Children's home run by The Caldecott Foundation Limited in Ashford

Inspection report for children’s home: SC065129 1 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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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

The home is operated by a charitable organisation and provides care for up to 4 children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 3 children and one young person over the age of 18 were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in February 2021.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

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

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good

Date of last inspection: 28 January 2025

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC065129 2 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/01/2025 Full Good 12/12/2023 Full Good 07/03/2023 Full Good 18/08/2021 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC065129 3 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children say they are happy living in this home, and adults help them feel safe. They are involved in decisions that directly affect them, and they believe the staff are fair. Children are provided with child-friendly information. Advocacy services are promoted to ensure that children’s voices are heard and their needs are met. Child-focused practice is central to the running of the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home reflects a warm family environment; it is welcoming and inclusive. Children are proud of where they live and are comfortable using all areas of the home. The children are stable and settled. One young person has been supported to remain living in the home following their 18 th birthday to enable them to complete their education and move out in a planned way.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children receive full-time education, and they are making progress with their attainment at a pace that is appropriate to their needs. One child has received additional tailored support from staff, which has helped them take their GCSEs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have good knowledge and understanding of children’s health needs. They respond appropriately with compassion and care. One child was supported to attend an assessment that had previously caused them high levels of anxiety. This was achieved due to the manager’s tenacity in ensuring that professionals approached the assessment in a way that was accessible to the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Family time is well supported. One parent was highly complimentary of the support of the manager and staff. They spoke highly of the positive progress their child has made since moving into the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help the children engage with the wider community and make formative childhood memories. They attend and experience clubs, activities and holidays, and they spend time with friends.

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

Staff help the children understand their risks and provide them with opportunities to learn how to manage them. Direct educational work with children helps keep them safe.

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

Safeguarding incidents are rare. When incidents occur, they are responded to and shared appropriately with external agencies, allowing a level of external scrutiny of practice. Staff understand their roles in response to safeguarding and receive the necessary training to support this. They know where to go and what to do should a safeguarding incident occur. Inspection report for children’s home: SC065129 4 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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

Staff respond effectively when children are distressed, resulting in infrequent incidents in the home. Staff are skilled in de-escalation and distraction techniques, which are aligned with the home’s model of care. Incidents of physical intervention are rare. When they occur, they are to prevent harm to the child or others. Records kept are detailed, and children and staff receive ample opportunities to reflect and debrief afterwards.

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

Children do not go missing from the home because they feel safe and have established secure relationships with adults.

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

Children’s social workers say that the manager communicates any safeguarding concerns in an appropriate and timely manner. One said they have ‘no concerns’, and another stated they manage safeguarding ‘very well’.

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

Robust safer recruitment practices and well-maintained records help prevent children from being cared for by unsuitable adults.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is experienced and suitably qualified. They offer a level of stability and predictability, having been in post for several years. The manager’s oversight of the home is evident. She knows the children well and has a strong understanding of their needs; because of this, children receive high-quality care. The manager actively promotes advocacy, contributing to the home’s child-centred ethos. A child’s social worker described the manager as ‘excellent in holding others to account in the best interests of the children’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager dedicates time to sharing their knowledge to help others to develop, not only at the home but also in the wider organisation. Reflective practice is embedded through regular meetings that enable staff to consider improvements in practice to better care for children. There is a clear plan in place for the future development of the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A range of external professionals provided unanimous feedback suggesting the manager develops positive working relationships and shares information appropriately. One local authority referred to ‘really good collaborative working’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Training is monitored effectively, with staff accessing a range of mandatory and specialist courses identified to meet the needs of the children in the home. However, previous qualifications for new staff have not always been appropriately checked during induction, causing a delay in enrolling in necessary courses.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel well supported, describing the home as ‘a happy environment to work in’. As a result, children receive consistency, enabling them to build strong relationships with the staff who support them. Supervision does not always occur in line with company policy, particularly for new starters. Inspection report for children’s home: SC065129 5 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that qualifications of new staff are checked and clear at the point of recruitment. All staff in a care role, including external agency or bank staff, must have attained the qualification in regulation 32(4) within the relevant time frame listed in regulation 32(5). (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.12)  The registered person should have systems in place so that all staff receive supervision from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, allowing them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children in their care. This should meet the minimum expectations set out in company policy, particularly for new starters. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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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: SC065129 6 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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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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Inspectors

Cassie Martin, Social Care Inspector (lead) Emma Blake, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC065129 7 SENSITIVE-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

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