Children's home run by The Caldecott Foundation Limited

Inspection report for 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 owned by a private company. It provides care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties. Two children were living at the home at the time of the inspection, and both children were spoken with.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in 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 good

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outstanding

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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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

11/03/2025 Full Outstanding 19/03/2024 Full Outstanding 10/01/2023 Full Outstanding 18/01/2022 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 home offers a welcoming environment for both the children and staff. The home is well maintained and has recently been redecorated. It is filled with books, toys and board games, and the children’s craftwork is on display around the home. The children have enjoyed creating designs and ideas for their newly decorated bedrooms. There are large open spaces outside that provide children with access to a wide range of play and activity areas. One child said, ‘I am happy here.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff’s encouragement helps children to go to school every day. Staff work with teachers to understand the children’s progress and help address any barriers to learning. Staff are committed in their support to children and welcome the attendance at parents’/carers’ evening. Staff actively support children to complete homework to further support their learning. A child’s school recognises that the care and approach from the home’s staff have influenced the child’s ability to better understand and respond to their emotions at school.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff help children to learn new skills. These skills provide children with an increased knowledge and ability to complete tasks for themselves. Children are helped to understand the importance of making positive health choices, including attending health appointments and reviews. They are also learning to complete household tasks, including cooking, cleaning and laundry. The care and nurture from staff help children to feel capable and encourage resilience.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children try a wide range of activities both inside the home and in the community. They enjoy these activities, specifically meeting new people. Staff provide children with the opportunity to reflect on their experiences and capture these with memory books, newsletters and positive praise books.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff support children to see their families. They understand the effect that different family relationships have on children, and staff manage these emotive times. Families receive regular updates about their child’s progress. One parent said, ‘I am happy with the care that is provided for my child.’

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

Children do not go missing from the home. Children’s risk assessments and care plans are detailed and are regularly reviewed and updated. Staff have a clear working knowledge of this information and understand their roles and responsibilities to respond to risk and protect children from harm.

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

Physical restraint techniques are infrequently used on children. They are only used by staff as a last resort and only after de-escalation techniques have been exhausted. There Inspection report for children’s home: 1241752 4 is clear management oversight of these incidents, which includes supportive discussions, debriefs and well-being checks with staff and children.

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

Staff set fair and consistent boundaries and focus on providing praise and rewards for children, recognising their successes and achievements. When consequences are used, these are proportionate. Clear management oversight of the decision-making helps to ensure that children can learn from the decisive action taken by staff.

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

Staff take the time to understand the children and their behavioural responses. The manager provides clear reflection and analysis of all incidents, which allows plans or approaches to be adapted to support the children. This has seen a reduction of incidents around bedtime, helping children to have an improved routine and sleep.

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

Children live in a home that is well maintained and hazard free. Staff take care to ensure that children know how to exit the home in an emergency. Children are regularly involved in fire alarm tests. This supports their learning of the process and provides the opportunity for them to discuss any worries linked to the fire alarm or evacuating the home.

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

Safer recruitment checks are completed for all staff. These checks are being carried out by the provider’s human resource department on behalf of the manager. The manager has not had consistent oversight of or professional curiosity about the employment records of all appointed staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has detailed knowledge of the children in her care. She has positive relationships with the children, staff and external professionals. One child’s social worker said, ‘I have never been so impressed or felt so confident about a home’s capability to look after a child.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff speak positively about working at the home. They feel they are a large family who are all working towards the same goals for the children. The staff spoke of feeling supported by managers, who are accessible at all times. Staff demonstrate a deep awareness of each child’s needs and have developed meaningful connections with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision sessions take place regularly with all staff. Staff are provided with clear and detailed agendas and action plans, helping them to reflect and learn from incidents and events within the home. The supervision record is used as a reference tool as it provides the staff with a detailed overview of their discussions and action plan.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings take place frequently. The meetings are well attended by staff, and time is taken to discuss the children’s progress and wishes. A detailed agenda is shared with staff to enable them to prepare and explore how their practice can promote stability, safety and development for children. Inspection report for children’s home: 1241752 5 The manager maintains effective oversight of the home and routinely reflects on staff practice and the suitability of care to enhance outcomes for children. Despite this, key- work discussions do not consistently capture the child’s voice, what they think, feel or want.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a continued focus on the progress and achievements of the children. To help children to achieve their outcomes they need to be supported by staff who fully understand their needs. Therefore, the manager has ensured staff complete a comprehensive package of training and gain the necessary care qualifications for their role. Inspection report for children’s home: 1241752 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that recruitment processes inform their decision- making about the suitability of appointed staff who work with children. Suitable references and recruitment checks should inform the registered manager and help ensure appointed staff are safe to work with children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)  The registered person should ensure that all of the children’s records reflect and capture the voice of the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 23, paragraph 4.19)

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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

Rachel Moore, 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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