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

Inspection report for 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 home provides care for up to eight children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in January 2015. The suitably qualified manager registered with Ofsted in April 2020.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, seven children were living at the home.

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: 27 February 2024

p.1

outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

p.1

outstanding

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

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/02/2024 Full Outstanding 21/03/2023 Full Outstanding 11/01/2022 Full Outstanding 10/02/2020 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC481369 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children lead fun and busy lives at this home and they are provided with excellent care. The home has a happy, welcoming and vibrant atmosphere. The staff work hard to ensure that children’s voices are heard and that they receive individualised care and support.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff communicate skilfully with children to ensure that their views are shared. They take care to speak with children using each child’s preferred communication style to inform their understanding. The staff are very well equipped with a broad range of different ways of communicating with children. They use these different approaches in a versatile way that fits with the needs of each individual child, be that through the creative use of short stories that describe social situations, creating individual soundboards or the use of sign language.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s daily routines and preferences are respected, which promotes children’s sense of security and stability. Children are making excellent progress in all areas of their development, including education and health. One health professional said:

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

‘[name of child] has significantly complex needs which were extremely difficult to meet before he moved into the home, and I have been impressed with the progress he has made there. The staff’s focus early was on developing their relationship with him to ensure he felt safe and secure.’

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff are committed, empathetic and professionally curious practitioners. Key-work sessions with children are consistently purposeful and aligned to the child’s individual needs and care plan. Appropriate strategies and creative interventions support and encourage children’s positive behaviours. Staff take every opportunity to craft interventions that are effective in supporting and promoting individual children’s progress.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home has a strong family atmosphere. Children enjoy being together and peer relationships are encouraged. Children are supported well to meet with family members who are important to them. Staff have high aspirations for the children and advocate strongly on their behalf. Children enjoy varied activities and are involved with the local community. For example, they have been fundraising and participating in local charity events. Children’s achievements, talents and hobbies are celebrated. This includes regular award ceremonies, the creation of photo memory books that highlight the child’s ‘magic moments’ and the creation of ‘memory boxes’.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s contributions to the day-to-day running of their home are sought. For example, one child is responsible for the ‘sign word of the week,’ which is when staff and children learn a new sign every week. This adds to their sense of confidence and Inspection report for children’s home: SC481369 4 autonomy and strengthens peer relationships. The excellent child-focused approach results in a happy and caring atmosphere in which children thrive.

p.3

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

Children’s individualised safety plans and risk assessments are of an excellent quality. Staff and managers work creatively to provide strategies to minimise risk, and these are tailor-made to each child.

p.4

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

Suitability assessments and transition plans are thorough and individualised. This means that children and their families are introduced to the home at the child’s pace. This considered approach helps children to settle and feel safe.

p.4

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

Children’s emotional and physical safety is prioritised at the home. A high staff ratio and stable staff team contribute to ensuring that children remain safe. Staff are observant and well informed regarding each child’s risks and act promptly if there are any concerns.

p.4

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

Children are supported to understand their own risks and those in the community. For example, the staff will concentrate on community safety issues such as ‘road safety week’ with the children.

p.4

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

Children’s positive behaviour is rewarded and consistently encouraged. If there are worries about a child’s behaviour, these concerns are communicated appropriately to the child and to partner agencies.

p.4

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

Staff are alert to safeguarding risks. Their excellent knowledge of the children contributes to the early identification of concerns. Managers and staff act promptly to request specialist support when necessary. Managers and staff have strong safeguarding knowledge and training. Leaders, managers and staff take allegations and safeguarding matters seriously. They follow the home’s allegation and safeguarding procedures swiftly and effectively.

p.4

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

The administration of medication and the storage of medicines are good. There are safe and efficient protocols in place.

p.4

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

It is extremely rare for children to go missing from the home. Each child has a clear missing-from-care protocol in place and plans are individualised and detailed.

p.4

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

Feedback from professionals about how well children are safeguarded in the home is very positive.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is aspirational for the children, families and staff. She is a proactive, empathetic and reflective practitioner who has high and ambitious Inspection report for children’s home: SC481369 5 expectations for the care provided at the home. Decisions made always prioritise the needs of children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has developed a culture of continuous learning at the home. Leaders and managers constantly seek out creative and new ways to involve children in their care and to further develop staff learning. By attending sector- specific leadership conferences and workshops, the registered manager ensures that she is well informed regarding current good practice and innovations within the sector.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has comprehensive internal monitoring trackers in place and has excellent oversight of the service. Monitoring is detailed and focuses on what is important to children.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Children’s records and management reports consistently reflect children’s lived experiences. They have a strong emphasis on the individual child, their views and their personality. Children’s records show their achievements well and identify areas for development and growth.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager promotes open and effective communication with partner agencies, which means that children receive consistency of care supporting their well-being and development. One professional described working with the home as an ‘amazing collaboration’ that contributes positively to the progress made by the child.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers value their staff and invest in development opportunities to support career progression. The registered manager provides a robust staff induction, supervision and appraisal process. The training that staff receive helps to ensure that they maintain the level of skills and knowledge necessary for them to continue providing high-quality care to the children living at the home.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff say that they feel valued, empowered and well supported by the organisation. Leaders, managers and staff are working to its statement of purpose, ensuring that the views, aspirations and feelings of the children remain central to what they do. Inspection report for 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 for children’s home: SC481369 7

p.6

Children’s home details

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

p.7

Inspectors

Amanda Burrows, Social Care Inspector Sadia Akhtar, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC481369 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

Inspectors

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

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspectors

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

p.8