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

Inspection report children’s home: SC065129 1 SC065129 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

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. A suitably qualified manager has been registered with Ofsted since February 2018.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: Good Inspection report children’s home: SC065129 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/03/2018 Full Good 01/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 09/05/2016 Full Good 22/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC065129 3

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Recommendations

 Any decisions to limit a child’s access to any area of the home and any modifications to the environment of the home, must only be made where this is intended to safeguard the child’s welfare. All decisions should be informed by a rigorous assessment of that individual child’s needs, be properly recorded and be kept under regular review. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.10) This is with reference to ensuring that the downstairs playroom is not locked at night.  Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) This is with reference to ensuring that records, such as risk assessments and restraint records, are kept up to date.

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Inspection judgements

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good.

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Inspection judgements

Children are making good progress living in this home. Staff confidence and insight is developing, and this means that the children have their needs met to a very good standard. Children enjoy the trusting relationships that they are developing and are seen to seek out staff attention and reassurance. There were genuine and spontaneous examples of warmth and affection shown during the inspection. Education is valued, and attendance is an embedded part of the culture and routines. As a result, attendance and achievements for the children are good, especially bearing in mind their starting points. Support for the children is very well planned and delivered and staff strongly advocate on the children’s behalf if there are any concerns. Staff encourage children’s independence skills at rates in line with their abilities and vulnerabilities. For example, staff help children with independent time out with friends

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Inspection judgements

and using public transport. Additionally, children are helped and encouraged to take part in enriching activities such as Scouts and abseiling. Apart from the obvious enjoyment that children experience, these activities also develop their social skills and confidence. Staff ensure that children’s healthcare needs are met. Particularly good support is provided to promote their emotional and psychological well-being. Therapists are actively involved in working with the children, or in providing guidance to staff if the children do not want to meet them. This underpins the staff team’s knowledge and confidence in Inspection report children’s home: SC065129 4 helping the children to manage their emotions and feelings and to reflect on their past. Very well-planned and sensitive support is provided to the children when they are due to have contact with their families. This can be anxiety provoking for some and staff are

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Inspection judgements

acutely aware of this. Every effort is made to make sure that each child is prepared for the contact and staff are sensitive to the issues which can arise subsequently. They provide nurturing and comfort so that children feel they can express their feelings and anxieties in a safe environment. One child said, ‘I know the staff have my back.’ The home is very well maintained and comfortable. Each child’s room is decorated to their choice and considerable effort is made to ensure that they feel ownership and pride in their rooms. It was noted during the inspection that the downstairs playroom was locked at night time as part of the evening routine. Staff were unsure of the reasons behind this practice and it has now been stopped. A recommendation is made relating to this to ensure that the decision to stop this practice is sustained.

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Inspection judgements

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

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Inspection judgements

Children say that they feel safe and cared for. Members of staff are aware of the children’s abilities and vulnerabilities and implement plans and strategies to minimise any perceived risks. There is genuine concern for the children and staff conscientiously respond to any concerns. Staff appreciate the need for children to become independent and to take appropriate risks. This helps children to increasingly manage their behaviours and develop their responsibilities and knowledge of wider risks, such as use of the internet and road safety. The stable and welcoming atmosphere which the staff offer ensures that no children have gone missing since the last inspection. Nevertheless, members of staff are acutely aware of each child’s vulnerabilities and there are clear strategies and protocols to follow if this occurs. Members of staff understand the children’s behaviours very well. They know what strategies to use to enable children to manage their emotions and develop their coping

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Inspection judgements

skills. Achievements and positive behaviour are celebrated, and rewards are tailored to meet each child’s interests. If needed, sanctions are used, and staff ensure that children’s views are sought so that they feel they have been fairly treated. Restraint is used appropriately, and records reflect this. Importantly, ‘life space’ interviews are used after the event to help the children and staff to reflect on the incident with a view to avoiding the need for such restraint again. If needed, behaviour support plans and new strategies are put in place. Incidents are lessening, and staff interventions are working. Safeguarding concerns are shared promptly with the necessary agencies. Detailed records are kept on how incidents have been addressed. The registered manager is very conscientious in contacting relevant professionals to make sure that concerns are followed up effectively.

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Inspection judgements

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good. Inspection report children’s home: SC065129 5 The registered manager provides clear, strong leadership to a developing team. Her drive to achieve high standards has a significant impact on those who work there, as well as the children. As a result, the staff work together closely to achieve consistency and are committed to their tasks, holding the children’s welfare at the centre of their practice. The registered manager is well aware of the home’s strengths and weaknesses. She ensures that admissions to the home are carefully planned and that members of staff have the right skills set to meet the children’s needs. The manager is very conscious of the fact that the home went through a turbulent time earlier in the year and is making sure that the atmosphere is now settled and conducive to ensuring that everyone in the home, staff and children alike, feel cared for, safe, and valued.

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Inspection judgements

Members of staff keep a close eye on the progress that children are making. They are swift to address emerging concerns and advocate strongly on children’s behalf. Consequently, children feel very well supported and external agencies, such as schools, respond to meet the near needs and address concerns. The registered manager is dogged in her determination if she feels that placing authorities are not meeting their statutory obligations. This ensures that children have their views shared and that the agencies work collaboratively to promote their progress and safety. Members of staff report that they receive high-quality support and training. All receive regular, reflective supervision that is of a very good standard. Supervision enables staff to understand their roles and to consider how working with children with challenging behaviour can impact on their own well-being and emotions. This helps staff to maintain

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Inspection judgements

professional standards while ensuring that children feel cared for, valued and respected. The staff team is mixed and represents different age ranges and cultures. This gives the children an opportunity to enjoy the differences and variety and to learn about diversity. In turn, staff enjoy the different personalities of the children and this helps to embed a culture of acceptance and respect. On the whole, the quality of records is of a good standard. However, on some occasions details have been omitted. These are minor administrative shortfalls which have not had an impact on the children’s safety or well-being.

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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. Inspection report children’s home: SC065129 6 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

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Information about this inspection

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 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(s)

Paul Taylor, social care inspector Peter Jackson, 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(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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