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

Inspection report children’s home: SC466284 1 SC466284 Registered provider: The Caldecott Foundation Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The Old Vicarage comprises two homes. There is a two-bedded cottage (Rectory Cottage) and a five-bedded house (The Old Vicarage). It is privately owned and is registered to provide care and accommodation for children aged five to sixteen. In some circumstances, young people may stay up to the age of eighteen depending on their individual needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The Old Vicarage and Rectory Cottage can offer placements on a planned and an emergency basis, and staff work with children and young people who have a variety of needs and challenging behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since May 2013.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 19 to 20 September 2018

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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 October 2017

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC466284 2 Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/10/2017 Full Outstanding 20/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 03/08/2016 Full Good 15/01/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC466284 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are making excellent progress in this home. A committed and consistent staff team knows the children exceptionally well. Given the emotionally warm and predictable care that children receive, they learn to fully trust staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

A child-centred approach ensures that children are worked with in a patient, calm and thoughtful way. All children speak extremely positively about their day-to-day experiences. A child said, ‘I would rate the home ten out of ten. I love it here. They listen to me, they have my back and they get me. It does not feel like a care home, it is just like living in any other family home.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

All children are in education, with some attending alternative educational provision that reflects their needs and interests. Education is seen as a priority. Staff are aspirational for children and help them to achieve the best possible outcomes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The therapeutic approach is fully embedded into practice and is a significant strength of the home. There is a close-working relationship between the staff and the independent psychologist. Staff work extremely hard to understand the meaning behind children’s complex behaviours. The therapist said, ‘They are a fantastically warm and nurturing staff team. They are keen to learn and work with children in a therapeutic way. The therapeutic model of care is applied in the home consistently and without exception.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are fully respected and valued. Regular consultation ensures that children know that their views are important. A social worker said, ‘The staff are so nurturing. You can tell they genuinely care. This child really has thrived. It’s a lovely place for them to live.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The diverse needs of children are recognised and fully promoted by managers and staff. Diversity is encouraged, and children’s individuality celebrated and promoted. This ensures that there is an all-inclusive home environment where children are happy and thriving.

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

Children are extremely safe in this home. Staff have an excellent knowledge of the children and this ensures that difficult behaviours are very well managed. Staff communicate exceptionally well with each other. Clear and consistent boundaries implemented by staff significantly help children to feel safe and secure.

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

Risk assessments and behaviour management plans highlight protective factors, triggers and warning signs for children. Plans provide concise guidance for staff about how to work with the children, and support children to manage their behaviours and regulate their emotions. These plans are extremely effective.

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

Given the significant progress made by children, physical intervention is used as a last Inspection report children’s home: SC466284 4 resort. When it is used, it is proportionate and very well managed. Incidents of children going missing from the home are extremely rare. This is significant progress given some children’s chaotic histories.

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

Staff demonstrate real confidence in supporting children to take age-appropriate risks. They understand the need to prepare children for adulthood. Staff work closely with children, family members and local authorities to ensure that plans are actively implemented.

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

Pre-placement impact risk assessments are extremely effective. Careful assessment ensures that the mix of children at any one time does not pose any safeguarding concerns. Age and gender, as well as the individual needs, risks and vulnerabilities of each young person, are carefully balanced. This helps to ensure that the placement for children is not only hugely successful but provides children with a long-term, permanent home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is aspirational and ambitious for children. She has high standards and demands that children receive the highest quality of care in the home. The manager, deputy managers and staff all demonstrate a real passion for the children they are caring for. This is highly commendable.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager motivates staff, who share her vision to improve children’s lives. Staff morale is excellent. The manager and staff are all enthusiastic individuals. A staff member said, ‘The manager is approachable, honest and really knowledgeable. Anything we are unsure about we all just go to her. She is central to what we have achieved in this home.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The cohesive staff team ensures that children’s needs are well understood and met. A strength of the home is working with other agencies. Professionals said that communication is exceptional.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff team receives excellent supervision. This gives staff the opportunity to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children they are caring for. Staff also attend regular team meetings and sessions with the psychologist. This excellent approach ensures that practice is monitored and adapted in line with children’s changing and emerging needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Monitoring systems are excellent. Data collected in respect of children’s lives enables managers and leaders to analyse patterns and trends. This ensures that all plans in respect of children are relevant and up to date. Through these monitoring systems, the manager and leaders can clearly identify what impact living at the home is having on children’s lives.

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Information about this inspection

Inspection report children’s home: SC466284 5 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.

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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: SC466284 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Caldecott Foundation Limited

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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

Davinia Lawton, social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC466284 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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