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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC423606 1 SC423606 Registered provider: Reamcare Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care and accommodation for up to six children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in June 2011. The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspection started from 18 to 19 March 2025. At the time of the inspection, there were six children living in the home. An inspector returned on 22 April 2025 to gather additional evidence in line with Ofsted inspections and visits: deferring, pausing and gathering additional evidence policy. At this time, there were five children living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

Overall, inspectors spent time with all children living in the home and spoke to four children directly during the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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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.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 30 January 2024

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC423606 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/01/2024 Full Outstanding 22/02/2023 Full Outstanding 04/10/2021 Full Outstanding 17/10/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC423606 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children receive highly individualised care from a stable, skilled and committed staff team. Children benefit from having warm and meaningful relationships with staff and one another. Five of the children are very settled and have made exceptional progress from their starting points. Two children have lived at the home for over five years. Both these children are attending college and staff are supporting them with their future moves. The home is spacious and comfortable and feels like a family home. Consequently, children have a strong sense of belonging and of being part of a family.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Managers and staff place great importance on education. Managers and staff advocate for children to ensure they attend a school that can best meet their needs. One child does not currently attend school but has tuition at home. Staff ensure that the home environment is conducive to learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s health needs are met through careful monitoring and review by staff and managers. Children are encouraged to eat nutritious food. They are supported to stay physically fit by engaging in various activities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are listened to. Their views and wishes are sought in monthly meetings and key-work sessions. Children are asked about their meal choices, weekly activities, friendships and independence skills. Where children have limited communication, staff take the time to understand the style of that child’s communication. This ensures that children’s voices are heard.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff understand children’s likes and dislikes. Children engage in activities they enjoy, including visiting escape rooms, going horse riding, shopping, and activities in the home such as cooking, arts, crafts and games. Children have exciting new experiences living in this home. One child’s worship of a premier league football team was rewarded with a first ever trip to a live game. Another child, who had a long-standing wish to visit Paris, has recently returned from a three-day trip to the city.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

One child was prepared to move to a new home after a relatively short period of time living in this home. This had been planned with little notice; however, managers and staff worked hard to maintain the child’s well-being and minimise the impact of the instability that the child was likely to experience. Staff managed the child’s anxieties with compassion, patience and care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are helped to develop their independence skills. Older children learn to cook successfully and enjoy preparing regular meals. A plan is in place for one child to start to walk to the local shop on their own. The manager strongly advocates to ensure that children who are old enough to move on are supported to do so in their timescales. One advocate thanked the manager for helping a child to have a ‘person-centred approach’ to their move. Inspection report for children’s home: SC423606 4 Children are supported to spend time with their family in the home and in the community. The care children receive is held in high regard. One parent said that they felt ‘extremely lucky’ that their child was living at the home and ‘completely trusted’ the staff.

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

Children are kept safe by the adults who care for them. Children say that they feel safe. Staff use planned and informal discussions as an effective way of speaking with children about risks. Children’s risk assessments are individualised, and behaviour management plans are comprehensive, with guidance sought from specialist services when needed. Clear strategies are in place to help staff manage children’s emotional responses when anxious or stressed. Individual safety plans for children are in place, and these empower staff to provide trauma-informed support techniques to help children.

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

Children are protected by staff who have high levels of emotional intelligence and confidence. They ensure children have consistency in their care at times of need. One staff member was described by a professional as going ‘above and beyond’ in the support provided to a child.

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

There have been very few changes in the staff team. The staff know the children very well and work well together. This collaborative and consistent approach is apparent. Children respond well to the routines of the house and the clear expectations in place about treating one another with kindness.

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

Staff are trained in physical intervention. This is only used as a last resort if there is a concern that a child is at risk of physical harm. The use of physical intervention is proportionate and recorded appropriately and statutory procedures are followed. Positive behaviour is encouraged through reward and praise. Children have individual targets they set with their key worker. The trusting relationships that staff build with children are a key protective factor for them.

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

The leadership and management team members manage allegations or concerns about staff effectively. They ensure that safeguarding practices within the home are kept under close review. Safeguarding and whistle-blowing training have been strengthened.

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

Incidents are managed well. Staff respond effectively and the incident record is overseen by the registered manager, who is responsive when areas to improve practice are identified. Children’s social workers are informed when necessary. Following incidents, staff and children are spoken with by the registered manager. Together, they reflect on how things could be managed differently in the future. Inspection report for children’s home: SC423606 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is a consistent presence in the home, actively modelling the care that they want to see the staff deliver. The manager has a wealth of experience and knowledge and is skilled at ensuring that children have the support they need.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager’s strong knowledge base and advocacy skills enable them to confidently challenge the practice of, and decisions made by, responsible authorities. Similarly, the manager contributes significantly to behavioural and safety plans for children due to their qualification in Positive Behaviour Support Practice Leadership.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Due to the manager and staff’s attention over the past two months being focussed on the support and safety planning for children, staff supervision and annual appraisals have not been completed at agreed intervals. Staff at the home continue to feel supported by colleagues and the registered manager. They feel valued and listened to as there is a culture of reflection and inclusivity. The manager is aware that there is a delay in formal supervision and appraisal arrangements and has plans in place to ensure these are completed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

A strength of the leadership and management team members is how they promote and implement a collaborative and open approach to safeguarding children. The manager consults with others, including social workers, the local authority designated officer and parents. They have a sound understanding of safeguarding concerns and respond promptly to any concerns about children and identify appropriate actions to help keep children safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The leadership and management team has highly effective evaluation and monitoring systems in place. These systems inform day-to-day practice and, where necessary, provide a firm basis for evidencing the impact of responsible authority planning for children. The reviews of the quality of care exemplify the outstanding care provided to children. External feedback from professionals about the care provided to children is positive. They recognise and praise the efforts made by the manager and staff for the partnership work and communication that they receive. Inspection report for children’s home: SC423606 6

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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: SC423606 7

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspectors

Matilda Clode, Social Care Inspector Colin Bent, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC423606 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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