Children's home run by The Caldecott Foundation Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 1241752 1 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

A charitable organisation owns this home. It provides care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties. The manager has been registered with Ofsted since December 2016.

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Information about this children’s home

Two children were living in the home at the time of the inspection. The inspector spoke with both children.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1241752 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/03/2024 Full Outstanding 10/01/2023 Full Outstanding 18/01/2022 Full Outstanding 18/11/2019 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: 1241752 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children living in this home are making significant progress from their starting points due to the extremely high standard of care that they receive from staff. The commitment and determination of the registered manager and staff to help children succeed promotes the children’s experiences and life chances. Feedback from professionals about the quality of care provided by the staff is overwhelmingly positive. One professional said that the home is one of the ‘best provisions’ they have worked with and wished that ‘other children’s homes would adopt what this home does’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Relationships between the children and staff are excellent. The staff and the children build positive relationships with each other by spending time together and taking part in a wide range of shared activities, such as preparing and eating meals, playing board games, playing football in the garden, going on activities in the community and spending time together on holiday. Staff enjoy spending time with the children and take the time to get to know the children, their likes, dislikes and their hopes and aspirations. One of the children said that he would score the home ‘9.5 out of 10’ because he is happy and safe. The other child told their independent reviewing officer that they would like to be ‘glued to the wall’ so the child could stay in the home forever.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The registered manager and staff provide a safe and very homely environment for children to live in. The children and staff take pride in their home. The children’s bedrooms are highly personalised and reflect their tastes and preferences. There are plenty of books, games and DVDs in the home that the children can use should they wish to. At mealtimes, the smell of home-made food permeates the home. The home looks and feels like a family home for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff encourage the children to be involved in the daily running of the home by helping to plan menus, activities and holidays. This helps children to have ownership of their home and promotes their sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children are in excellent health. Staff make sure that the children eat a varied and well-balanced diet, spend time outdoors exercising through play and attend all routine health appointments. In addition, staff help children to access specialist health support when needed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The manager and staff go the extra mile to ensure that children make progress with their education. They work very closely with the children's schools through regular communication and attendance at key education meetings and parents’ evenings. This has helped one child to gain confidence in school and want to complete longer learning activities in a class setting.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff understand the importance of children maintaining relationships with their family members where this is safe to do so. Consequently, staff go above and beyond to Inspection report for children’s home: 1241752 4 support children to keep in touch and reconnect with those who matter the most to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children’s care plans are trauma-informed and focus on each child’s individual needs and vulnerabilities. The plans are dynamic, forward-thinking and reviewed in line with each child’s changing needs. Children are encouraged to contribute to their plans and say what is working well for them and what they need help with. The registered manager and staff monitor the children’s progress closely through well-established, evidence-based assessment tools.

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

Children feel safe living in the home. Staff have an excellent understanding of each child’s risks and vulnerabilities. Equally, staff have a superb knowledge of safeguarding procedures and follow them when incidents occur. The children’s individual safety plans are thorough, easy to understand and accurately reflect their needs. The safety plans support staff to understand what they must do to keep children safe.

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

Children do not go missing from the home. However, staff have a very good understanding of what they must do should a child go missing from the home and what action they must take when the child returns home.

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

Children are helped to keep themselves safe from bullying and contextual safeguarding risks. Focused conversations that staff have with the children are in line with each child’s needs. These conversations are helping children to become safer over time.

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

High levels of nurture and care from staff are helping both children to understand and manage their behaviours and feelings safely. Staff have an excellent understanding of the children’s experiences, and this helps staff to respond with clear boundaries and clarity about what is safe and acceptable behaviour. Staff are dogmatic in their wish to understand the reasons for the children’s behaviours, so they can respond helpfully. Positive behaviour is consistently promoted by staff through incentives, praise, conversations and positive role modelling.

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

Children are held as a last resort. Staff take steps to de-escalate situations to avoid holding children. When children are held, staff make sure that the holds are proportionate and the least restrictive. Children are supported after incidents to reflect, and staff work hard to repair the relationship with the child. The registered manager has excellent oversight of incidents, and this allows her to monitor staff practice in the home, identify any trends and have conversations with staff that support their learning.

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

Effective and timely action is taken by the registered manager and the responsible individual in response to any allegations against staff. This promotes the safety of the children living in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 1241752 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is managed by a very experienced and suitably qualified manager who inspires confidence in her staff. She is exceptionally ambitious for children, incredibly focused and has high expectations of herself and her staff. The registered manager has excellent oversight of all aspects of the home. She knows the children very well and can identify the progress they are making because of the care they are receiving. Moreover, when children are struggling, she is proactive in liaising with external professionals to make sure that children receive the help they require.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is visible in the home and enjoys spending time with the children and building positive relationships with them. For example, when the children return home from school, the registered manager spends time with the children, asking them about their day. The registered manager is extremely proud of the children and talks about them in a loving and caring way.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is supported by a suitably qualified and very experienced deputy manager, who is equally committed to supporting children to reach their potential. The deputy manager has a strong working relationship with the registered manager and feels supported by her.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff morale is high. Staff describe a happy, calm and organised home environment where they work together in the best interests of children. They benefit from learning from one another and describe an open environment where they can challenge each other. They feel valued and supported by the registered manager. One member of staff described the registered manager as being ‘sharp’ and having a ‘good handle on the staff team, how people are doing and feeling’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are supported to develop and enhance their knowledge and skills through training, monthly practice-based supervision and regular team meetings. They value the support from a clinician who helps them to reflect on and learn how they can best support the children they care for.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager uses learning from feedback from practice, the children and external professionals to improve the experiences and care of children. This has helped the children living in the home to remain settled and make progress. Inspection report for 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, 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 for 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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Inspector

Shirin Khan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for 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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Inspector

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