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

Inspection report children’s home: SC037327 1 SC037327 Registered provider: The Caldecott Foundation Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to eight children. The home is run by a registered charity. The manager has been registered with Ofsted since May 2012.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 24 to 25 September 2019

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC037327 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/10/2018 Full Outstanding 09/01/2018 Full Outstanding 05/09/2016 Full Outstanding 28/01/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC037327 3

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Recommendations

 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). Specifically, ensure that signatures are legible when signing records so that managers and other professionals are aware of who wrote them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children feel safe, cared for and valued. The warmth and high-quality care they receive living in this home helps them to feel cared for and able to thrive. ‘I want to live here forever’, one child said.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The warmth and fondness shown to the children is demonstrated by spontaneous acts of affection such as hugs and with a genuine interest in how children are doing and what they have been up to. Children seek the company and reassurance of the staff. Staff refer to them as ‘our children’ and ‘they’re all superstars’. A shared pride in children’s success and progress is clearly evident.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

External professionals, such as social workers, speak highly of the insight and knowledge the staff have about the children. They praise the carefully thought-through plans, which guide the staff in nurturing the children and identify children’s different needs and abilities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children benefit from the strong advocacy they receive from their key workers and managers. This includes approaching health professionals for changes in children’s medication and securing places for the children at local mainstream schools. Education is valued and promoted by staff and managers. Children experience success at school, often for the first time in their lives, as a direct result of the support they receive. Their academic progress and attendance are excellent, especially when bearing in mind their previous school experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children enjoy taking part in clubs and activities, which extend their friendship groups, their confidence and their social skills. Staff are not risk-averse and their can do attitude means that children take part in activities that they have never experienced before, such as camping trips and going away as a group on holiday. These occasions are enjoyed and celebrated.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Transitions are very carefully thought through. Staff are fully aware that these children Inspection report children’s home: SC037327 4 can find change very challenging, whether this is from one activity to another or more significantly moving into, or from, the home. Attention to detail and thorough consideration of the impact of change by staff mean that plans are detailed and effective. For example, a new child moving into the home was very carefully supported prior to their move. Additionally, before the introductions started, members of staff considered the ability of the established group of children to cope with a change in group dynamics. This attention to detail and deep insight into the children’s needs means that disruption and anxiety are managed to an exceptional standard.

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

Each child’s safety and well-being are seen as precious. Staff are acutely aware of children’s strengths and vulnerabilities and plan accordingly. A comprehensive understanding of each child’s behaviours and backgrounds is underpinned by advice and guidance from therapists. This enables staff to provide an emotionally safe and secure home. In turn, this helps children to feel confident enough to explore their behaviours and backgrounds, enabling them to develop more positive coping strategies and resilience. Consequently, incidents of distressing and challenging behaviour lessen over time.

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

Children learn to develop tolerance, and particular strides are made in helping them to deal with conflict. Emphasis is placed on encouraging reflection and discussing differences and dynamics within the group. This restorative approach ensures that the children develop a high level of understanding and empathy.

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

Individual behaviour management plans give members of staff clear guidance on what strategies help each child to maintain positive behaviour and how they wish to be supported when they are distressed or anxious. These are followed effectively. Each child discusses any incidents with members of staff so that their views can be sought and consideration given as to whether their plans need to be amended in line with the child’s wishes.

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

Restraint is used appropriately. Incidents of restraint are scrutinised by managers. This ensures that all such events are assessed to establish whether they were managed appropriately and whether any actions need to be taken or behaviour plans changed. Children’s views are gathered after each incident to make sure that they feel safe, treated fairly and can reflect on the events surrounding the incident.

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

All members of staff know what to do and who to inform if they have concerns about a child’s well-being. This means that incidents are shared with the correct agencies promptly and actions taken to ensure that everyone is kept safe.

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

While no children have been missing from the home since the last inspection, all members of staff are very aware of children’s vulnerabilities due to their age and lack of awareness of some dangers in the wider community. Consequently, each child is supported in line with risk assessments, which outline how they need to be nurtured and Inspection report children’s home: SC037327 5 supervised. The excellent understanding and awareness of the children’s vulnerabilities means that there is no staff complacency about potential risks.

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

All members of staff who work at this home are subject to a thorough recruitment process, which ensures that all necessary background checks are carried out prior to commencing work.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff and managers have high expectations of each other and this culture also means that they are ambitious for the children. Each child’s progress is scrutinised, and strategies are adapted where necessary. This ensures that there is a constant drive to help children to progress and flourish. Children’s well-being is at the centre of practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are committed to their work and speak fondly of the children in their care. One external professional said that a child at the home ‘feels loved here and they have done a great job working with him’. Another social worker reported that, ‘He cares for them and they care for him.’ Staff will change their shift patterns if needed to ensure that they are available to support children at times of challenge. For example, one member of staff changed her shifts so that she was available to take a child to his weekly therapy sessions. He felt reassured that she was committed to his welfare and this helped him to attend sessions that he had initially found very challenging.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The monitoring by the registered manager and external senior managers in the organisation is conscientious and thorough. Audits of records and incidents ensure that weaknesses are identified and addressed. There is a drive to develop staff skills and knowledge. This culture is embedded within all team members, who reflect upon their practice and enjoy opportunities within supervision and sessions facilitated by a therapist to explore their feelings, effectiveness and team dynamics. This approach encourages openness and a willingness to learn.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Emphasis is placed on listening to the children and to learning from their behaviours. The children’s views are valued, and expression is encouraged. This means that the adults are open to hearing children’s views about how they feel that they are being cared for and what they would like to change. For example, children are able to influence and negotiate routines, activities and their individual behaviour management plans. This encourages a whole sense of a community working together and the children feel they have a meaningful say in their lives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

External professionals give excellent feedback regarding the levels of communication, standard of care and the impressive progress children have made. ‘He is most definitely in the right place. He’s safe and he’s thriving,’ was a comment made by one professional.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

A number of records were examined during the course of the inspection. While the content was of a very good standard, there were examples of individual sessions being carried out with children which had been signed illegibly by the members of staff Inspection report children’s home: SC037327 6 involved. Although this had no impact on the welfare of children, it can make monitoring of the sessions more difficult when it is unclear which adult was involved. A recommendation is made regarding this shortfall.

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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.

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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: SC037327 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, Hythe Road, Smeeth, Ashford, Kent TN25 6SP

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Nicholas Barnett

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Inspector

Paul Taylor: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC037327 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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