarily well for the children in their care.’ A child’s advocate said, ‘I am delighted and impressed with the progress that [name of child] is making.’ These statements reflect the home’s welcoming atmosphere and the staff’s exceptional dedication to the children who live there.

p.3

outstanding

Children gain confidence in their independence. Children achieve significant milestones because of the attention to detail by the staff in planning each day. Children learn to clean their bedrooms, go shopping, set the dinner table and attend to their own personal care.

p.3

outstanding

Staff are resourceful in overcoming any barriers to children’s education. The registered manager advocates for children and successfully challenges education providers. This helps to ensure that children have access to formal education. When schools have been closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the staff have been creative in enabling children to continue their learning.

p.3

outstanding

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some of the children’s community activities have been restricted. Despite this, staff have ensured that children have continued to enjoy a wealth of activities promoting their emotional and physical well-being. New indoor trampolines have helped keep children active, alongside children’s yoga, head massages, walks in the local park and ‘end of lockdown’ parties. A member of staff utilised her skills as a qualified hairdresser to enable children to have their hair cut and styled to their choice.

p.3

outstanding

As restrictions have been eased, children have enjoyed summer holidays, day trips to the zoo, adventure parks and a trampoline park. Children continue to engage in baking, art and crafts and join in birthday and leaving celebrations.

p.3

outstanding

The register manager values the children’s memories. As a result, children receive an individual annual photographic yearbook every year, of all their activities and successes. These books give children something that they can treasure for years to come.

p.3

outstanding

The home’s welcoming environment is arranged to meet the needs of all the children. The home has excellent facilities and resources, including a sensory room and garden. Children’s bedrooms are sympathetically adapted to meet their needs. For example, bedrooms for children with sensory needs may have blackout curtains or ‘calm’ spaces to help reduce any anxiety. Children help choose their bedroom decorations and personalise their spaces with family photographs and other important family mementos. Inspection report children's home: SC481369 4 Staff place children at the heart of the home. Staff listen to and act on children’s wishes and feelings. The registered manager said, ‘Staff are always led by the children.’ This meticulous attention to detail ensures that the care provided matches each child’s unique routines and preferences.

p.3

outstanding

Children’s contributions to their care are evident. Staff use social stories, ‘communicative scripts’ and picture exchange systems to enable children to be informed about their care. Children contribute their views during the monthly house meetings. They also have fun deciding what to put on Santa’s list and choosing their lunch boxes and school bags for the new school term.

p.4

outstanding

Children are kept safe, and they communicate that they feel safe. Children’s individual risk assessments align with risk management strategies that ensure that staff are aware of the specific risks for each child. Staff are fully aware of the actions that they must take to minimise any risks to protect children. High levels of staff supervision ensure that children do not go missing from the home.

p.4

outstanding

Staff are always alert to the changing needs of children and help them to overcome any challenges that may arise. The staff have used social stories, to help to prepare eligible children to receive their coronavirus vaccinations. One exceptionally sensitive piece of work has been in supporting a child through a family bereavement.

p.4

outstanding

Positive behaviour support plans enable staff to respond to the children’s complex needs. Staff proactively identify children’s stress triggers that may lead to challenging behaviour, and they swiftly use redirection or de-escalation techniques to successfully help keep children calm. Staff rarely use restraint to manage complex behaviours. If physical restraint is used, the action is necessary to prevent harm or injury to the children and others. The registered manager always reviews and evaluates the use of any physical restraint in the home.

p.4

outstanding

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, staff have ensured that children maintained their important family relationships, either virtually or face-to-face when it has been safe. Staff have gone above and beyond to prepare and support children to attend family funerals and family weddings. Staff have also helped children visit their families for day trips to theme parks and family Christmas dinners.

p.4

outstanding

Staff meticulously plan children’s moves into the home and when children are ready to move to a new service. Inspection report children's home: SC481369 5

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Since the last inspection, the acting manager has registered with Ofsted to become the home’s registered manager. She has a wealth of knowledge and experience gained from her working career in residential care, supporting vulnerable children and their families. She is keen to develop the home and build on their national autistic society accreditation and is currently undergoing the advanced accreditation assessment.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager ensures that the staff’s welfare needs are met. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the manager has used her skills as a mental health first aider to support staff. During periods of national lockdown, staff formed ‘shift bubbles’ to limit their contacts and help keep themselves and the children safe. As a reward for staff’s unquestionable commitment to the children, staff received rewards such as ‘well-being’ gift bags. A member of staff said, ‘I am very proud to say that I work at [name of home].’

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Multi-professional partnership working is a strength of the home. Staff attend every child’s relevant care, education and health meeting. This collaborative working ensures consistency in children’s care and support. The registered manager also works closely with the local NHS hub to ensure that the latest COVID-19 guidance is followed to help protect the vulnerable children living in the home.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is fully staffed, and staff recruitment is robust. This means that only suitable people work in the home. All applicants must undertake a trial shift before an offer of employment. This helps to ensure that new staff understand their role and the expectations of working in the home before employment. Training is wide ranging and designed to meet the needs of children, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. However, some additional training with schools has been delayed due to school closure as a result of lockdowns. Inspection report children's home: SC481369 6

p.5

Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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: SC481369 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 100 Thorkhill Road, Thames Ditton, Surrey, KT7 0UW

p.7

Inspector

Victoria Jones, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: SC481369 8 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.

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 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: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8