Children's Home run by The Caldecott Foundation Limited in Kent

Inspection report children’s home: SC037309 1 SC037309 Registered provider: The Caldecott Organisation

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This private children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to nine children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is run by a charitable organisation.

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

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

p.1

Enforcement action since last inspection

None Inspection report children’s home: SC037309 2

p.1

Key findings from this inspection

This children’s home is outstanding because:

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

 Extremely vulnerable children who have experienced instability in their lives have now settled and have formed meaningful relationships with staff.  Staff develop excellent relationships with children. They demonstrate genuine warmth, care and commitment to children.  Managers and staff have created a warm and nurturing environment. Staff reinforce positive behaviour and success is recognised and celebrated.  A thorough placement planning process, which is overseen effectively and includes clear guidance for staff, ensures that children’s needs are appropriately identified.  Outcomes for children are consistently positive and they are making exceptional progress in many areas of their lives.  Staff and managers have high aspirations for children and believe in them, which results in children learning to believe in themselves.  Supervision of children is meticulous but non-invasive, resulting in children feeling

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

safe and being kept safe.  Safeguarding underpins all aspects of staff practice. Staff are proactive in working with children and helping them to develop strategies to keep themselves safe.  Staff are led by a passionate and extremely able manager. She leads by example, meticulously monitoring and supporting all areas of the children’s lives and progress.  Without exception, children say that they are happy and really like living in this home.

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/03/2017 Full Outstanding 04/10/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 21/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 30/11/2015 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC037309 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are making remarkable progress in all areas of their lives. They enjoy living in the home, knowing that staff care for them and about them, and will keep them safe. A member of staff said, ‘Children here learn how to be children again. They learn how to build positive relationships, to be cared for, to trust others and, importantly, how to have fun. This really builds up their confidence and gives them hope and dreams.’ One social worker said, ‘It is amazing to see the positive difference that staff have made to the child’s life. She is more aware of her own emotions, and is able to say how she feels. This is far better than anyone would have ever expected.’

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff and managers know the children extremely well and respond to them as individuals, with their unique qualities and needs. As a result, they feel valued and important and this enhances their self-esteem and aspirations. One child said, ‘I love living here. The staff believe in me and help me to believe in myself. I am now able to do things that I never would have dreamed of. I am even going to college!’

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff and managers have successfully created a warm and nurturing environment where positive behaviour is reinforced and celebrated. An exemplary assessment and placement planning process ensures that children’s needs are appropriately identified from the outset. Helpful guidance is provided to staff on how these needs can most effectively be met, and children’s progress is subject to ongoing and detailed scrutiny.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children have excellent attendance at school and are making significant progress. Staff vigorously promote their attainment and have developed strong relationships with school staff. Communication between staff and other professionals is regular and meaningful. This results in staff being extremely well equipped to support children in all aspects of their education and to celebrate their achievements. One child spoke enthusiastically about her achievements in school, and positively glowed when talking about the certificates she had received.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff and managers ensure that children participate in a wide range of activities, providing them with rich and memorable experiences. Children who previously experienced difficulties with communication and social interactions are now able to make positive friendships. They benefit greatly from a sense of being valued and of belonging, which staff and managers encourage effectively. One child, who prior to living at the home would retreat to her bedroom rather than engage in activities, is now joining in and enjoying a wide range of activities as well as enjoying the companionship of staff and other children. Her social worker described the positive change in her social skills as ‘phenomenal’.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff demonstrate excellent attention to all aspects of children’s health, and ensure that children are healthy and receive the health services which they require. Staff enthusiastically support children to understand the importance of good health. They do this by teaching children about healthy eating, and promoting personal care that is Inspection report children’s home: SC037309 4 appropriate to children’s age and understanding. Staff are supporting one young person to plan, budget and cook her own healthy meals, in addition to helping her make informed decisions about her lifestyle choices in preparation for living independently. This is significant progress for the young person, who is now successfully taking on more responsibility for herself without the close one-to-one supervision of staff.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff and managers listen carefully to children, showing children that their views really matter. Children’s wishes and ideas influence the decisions made by staff and managers, not only in relation to the decoration of the home, planned activities and the meals children eat, but also in the detailed planning for children’s care. Staff understand well that children communicate their wishes and feelings in many ways, and proactively ensure that these are heard and acted upon.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff treat children with dignity and respect and their support of children’s developing identities is exceptional. The acceptance and celebration of each child is fundamental to the progress which they make. Children understand how important they are to the staff and managers, and flourish in this knowledge. One young person commented, ‘For the first time ever, I know I really belong to someone. Staff show us every day that they care about us all.’

p.4

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

Staff and managers provide a warm and safe environment where children thrive and make excellent progress. Through exceptional support and consistent care, children have developed trusting relationships with staff who care about them. These relationships help to keep children safe, because children are able to communicate their feelings and fears to staff who respond appropriately and with care.

p.4

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

Individualised assessments detail the risks associated with each child and outline, with clear guidance, the measures to be used by staff to protect children from harm. Children contribute to their own behaviour support plans; they know the strategies which staff use to support their behaviour and understand why these strategies are needed. This inclusive approach helps children to think about their own behaviour and to begin to regulate this. Physical restraint is only used by staff who are well trained and confident in its use, and to ensure children’s safety in accordance with their plans and with regulations.

p.4

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

Safeguarding training for staff and managers is comprehensive and up to date. This includes training in relation to child sexual exploitation, radicalisation and online safety. Safeguarding policies are up to date, and staff demonstrate an exceptional understanding of safeguarding procedures. They are therefore equipped effectively should they encounter a safeguarding concern. Proactive links with safeguarding agencies enhance the staff’s specialist knowledge of how to keep children safe. The manager maintains effective links with professionals within the organisation and in partner agencies, and ensures that local protocols and good practices are shared and understood. Inspection report children’s home: SC037309 5 Diligent, but non-invasive, supervision of children ensures that they are safe, both inside and outside the home; however, staff also carefully support children to take appropriate risks. One young person is being supported well to use public transport alone in

p.4

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

preparation for her attendance at college.

p.5

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

Staff recruitment practices are rigorous and are carefully managed. All of the necessary statutory checks are completed and references are gathered, in order to ensure that only those people who are considered suitable to work with children join the staff team.

p.5

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

Meticulous attention to matters of health and safety promotes children’s welfare and provides a safe environment for everyone. Managers and staff undertake fire-alarm checks and drills regularly and equipment is regularly maintained. Maintenance is of a high standard and is undertaken in a timely manner. One child proudly explained in detail the procedures to be followed in case of a fire or an emergency, including the importance of these being followed very carefully in order to keep oneself safe.

p.5

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

There have been no incidents when children have left the home without permission; however, there are detailed procedures and processes in place to protect children should such an event occur. Staff provide close supervision and support to children who use the internet, and robust security systems have been put in place to ensure that children do not inadvertently access inappropriate material online. Staff creatively and carefully support children to understand some of the risks in using social media and the internet, in preparation for their move towards independence.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The suitably qualified and experienced registered manager demonstrates exceptional commitment and passion. She is highly ambitious for children and creates a culture of aspiration which is evident in all aspects of this home.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager knows the children extremely well and her presence within the home is noticed and valued by staff and children. The staff team mirrors her calm and caring approach, creating a stable, warm and relaxed atmosphere where children can flourish.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager’s meticulous attention to detail is reflected in her monitoring of the service and in the progress children make. Shortfalls identified through this detailed scrutiny are acted upon quickly and effectively so that children can continue to benefit from high standards of care. Matters that are raised through external monitoring are shared with the staff team and are addressed. Monitoring reports that are compiled by the manager are comprehensive. They provide a clear evaluation of the service and an analysis of the outcomes achieved, in addition to providing an effective quality assurance process.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive effective training and meaningful supervision, which enables them to respond to children’s needs and promote children’s psychological well-being. One staff member said that, in addition to core training, specialist training is provided which is particular to children’s specific needs. He cited a specific example of training in relation to gender dysphoria. Inspection report children’s home: SC037309 6 The manager provides continuous support to staff through regular formal supervision and informal day-to-day support. Records of staff supervision are exceptional; they demonstrate how staff are encouraged to reflect upon their practice and the importance of their relationships with the children, as well as providing targets for improvement.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Regular staff meetings are used well to ensure that communication across the team is effective and that information is shared and discussed. Child-focused meetings enable staff to work closely with therapists to analyse children’s behaviour and emotions and to devise strategies to ensure that children receive the best individual support possible to help them achieve positive outcomes.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Children’s records are clear and well organised. Staff and managers are mindful that children may wish to access their records. They ensure that information is recorded sensitively, and that it provides a clear sense of children’s time in the home. This approach further demonstrates that managers and staff place children’s current and future experiences at the very centre of their practice.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The statement of purpose accurately reflects the high quality of care provided. Staff understand the home’s therapeutic approach, and this promotes consistency of care and the appropriate use of boundaries.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The placement planning process is exceptional and the manager ensures that staff are involved in the consideration of a placement for each new child. Children are only placed in the home when their needs can be met. The manager has declined to accept new children where the likely impact upon children living in the home is assessed to be adverse.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Children know how to make a complaint. An age-appropriate and detailed children’s guide is available. Its contents have been explained to children who are unable to read. One child was able to outline what she could do if she was unhappy about any aspect of her care, but was keen to point out that she is very happy in the home, with the staff, and with all that they do. There have been no complaints since the last inspection.

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Relationships with external professionals are positive and provide a forum for meaningful discussions about children’s progress, in addition to providing a useful arena for staff to advocate and challenge on behalf of children. One social worker said, ‘The staff and managers really seem to get everything right. Children are safe, they make excellent progress and I am kept well informed about my child’s life and development. I have high hopes for her future in this home.’

p.6

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There are no requirements or recommendations as a consequence of this inspection. Inspection report children’s home: SC037309 7

p.6

Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the children’s home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

p.7

Information about this inspection

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 children’s home: SC037309 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Caldecott Organisation

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Caldecott House, Smeeth, Ashford TN25 6SP

p.8

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Nicholas Barnett

p.8

Inspector

Jacqueline Georghiou, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC037309 9 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.

p.8

Inspector

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 http://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.9

Inspector

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

p.9

Inspector

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

p.9