Children's home run by The Loddon Foundation Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: SC012021 1 OFSTED USE ONLY

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SC012021 Registered provider: The Loddon Foundation Ltd

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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 home provides care and education for up to 31 children and young people aged eight to 19 years with autism, severe learning disabilities and/or associated complex needs.

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Information about this children’s home

Children and young people live in five houses and all attend the school which is integrated with the home. There were 28 children and young people living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspectors only inspected the social care provision at this school. The school operates as a charitable trust and is registered with the Department for Education.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since March 2018.

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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: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC012021 2 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/06/2024 Full Good 19/10/2023 Full Outstanding 24/05/2022 Full Outstanding 21/04/2021 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC012021 3 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children have fun and enjoy new experiences while living at the home. They live in homes that are welcoming, vibrant and spacious and have a particularly child-centred feel throughout. Children benefit from good-quality accommodation that has ample room for communal living.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The consistent and high-quality care that children receive is fundamental to their experiences, progress and development. Progress is achieved through a wide range of additional experiences. These include interaction with peers, opportunities to develop their independence skills and to join local groups such as Guides, and being able to participate in local trips. Consequently, children develop confidence in their social and independence skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s learning is individualised and their interests are tailored to support their development. Children are encouraged to enjoy a range of activities within the extensive grounds as part of the curriculum, including the forest school, horticulture, and animal care. Additionally, they have access to an onsite shop, where they learn how to buy items in readiness for trying out their skills in the community.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Nurturing care from a committed team of core staff leads to children feeling relaxed and confident in their environment. Children’s achievements and progress, however small, are celebrated and beautifully captured through certificates, photos and ‘stars of the week’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The adapting of approaches to support children is a strength. This includes changing colours of bum bags for medical equipment, for example, if the child has concerns with the one available. There is strong joint working to support one child with allergies, including testing sensitivities in line with a plan with his consultant. Children’s health needs are met, and children are given the opportunity to carry their own rescue medication if they are assessed to do this safely.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff are knowledgeable in the children’s individual care and support needs, and they talk proudly and fondly about the children. They support them to develop and learn independence skills and are clearly excited when talking about children’s progress.

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

Children’s actions, demeanour and confidence around staff show that they feel safe in the home. Staff are acutely aware of all the children’s needs and vulnerabilities, ensuring that they keep them safe in the home and the community.

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

Staff help children to regulate their behaviour by using known calming or self-soothing techniques. Staff promote positive behaviour with children through providing them with Inspection report for children’s home: SC012021 4 OFSTED USE ONLY

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

positive choices. Staff recognise that behaviour is a communication and they work tirelessly to understand what children are trying to convey.

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

Staff understand their responsibilities to safeguard children and how to report concerns. They receive training on safeguarding and child protection. Leaders and managers have good links with local authorities, designated safeguarding officers and other important safeguarding agencies. There has been a reduction in missing incidents for one child. The different teams across the school have reflected on the child’s needs and their reasons for going missing, and this has helped to reduce recurrence.

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

Complaints are managed sensitively. Children are supported to make their concerns known and staff work with them to make things better. Concerns in the local community, linked to the current development of the home and the disruption that this has caused, have been acknowledged and senior leaders have worked to maintain positive relationships with local residents.

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

The environment is checked regularly to ensure that the children are protected from avoidable harm. The recently appointed health and safety lead is currently in the process of determining the areas of highest need, resulting in some risk assessments not being up to date. However, this has not had any impact on children’s safety.

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

Safer recruitment processes are followed for all staff coming to work in the home, including those on a temporary basis via agencies. However, one overseas police check for a new member of staff was out of date when they started work.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager and leadership team work collaboratively to ensure that the children receive excellent care. Education, care, therapy teams and behaviour support staff meet regularly to discuss children’s developing needs. This joint working ensures consistent care for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are proud of their contribution towards helping the children to thrive and flourish in this home. Staff are well supported by the enthusiastic and aspirational leadership team, saying that they can approach leaders and managers at any time. Staff are appropriately trained, and there are continuous opportunities for them to progress. Staff feel supported and valued, with thought also given to their own families and religious needs. Supervisions are frequent and they support staff to reflect on practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers know the strengths and weaknesses of the home exceptionally well. They have an effective development plan that identifies relevant actions to improve the quality of care provided to children even further. Children are cared for consistently in line with the home’s ethos and statement of purpose.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Children’s families are grateful for the care that their children receive, describing it as ‘life-changing’ and ‘amazing’. Staff support families to spend time with their children in the home or community, including travelling long distances to facilitate family time. Inspection report for children’s home: SC012021 5 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all checks in line with the health and safety of the environment are reviewed within agreed timescales. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all letters of good conduct and/or police reports for international staff are in date prior to the person starting employment in the home (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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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: SC012021 6 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Loddon Foundation Ltd

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Inspectors

Jennie Christopher, Social Care Inspector Hannah Cox, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC012021 7 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Inspectors

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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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