Children's home run by Calcot Services for Children Limited in Wokingham

Inspection report for children’s home: SC417250 1 SC417250 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

The home is owned by a private organisation and provides care for up to 5 children with complex needs.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 3 children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2022.

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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 good

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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: 24 February 2025

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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: SC417250 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/02/2025 Full Outstanding 04/10/2023 Full Good 21/06/2022 Full Good 05/01/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC417250 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

There is significant evidence of change and improvement in children’s lives because of the care they receive at this home. Children make exceptional progress from their starting points. The trusting relationships staff have built with the children have significantly contributed to this progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are actively involved in decisions that affect their lives. They are encouraged to attend their planning meetings and to contribute their views. Children know how to raise complaints, and they feel empowered to do so, recognising that their voices are heard and acted on.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are progressing well in their education. Staff provide rewards and monetary incentives for children to attend school every day. Staff work alongside education professionals to ensure that the children feel supported and happy at school. As a result, one child is now attending every day. Another child is attending an alternative provision with a plan to progress to a mainstream setting.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff provide an emotionally warm environment that helps children feel safe to explore and express challenging emotions. Staff consistently create opportunities for children to discuss their feelings. This includes taking children on impromptu drives in the car, if this helps them feel more relaxed and able to talk. Staff helped one child to record and produce a song about how they feel. As a result, the child’s confidence and self-esteem have improved. Staff have supported another child’s wish to play a musical instrument. The child is encouraged to attend music lessons as part of their support plan. This increases their confidence and is a creative way of supporting the child in working through their feelings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children enjoy living at the home and benefit from staff who advocate strongly on their behalf. Staff have successfully supported one child in remaining at the home for longer than originally planned to give them more time to prepare for adulthood. Children receive clear, practical guidance to develop their life skills. For example, staff support one child when they attend job interviews and help them plan and practise responses to interview questions, increasing their confidence and readiness for employment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children receive high-quality support that enables them to sustain positive mental health. Staff have delivered intensive, well-coordinated support for a child who had previously required hospitalisation due to their mental health. As a result, incidents of self-harm have reduced markedly.

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

Children are involved in creating safety plans, which helps give them a sense of control over their safety. Children also participate in key-work discussions that help them Inspection report for children’s home: SC417250 4 understand how to keep themselves safe. Together, these activities have successfully reduced the risk of exploitation for two children.

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

Children are provided with many opportunities to discuss healthy relationships and sexual health. They receive good levels of support from partner health agencies. Staff have created effective links with sexual health nurses, and they encourage the children to engage in sexual health appointments when needed. These appointments can take place at the home, which provides the children with more privacy.

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

Incidents involving the use of physical intervention are rare. When physical intervention is used, it is only as a last resort. Staff use their relationships with the children to de- escalate incidents before using physical intervention. Physical intervention for one child has reduced significantly. The registered manager has carried out a reflective exercise to analyse practice to ensure that learning from this improvement is identified and shared.

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

Missing-from-home protocols are followed when children go missing from care. Staff follow children and liaise with their networks to promptly share information. Children are provided with care and support on their return.

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

Allegations are investigated in a timely manner and referred to relevant agencies. Staff and leaders take swift action to refer all concerns to the appropriate safeguarding agencies. This ensures that children’s safety remains paramount and that procedures are consistently followed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is experienced and qualified and leads by example. She has exceptionally high expectations for children and staff. This ensures that children have positive experiences of living at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager provides highly effective oversight of the home. She carries out regular reflective learning sessions with the staff team. This rigorous approach ensures that practice continues to improve and that learning is consistently embedded, resulting in sustained high-quality care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff report high levels of morale and say that they feel valued in their professional roles. Staff benefit from monthly reflective supervision and have yearly appraisals. Staff are provided with high-quality training and are given opportunities to attend conferences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Social workers and family members speak highly of the commitment shown by managers and staff towards the children in their care. Children’s progress is described by partner agencies as an area of strength, with one social worker saying that the child has progressed amazingly since moving to the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

No requirements or recommendations have been raised at this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: SC417250 5

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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: SC417250 6

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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: 3rd Floor, 86 to 90 Paul Street, London EC2A 4NE

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Inspector

Stephanie McDonald, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC417250 7 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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