Children's home run by The Caldecott Foundation Limited in Ashford

Inspection report children’s home: SC065129 1 SC065129 Registered provider: The Caldecott Organisation

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home can accommodate up to four children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is operated by a charitable organisation.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 1 February 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Key findings from this inspection

 The home has re-opened following a period of refurbishment. This has been well planned, including the recruitment of a new manager and staff team. Although early in its formation, the team is very well led, child-focused and providing good care to the one young person who is accommodated. Inspection report children’s home: SC065129 2  The leadership in the home is well organised and leaders ensure that the systems that are in place are effective. The manager is receptive to staff ideas and she promotes an excellent reflective culture.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Many staff are new to the organisation and they have all benefited from an induction that has focused on understanding the meaning behind behaviour alongside essential safeguarding and other information. This has been well received.

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Key findings from this inspection

The children’s home’s areas for development:

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Key findings from this inspection

 The child who is accommodated is not in education. This has been an issue pre- dating admission into this home, but one which continues to adversely affect his future prospects.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 09/05/2016 Full Good 22/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 28/07/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC065129 3

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Recommendations

 Children should be in full-time education whilst they are of compulsory school age, unless their personal education plan contained within their care plan or other relevant plan states otherwise. The home must aim to support full time education at school unless the child’s relevant plan indicates this is not in their best interests. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.14) Specifically, seek input from professional teachers and a transition to an education setting for the child currently accommodated, as quickly as he can manage.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Following an extended period of closure, this home had been operative for approximately five weeks at the time of this inspection. The staff team is new and still ‘forming’. There were no concerns regarding the progress that is being made, but it is noted that this is a short period from which to draw strong conclusions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child who is currently accommodated here moved from another home that is operated by the same provider. Two members of staff, one of whom is the registered manager, were working within the home from which this child moved. They have warm and effective relationships with the child, and other staff are building upon this to ensure that he is settled and feels at ease in the home. This has ensured that the move of children’s home was constructive for the child and he has quickly felt attached and secure in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Consultation with children is currently fairly informal in style because only one child is living here. He is encouraged to give his views frequently and they are listened to.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has had no educational place for some time prior to coming into this home. He previously struggled when in education. The staff in the home work hard to ensure that his waking day includes genuine educational stimulus. They have structured time each day that involves him in school work. However, this lack of engagement in formal education detracts from his overall educational experience.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff in the home ensure that children can benefit from active and sociable leisure time. They have sourced activities that the child enjoys and have supported him to attend physical activities and spend some time with peers. The child told the inspector that he enjoys these experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Health is proactively managed. There is a secure system for the management of Inspection report children’s home: SC065129 4 medication with accurately maintained records. Appointments with specialist or routine health professionals are sourced and children are encouraged to attend.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, two young people have left the home. One of these was a move into another of this organisation’s homes; this is a very short distance away, was planned carefully and allowed continuity of care for the young person. The second young person moved to another children’s home after a stay of 17 months here. The move was planned with the placing authority following a positive time in this home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection the premises have undergone substantial refurbishment including a rearrangement of the kitchen-dining room-lounge area; the lounge is now separated from the dining area. The home has the feel of a large and well-maintained family home with many attractive and personalised touches.

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

Leaders and managers are very clear about the importance of safeguarding and how to fulfil their responsibilities. They communicate this well to all staff. Staff safeguarding training is up to date for all staff, and they have a good understanding of the range of risks affecting children and young people today.

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

Risks in the community are identified in the locality risk assessments, and specific risks that are pertinent to particular children are recorded, with guidance for staff on how to minimise this in children’s plans. Staff are not risk-averse, but they are very risk-aware and this ensures that they are thoughtful about any situation that may give rise to risk, while seeking to ensure that the child living here can lead as full and active a life as possible.

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

Staff are all trained in the organisation’s behaviour management methodology. This includes the use of restraint, which has been required in this inspection period although holds have been of very brief durations and were subsequently well reflected-upon. The use of sanctions has been minimal and proportionate. The strength of the relationships that have been established or are being built between staff and the child who is living here are used effectively to engage him; staff use their training to inform how they practise.

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

Recruitment is safe. The organisation has recruited a new team alongside the two members of staff who transferred from another home. Safe recruitment practices are used to ensure the suitability of applicants.

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

Health and safety is afforded the right priority. The fire risk assessment was seen to be up to date with no actions outstanding. The premises have been risk-assessed throughout. Inspection report children’s home: SC065129 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager of the service has only recently registered with Ofsted, having moved into this role from a deputy manager position in the home from which the child who lives in the home moved. The previous registered manager took up a new role within the organisation at the time when the home was empty for refurbishment. This transition had no impact on children, as none were in placement at the time, and the staff team was dispersed across the organisation’s other homes. This means that since the turn of the year the new manager has been forming a new team from scratch. She is suitably qualified and experienced for her role; she is building a team which is child-focused and shares a clear common purpose. She is well supported by a mentor from within the organisation and has the support of a deputy who is new to the organisation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff training is a strength of the company, and staff who spoke to the inspector were unanimously appreciative of the induction process the company provided. This is very child-focused and requires staff to reflect on their practice. Interactions were noted by the inspector to be gentle and respectful in style while still quietly assertive. Staff training is relevant and is put into practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The members of the staff team are all trained to the required level 3 standard except for one person who is relatively new to the work and is undertaking the training. This meets the regulation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are receiving frequent supervision and this was seen to be productive and practice- focused.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home demonstrated a high standard of admission practice on the only occasion when this was applied during this inspection period. The underpinning documentation supports this and it is clear from discussion with the registered manager that there is no pressure to admit and suitable matching of placements is of paramount concern.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has a well thought-through development plan.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection took place over a single day because it was primarily reviewing the arrangements made over one month for one child. The home was not operational in the seven months up to mid-February 2018. The inspectors looked at the experiences and progress of children and young people, including those who left the home prior to its temporary closure. The quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people was considered and how professional staff work with children and young people and each other. The effectiveness of help and care provided was reviewed and children and staff spoken with. In addition, the inspector 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. Inspection report children’s home: SC065129 6

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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: SC065129 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Caldecott Organisation

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Children’s home details

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

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Nicholas Barnett

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Inspector

Kenneth Smith, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC065129 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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