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 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.

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Information about this children’s home

The current manager, who has been in post since 20 January 2020, has applied to Ofsted to become registered.

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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 good

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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: 4 December 2018

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outstanding

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

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/12/2018 Full Good 13/03/2018 Full Good 01/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 09/05/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC065129 3

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outstanding

Children living at this home come on in leaps and bounds. Their progress is excellent and relationships with staff are strong, trusting and loving. ‘The best thing here are the hugs’, one child happily reported.

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outstanding

The strong, reliable relationships provide the foundation which enables children to feel safe enough to explore their past histories and to develop positive strategies and coping skills. In turn, this leads to them making huge progress, especially with regards to attending and achieving at school, taking part in activities in the community and developing their social skills, self-esteem and sense of achievement.

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outstanding

Each child’s care plan is carefully constructed with input from a variety of professionals as well as the children’s families. The child’s view is central to the plan. This means that approaches are truly individual to each child, and that any challenges on their journey forward are met successfully.

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outstanding

Attendance at school or college is excellent. This is remarkable when considering the children’s starting points. Staff strongly advocate on behalf of their children if they need support to engage and succeed at school. Communication between the staff and the children’s educational placements is excellent. Additionally, if needed, staff will go to the schools immediately if there is a need for a swift response and support. This enables the children to remain at school and overcome issues, which in turn consolidates their resilience and experience of success.

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outstanding

Each child’s health needs are known and met. In particular, the value of emotional well-being and positive mental health is truly appreciated and promoted. Children receive close support from their therapists. Staff promote and support this with careful routines and high levels of awareness of each child’s preferred ways of being supported, especially at times of stress and anxiety. This process helps children to develop their own strategies and to regulate their responses and emotions independently.

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outstanding

As children develop better coping mechanisms and self-sufficiency they are able to take part in activities with peers and friends in the community. When they are ready, they are supported to join clubs, go on group holidays and travel independently. Children benefit hugely from the wider opportunities and enriching experiences they have while living in the home.

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outstanding

Children are confident that they have a genuine impact on how their home is run. They take part enthusiastically in the weekly house meetings and have their choices listened to and met where possible. For example, they choose weekly menus and activities, and influence decor. Additionally, they are involved in interviewing prospective new members of staff and actively give feedback during staff reviews. Inspection report children’s home: SC065129 4 New admissions to the home are carefully considered and assessed. The process takes into account the needs of children currently living in the home and whether they have the capacity to cope with a change in the group. The process of admitting new children has been achieved successfully, and the characteristics and personalities of the new residents are enjoyed and appreciated by all. In turn there is a strong sense of belonging and embedded respect and care for each other.

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outstanding

Children’s well-being and safety are seen as precious. Staff have a deep and insightful knowledge of each child’s behaviours and vulnerabilities. Emphasis is placed on making children feel emotionally safe. This helps them to develop reflective skills and to regulate and moderate their behaviours. In turn, they make huge progress in managing their own stresses and anxieties and enjoy the stability and success which stems from this base.

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outstanding

Physical intervention is rare and has significantly declined as children have settled and learned new coping skills. All incidents are closely scrutinised by managers. Children and staff take part in debriefs which enable everyone to reflect and consider how each incident happened and how to avoid it happening again. Importantly, children have their positive behaviour celebrated. Staff praise them for making constructive choices and sensitively guide them through any challenges. This process is meaningful to the children, who have developed huge trust in the adults who care for them.

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outstanding

Because of the excellent level of understanding which the staff have, each child’s preferred strategies to manage situations are known and implemented. Staff are sensitive and responsive to behaviours which the children use to communicate their feelings.

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outstanding

Members of staff are aware of what to do and how to respond if a child is missing. All staff are acutely aware of the individual vulnerabilities of the children should they go missing. There has been one incident of this nature since the last inspection 14 months ago. The child returned safely. The incident was assessed and responded to thoroughly, and subsequently there has been no repetition.

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outstanding

Any issues relating to children’s safety in the home or community are quickly shared with relevant agencies. This ensures that plans can be put in place promptly to ensure that everyone is protected. Managers actively follow up the relevant professionals for a response if they think there is a delay. This ensures that there is no drift and that each child’s safety is promoted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Careful succession planning has ensured that the transition of establishing a new manager when the previous registered manager left has been very well implemented. The current acting manager, who has worked at the home for over Inspection report children’s home: SC065129 5 two years, has maintained stability and momentum for the children and staff. She has applied to Ofsted to become the registered manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team has worked hard and successfully to maintain the high standard of care. This has been during a time when there have been gaps in the staffing complement through long-term sickness and vacancies. The core group of staff has made extra efforts, which have paid off, to ensure that there has not been a need to use staff who are unknown to the children. The acting manager and senior managers are working hard to recruit new staff while maintaining a high level of scrutiny and high expectations. The acting manager and staff team have shown high levels of commitment during this period of time.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Most records are of a very good standard. There was one shortfall in the auditing of medication. Although this in no way compromised any child’s well-being, the shortfall should have been identified during the quality assurance checks. This is an administrative shortfall and a recommendation is made to address it.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff report being appreciated and well supported. Regular supervision and training ensure that they have a solid basis on which they plan their practice so that the children benefit and make progress. Reflective sessions facilitated by a psychotherapist help the staff to carefully plan and consider their strategies and care for each child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Close working with professionals from different disciplines ensures consistent, cohesive approaches for each child. Progress and challenges to children’s progress are examined and assessed so that plans can be put in place or amended if necessary. This ensures consistent care and a united drive to help children thrive. Consequently, there is a strong sense that everyone is working together.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The acting manager diligently challenges placing authorities and other professionals on behalf of the children. For example, she pursues them to respond to safeguarding issues and advocates for children in order to reintegrate them into school.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Each child’s identity and character are enjoyed and promoted. Differences in the backgrounds of staff or children are seen as enriching. Tolerance and understanding are embedded and promoted, and children appreciate and learn from this culture. For example, one child explained to the inspector how another child preferred to be addressed due to his understanding and autism. This showed a very good level of empathy and insight, which is a common theme throughout the home’s community. Inspection report children’s home: SC065129 6

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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) This is with reference to ensuring that records, such as audits of medication, are accurate and up to date.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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 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: SC065129 8 to 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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