Children's home run by The Caldecott Foundation Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1241752 1 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 home is privately owned. It provides care and accommodation for up to two children between the ages of six and 16.

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Information about this children’s home

The home’s manager has been registered with Ofsted since December 2016.

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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: 12 September 2018

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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: 1241752 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/09/2018 Full Outstanding 03/01/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 12/09/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1241752 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The progress and experiences of children living in this home are exceptional. All the children have lived in the home for several years. This high level of permeance creates a real sense of belonging. This has been critical to allowing children to build secure and meaningful relationships with a team of staff whom children know, trust and rely on.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

All children are in mainstream education, attending full time and making great progress. Children do significantly better at school after moving to the home. Communication between the home and school is extremely effective. This consistent approach has ensured that children understand the expectations of them. Staff offer children praise and encouragement and have high educational aspirations for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The improvements in the emotional and physical well-being of children are outstanding. Both children are receiving and fully engaging in bespoke therapeutic interventions. Alongside this support, some staff are trained to deliver innovative programmes that enable children to explore their past experiences, feelings and emotions. This work enables children to address their previous traumatic experience in a safe, structured and sensitive way. The knowledge of the staff in relation to therapeutic work is exceptional.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Care planning is very effective. All care plans are well organised, regularly reviewed and up to date. Management and staff have an excellent understanding of each child’s often very complex needs. Children are encouraged to contribute to their plans by sharing their views and expressing their feelings. This enables children to feel valued, respected and fully involved in decisions that are made about their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children participate in a host of exciting and fulfilling activities that are providing them with happy childhood memories. Children’s active participation in activities enables them to grow in self-esteem and become increasingly confident in their own abilities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Managers and staff provide children with an extremely warm and nurturing home environment. Staff speak about children with enthusiasm, warmth and compassion. They demonstrate unwavering commitment to children. A therapist said, ‘It is the most warm, positive and lovely home that I work in. The child is making exceptional progress, which is due to the high standards of care that they are receiving.’

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

Children feel happy and safe. They can identify numerous members of staff whom they would talk to if they had any concerns. A child said, ‘All the staff are kind are caring. Out of 10, I would rate the home a 10. There is nothing I would want to change.’

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

Excellent multi-agency working ensures that the strategies to reduce risks are carefully considered and highly effective. Other agencies report that communication is excellent and that staff are very proactive. Inspection report children’s home: 1241752 4 Staff are extremely diligent. This ensures that the potential risks to children are understood and minimised. Risk assessments are extremely thorough. They provide clear and concise information about how children should be supported. A social worker said: ‘They have made such amazing progress since living there. There is nothing the staff do not know and understand about their needs. It is one of the best homes that I have ever worked with.’

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

Physical intervention is used only when necessary. It is proportionate and carried out with care and sensitivity. De-escalation techniques are prioritised, in the first instance. Only when these prove ineffective do staff resort to physical intervention. All restraint records are clear and detailed. Debriefings are extremely effective in supporting staff to reflect on their practice. The managers ensure that practice is adapted in line with the changing needs of each child.

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

Staff manage challenging behaviour very well. They set clear boundaries. Staff focus on rewarding positive behaviours. Because they proactively look for opportunities to praise children, children are supported to make positive choices about their actions and behaviours. The therapeutic approach used by staff enables children to reflect on their thoughts and feelings. Staff take time to help each child to think about the impact of their behaviours. This helps children to take responsibility for their behaviours and creates an environment of accountability and fairness.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leadership and management are highly effective. The manager is aspirational and ambitious for children. She leads by example and has created a very positive culture in the home. The assistant manager is also an integral part of the home’s success. She is particularly knowledgeable about the therapeutic model and about the complex needs of each child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff are motivated and enthusiastic. The team is well established and experienced. They work together well and staff morale is extremely high. Most staff are suitably qualified. Staff speak about the manager and deputy manager in very positive terms. The management team members are described by the staff as committed, highly supportive and nurturing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The stability of the staff team is a major factor in the positive outcomes achieved for children. Regular supervision sessions, training and dedicated therapeutic time for staff ensure that staff are very well supported to care for them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Monitoring systems in the home are highly effective. The manager ensures that she carefully monitors children’s progress. This ensures that she has clear oversight of the care being offered to children and is fully aware of what is happening in the home. This ensures that continual improvement takes place and that staff do not become complacent. Inspection report children’s home: 1241752 5 Inspection report children’s home: 1241752 6

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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 difference 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: 1241752 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

Davinia Lawton, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1241752 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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