Children's home run by Calcot Services for Children Limited

Inspection report for children's home: 2546476 1 Registered provider: Calcot Services for Children Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned home that was registered with Ofsted in November 2019. It provides care and accommodation for up to six children with social and/or emotional difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a registered manager since February 2022.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be 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.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Inadequate Inspection report for children's home: 2546476 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/05/2022 Full Inadequate 01/12/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2546476 3

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improvement to be good

The home was judged as inadequate at the full inspection on 30 May 2022. Five requirements were made. No other enforcement action was taken at this time. The home had a monitoring visit on 21 July 2022, where the five requirements set at the full inspection remained in place.

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improvement to be good

At the time of this inspection, two children were living in the home. Since the last full inspection, one child has moved on to semi-independent living. This move was expediated by the leaders in the home as it was felt she was ready to move. A child has moved in from another home within the organisation. The home was unsettled for a period of time while three were living together, due to the vastly different needs of two of the children. Those living together now are a more suitable match. While their needs are different, staff are learning the skills to be able to care for both effectively.

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improvement to be good

Children’s progress and experiences have been improving since the last full inspection and both are now attending education full time. Staff have supported one child who has been out of education for a significant time to overcome their barriers to learning. Leaders at the home have challenged the school effectively as required to increase the child’s timetable. Children had a range of activities to try over the summer holidays and have the chance to try out things they may enjoy or that they express an interest in.

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improvement to be good

Parents are positive about the progress the children are making, with one particularly happy with how smooth the move to the home was for her son. Social workers are, in the main, positive about the change in the home and how experiences are improving for children. It is recognised, however, that there are still areas to improve to ensure positive outcomes and consistent care for children in the home.

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improvement to be good

One-to-one sessions with children are beginning to take place more frequently, however, this remains a work in progress and there are still gaps in the planning of topics to be covered. The language used in records is not always appropriate, with regard to how staff describe children. Management monitoring of these records is improving.

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improvement to be good

Children’s health needs are generally well met. Staff encourage them to try a wider range of foods and keep physically active. One child has begun to use the toilet independently for the first time. This is a massive achievement for him and allows him greater independence. The epilepsy response plan for one child has not been reviewed since his move. There have been delays in seeking occupational therapy input for one child, meaning that staff are using a handling belt for him without a proper assessment and agreement as to its use. Inspection report for children's home: 2546476 4 The physical environment is improving, with children involved in choosing colours and decor for the shared areas as well as their own rooms. Children benefit from having communal areas as well as their own calm lounge and computer area.

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improvement to be good

Staff are aware of the processes to follow should they be concerned for a child’s welfare. However, it was noted by the independent visitor that incidents where a child has alleged harm during physical interventions had not been reported to the local authority designated officer (LADO). When matters of concern have been raised with the LADO, staff have not followed up to ensure that swift action is taken to ensure that any learning with regard to care practice is identified and acted on.

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improvement to be good

Staff have not acted appropriately in following safety plans for a child who was at risk of exploitation. For example, the child was dropped off at a different location to the one agreed, and then allowed to stay out for more days than planned. There was a serious lack of professional curiosity by the deputy managers when the child was collected from a different location to the one she was supposed to be at. There are no records of agreements with the social worker to the changes in location or days away from the home. It was not clear that the child had a suitable debrief to check she was safe and well after being away for an extended period.

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improvement to be good

Staff are more attuned to understanding children’s needs and behaviours. However, at the time of inspection, a large window had been smashed by a child in distress. The senior leader overseeing the home recognises that staff should have responded differently in responding to the child at this time. Staff are learning to improve their skills in both communication and behaviour management. Serious incidents have reduced since the last inspection, as has the use of physical intervention.

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improvement to be good

The environment is physically safe and many hazards have been made safe since the last inspection, including turning outside steps into planters, with seasonal flowers. Furniture that was in a poor state is being replaced and the garden is now tidy and free from stinging nettles. There is an inconsistent approach to whether the three sets of gates to the front of the property should be closed or not, and risk assessments for children are not clear as to how or when staff should secure the gates.

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good

The home has been without a registered manager since February 2022. A new manager started but remained in post for a matter of weeks before leaving unexpectedly. This caused some upset to the children, who had started to bond with her. The operations manager is overseeing the home and is striving to make improvements, however, many of these are yet to be embedded in practice. Inspection report for children's home: 2546476 5 Two deputy managers have joined the home since the last full inspection. They are settling into their roles. There remain concerns about the quality of management at times, including not recognising the risk of a child being exploited and not questioning why a child was at different locations to those agreed. There is also a lack of clarity as to rules and boundaries in the home.

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good

The statement of purpose, although recently revised, does not reflect the service and contains contradictions on the children’s needs that the staff and home can support, as well as the training and skills of the senior leaders.

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good

Children’s plans have all been reviewed to ensure they are reflective of the care they need and their current presentation. However, they still contain ambiguous terms, leaving support plans open to interpretation and potentially leaving children at risk. For example, plans describe ‘guiding’ children, without being clear as to how or whether this is a form of physical intervention.

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good

Staff are benefiting from a comprehensive training package to ensure that they have the skills to meet the needs of the children in placement. This is continuing and staff demonstrate that they are now more confident in meeting the complex needs of the children.

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good

Senior leaders and managers in the home have plans to liaise with education and other partner agencies to ensure children’s voices are heard and their physical and emotional needs met. However, this is in its infancy and meetings with school, for example to look at a child’s comprehension and communication, are yet to take place.

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good

The responsible individual and other senior staff have had a greater presence in the home to ensure that they know what is happening and to support the management team in the absence of a home manager. A new independent visitor has been brought in who is providing a more rigorous scrutiny of care practice and a more effective challenge, to improve practice. Inspection report for children's home: 2546476 6

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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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs. (Regulation 5 (b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that relevant professionals are consulted on children’s physical and emotional health, as well as speech and language needs. 30 November

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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

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are located so that children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring risk assessments are clear on the closing of gates to the front of the home for children’s safety. 30 November

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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

that staff— 30 November Inspection report for children's home: 2546476 7 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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, respond appropriately to children when they are at risk of exploitation or any other harm, and that there is suitable follow-up of concerns shared with the local authority designated officer.

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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 lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 13 (1)(a) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, review the statement of purpose, for it to be reflective of the service provided. 30 November Inspection report for children's home: 2546476 8 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) (2)(a)(h)) 30 November

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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 for children's home: 2546476 9

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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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Inspector

Jennie Christopher, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2546476 10 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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