Children's Home run by Calcot Services for Children Limited in West Berkshire

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC011185 1 SC011185 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

This privately owned home provides care for up to seven children with complex emotional, social and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a registered manager since 29 December 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

There were no children living in the home at the time of this visit.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit took place to review the provider’s response to the compliance notices and to monitor their progress following the last full inspection, when the home was judged to be inadequate. No children have been living in the home since March 2022. As a result, not all the requirements raised at the full inspection in August 2022 could be reviewed at this monitoring visit and they have therefore been reissued.

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This monitoring visit

The home is nearly ready to admit children. All hazardous tools and broken furniture have been removed from the home.

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This monitoring visit

Three bedrooms are furnished and have soft furnishings, apart from curtains. There were plans to order these in the week following this visit. The remainder of the furniture and soft furnishings have been ordered and are due to arrive shortly.

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This monitoring visit

On the day of the inspection, an emergency light was moved from a bedroom to the corridor. Further work is planned to replace a shower panel that had been stained with hair dye and damaged door handles are due to be replaced imminently. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC011185 2 The home needs a final clean throughout and the responsible individual assured the inspector that this will happen once the home is ready to admit children. As a result, the compliance notice in relation to regulation 12 (1) (2)(d) is met.

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This monitoring visit

The home does not have a registered manager or staff team. There had been some progress in seeking a manager for the home, but the only suitable candidate identified declined to take the role. The recruitment team continues to actively seek to recruit a manager.

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This monitoring visit

The recruitment team is focused on fully staffing other homes in the organisation that have children living in them. This is with a view to some experienced staff coming to this home once it is ready to reopen. The new staff who have been employed are currently working in other homes in the organisation until this home is ready to open again.

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This monitoring visit

As there are no staff working in the home, the provider has not been able to complete a review of staff skills. As a result, the compliance notice in relation to regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(d) is not met. There are examples of the process that will take place which are basic and yet to be implemented, as the home is not operating currently. The newly implemented admissions matrix is clear and highlights the needs of children that staff in each home are able to meet. Areas for staff training are also highlighted in the admissions matrix.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual is clear that they have no intention of admitting children to the home until there is a suitable manager and a staff team in place. The provider has a condition on their registration whereby they must give three months’ notice to Ofsted before admitting children to the home.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

31/08/2022 Full Inadequate 21/07/2021 Full Outstanding 28/01/2020 Full Outstanding 11/09/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC011185 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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(viii))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 10 February 2023

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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 promotes their welfare.

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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 staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(d)) 10 February 2023

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and 10 February 2023 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC011185 4 have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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 children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home;

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and the registered provider—

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Requirement Due date

is an organisation or a partnership. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 10 February 2023

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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: SC011185 5

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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 - monitoring visit: SC011185 6 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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