- Candidate pack -
Chair of Audit & Risk Committee August 2016
About The Caldecott Foundation The Caldecott Foundation cares for children who have significant social, emotional and behavioural difficulties, due to suffering severe neglect and trauma in the early stages of life.
Providing residential care for up to fifty children and young people aged 5 to 18 in comfortable homes with an assessment centre, on-site school, vocational learning centre and therapy service, Caldecott delivers a comprehensive package of care and education tailored to each young person’s individual needs.
Caldecott Foundation runs four children’s homes in Kent including an Emergency and Assessment Centre and a supported accommodation service to bridge the gap between care and independence. As well as these provisions in Kent, Caldecott has an Emergency and Assessment Centre in Nottinghamshire.
The Foundation works with in partnership with another organisation to offer young people safe and secure placements with foster families for those who need a higher level of support.
Over one hundred years of experience caring for vulnerable children has given us the knowledge and expertise to help them rebuild their lives and look forward to a bright future. Our philosophy is that every child is an individual and we tailor the care we provide to these specific needs. We believe that this combination of experience, child centred practice and individualised care makes us uniquely suitable for the task of caring for our children.
We specalise in working with children and young people with the following behaviours and challenges.
At risk of child sexual exploitation Self-harm Sexually harmful behaviour ODD (oppositional defiant disorder) Attachment issues Poor self-esteem and sense of identity
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The Caldecott Foundation firmly believes in a clear matching process which forms the basis of our care planning going forward. Our training is geared to matching the needs of the young people to ensure we work within our statements of purpose. Furthermore, our Quality Assurance team offer a robust monitoring framework to ensure that all placement needs are met.
Our young people are given the opportunity to pursue their own personal interests. We value education and the opportunities it brings and every young person has a key worker who will ensure they feel listened to and supported during their time at Caldecott.
Caldecott School
Caldecott Foundation School is a non-maintained special school catering for young people with social, emotional and behavioural problems between the ages of 8 and 18.
Every one of our students is treated as an individual and has the support of a highly qualified and experienced staff team including teachers, teaching assistants, care workers, social workers and therapists. We have also invested heavily in modern, well equipped classrooms and work areas to provide our pupils with an outstanding environment in which to grow and learn.
Vocational Learning Centre
The Vocational Learning Centre was the main element of our Centenary appeal. This was introduced to provide the kind of work based training that is relevant for today’s job market, but in a fully supportive environment with the further social and emotional skills that are a key element of our provision.
Academic attainment is very low amongst our young people and so these more practically- based qualifications are important to giving students access to a much wider range of training and employment opportunities in the future. However, unlike other vocational training establishments, we are able to focus strongly on achieving GCSE qualifications in Maths and English – all taught in very small groups with substantial individual input.
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Residential Care Case Studies
Jesmin Between the ages of four and ten, Jesmin was repeatedly raped by her alcoholic father and her father’s friends. On numerous occasions, she witnessed her mother, who had mental health problems, being severely beaten by her father. Before her transition to secondary school the full horrors of Jesmin’s experiences began to reveal themselves during periods in and out of foster care and residential placements. She started to self-harm, using knives to cut her legs, arms and stomach. She started to place herself in risky situations, associating with drug dealers and others who preyed on her vulnerability.
By the time Jesmin came to Caldecott at the age of fifteen, she had been gang raped and attacked on multiple occasions; she had spent a period on a psychiatric ward and in a secure unit. A number of professionals had assessed Jesmin and attempted to offer support, but this was either short-lived or terminated because Jesmin was reluctant to engage.
First meet with Caldecott For the staff at Caldecott, Jesmin’s story was particularly overwhelming and difficult to hear. However, slowly she began to establish a strong bond with her key worker, Carol, and eventually became robust enough to cope with structured therapy sessions. With individual care and support, she began to open up, reduce her self-harming and re-engage with education.
After Caldecott Jesmin left Caldecott after three years and is living semi-independently, though she still keeps in touch with Carol especially. She is making good progress and hopes to attend college next year.
Sarah
When 12-year-old Sarah arrived at Caldecott, it was hardly surprising that her trust in adults was shattered. She had suffered severe sexual abuse at the hands of her father, but was then adopted by people who she thought would give her safe and secure love. But the abuse started all over again…… She was so traumatised that she couldn’t communicate, beyond a frightened squeaking noise. She couldn’t relax or play, because she didn’t know how to.
First meet with Caldecott Sarah was immediately placed in Caldecott’s nurture class and had a high level of therapeutic support. With this individual care, attention and teaching slowly helped her to open up, and learn how to talk to grown-ups and other children.
After Caldecott Sarah left Caldecott after five years. She went into the entertainment business, has appeared several times on TV, and is being given professional singing tuition. Sarah understands how Caldecott helped her rebuild her life, and stays in regular contact with her former teachers and key workers.
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Our Board of Trustees
The Caldecott Foundation’s Board currently has nine members with a wide range of backgrounds and experience who generously volunteer their time and expertise.
Mike Lauerman (Chairman) Mike Buchanan Mike Lauerman began his Mike Buchanan has extensive career in Social Services in experience in secondary 1972 and since then has education and has held a worked for Suffolk, Kent and variety of senior leadership Cleveland Local Authorities. posts. In addition to his role as Throughout his career Mike has a Reporting Inspector for the been a champion of children’s Independent Schools rights and as Director of Social Inspectorate, Mike has recently Services at Cleveland, set up helped establish a number of one of the first Children’s Rights Services. As a Academies within London. Trustee at Caldecott Mike has bought this Mike is currently Head of Ashford School in Kent passion with him and is the Chairman of the for the past six years, a primary and secondary Board’s Practice Governance Committee which co-educational day/boarding school for over nine works alongside the Management Team to hundred children. Mike brings to the Board a ensure that our children receive the very best wide range of experience including governance, care. operations, teaching and education. In addition to his work at Caldecott, Mike is also a Trustee of Voice. Jeremy Burke Jeremy qualified as a solicitor in John Fletcher (Treasurer) 1988 and has wide experience John Fletcher studied in all areas of commercial Economics at Selwyn College property work. He specialises Cambridge and then went on to in the purchase and qualify as a chartered development of commercial accountant. Much of his career estates and in property secured was in the agricultural finance. He was made a engineering sector and he spent partner in Girlings Solicitors in many years as Managing 2006 and is now head of their commercial Director of Drake & Fletcher, a property department based in their Ashford office. Kent based family business engaged in the Motor Jeremy is delighted to have been appointed a and Agricultural Industries across Kent. trustee of The Caldecott Foundation.
He has held several honorary positions: President of BAGMA (British Agricultural and Garden Machinery Association), President (and latterly Treasurer) of BIRA (British Independent Retailers Association) and Trustee of the Cobtree Charity Trust.
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Colin Green subsequently Group Head of Sales, Business Colin is a former director of Development and Client Service until his children’s services with a retirement in 2001. special interest in safeguarding and children’s social care. He Since then, John has worked as an investment retired in 2013. He has held consultant and non-executive director of Cripps senior positions in a number of Portfolio, a leading privately owned wealth County and Metropolitan management company. He was Chairman until authorities. He is a qualified 2009 and has been a senior non-executive social worker. director since then.
Since retirement Colin has worked on a range of Outside of the financial sphere, John is also a projects including safeguarding reviews of local Governor of the School of Oriental and African authorities, evaluation of services for a voluntary Studies, London, and a Trustee of Practical organisation, research on residential child care Action Limited an NGO focused on alleviating markets and briefings on children’s services poverty in the Third World. topics. Colin chaired the ADCS Children, Communities and Young People policy Ebony Hughes committee for four years and was a senior policy Ebony is a qualified CIPFA accountant with over civil servant in the Department for Education. ten years’ experience in management consultancy. She specialises David Hayes in working with children’s David has held senior positions services departments who in a number of City financial are undertaking institutions over the past 25 transformational change and years. He is a risk responding to financial management consultant, challenges. providing training and development solutions in both Ebony is currently working with a number of market risk and operational risk Children and Young People’s Services on management to a broad client organisational design and development, base spanning regulators, commissioning and behaviour led projects. investment banks, corporate institutions and Ebony was born and raised in Kent and now lives government agencies. in London. She was appointed to the board of trustees in February 2015. David was appointed to the Board of Trustees in 2007 and has previously served as both Deputy Hayley Spedding Chair and Chair of the Board. David is currently During a successful career with Kent Police, Chairman of the Audit and Risk Committee and a Hayley has held a range of positions including member of the Finance Committee. roles within Criminal Investigations, Intelligence, Public Protection and as the District Commander John Heskett for Ashford. She has also completed a degree in John Heskett had a successful Applied Criminal Investigation at Canterbury City career in investment Christ Church University. banking. After training as a Hayley’s current role is as the Operational Senior chartered accountant John Manager for the new Child Sexual Exploitation worked for a number of City Team. Institutions including Cooper Brothers and Baring Brothers before becoming a member of the founding board of Baring Asset Management in 1989. He was
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Financial information
The financial information below relates to the year ending 31st March 2015. Draft financial accounts for the year ending 31st March 2016, Management Accounts for the current year and details about our response to our pension deficit can be made available on request during the process.
2014/15 was a year of large scale change within the organisation as we responded to the challenging conditions within our sector. A process to redesign the organisation was undertaken with the aim of improving the quality of our services whilst improving cost effectiveness. Alongside this work we also began investing into new services in the East Midlands. The collective effect of these changes has been realised within the current year with dramatic improvements in our finances at the same time as Ofsted judging two of our care homes as "Outstanding". As the year progresses we anticipate further improvements when our new services become operational.
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Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee
The Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee will join a team of Trustees and staff helping some of the most vulnerable children in our society to build a future and reach their potential. This is a fantastic opportunity to get involved in a successful and exciting charity at a time of significant change and development and take on a leading role for the Board on organisational risk management and audit arrangements.
Whilst the organisation currently has expertise in finance and business who can contribute to discussion around organisational risk, the Caldecott Foundation is seeking to add to these expertise, primarily regarding risks concerning Ofsted regulations, reputational and service delivery risks pertaining to working with vulnerable young people. Whilst applications from all sectors will be considered, it is hoped that this important role can be filled by someone with expertise in social care and, ideally, someone who understands the organisational challenges and risks inherent in working with children and young people.
In addition to the duties and responsibilities outlined below, please see the Appendix: Roles and Duties of a Trustee for further information about being a trustee.
Key Roles and Responsibilities include:
Ensuring that the organisation pursues its objects and responsibilities as defined in its governing document, charity law, company law and other relevant legislation/regulations
Working alongside the Chief Executive and staff helping them achieve the aims of the organisation; and to optimise the relationship between the board of Trustees and senior management team
Facilitating the board of trustees in developing excellent, well-rounded and carefully considered strategic decision-making
Undertaking a lead role for the Board of Trustees on all matters associated with the oversight of organisational risk management, audit and internal controls specifically including:
o Compliance with internal control procedures o Arrangements for internal audit o The appointment of the external auditor and the nature and scope of the annual audit. o Risk Management procedures, assessment and evaluation o The effectiveness of governance arrangements and adherence to policies, terms of references and appropriate roles
Working with the Chief Executive and senior executive officers to understand organisational risks and how they are being managed.
Acting as a critical friend to the organisation’s executive team when using risk assessment to inform strategic planning.
Working with Trustee colleagues to foster a better understanding within the Board of key organisational risks and how they are being managed.
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Organisational developments and plans for the future
The organisation is in the middle of a programme of transformational change involving the sale of some property assets and the re-commissioning of new services in areas of demand. An organisational redesign is also underway within the operational and support services to improve the quality and cost effectiveness of our services to vulnerable children and young people. This has already resulted in significant positive change with two of our care homes now being rated as outstanding by Ofsted and dramatic improvements to our financial performance. As part of this change project the organisation has expanded its services outside of Kent with three new care homes established in the East Midlands. Further geographic spread is possible in the future. We are also exploring options to expand our service offering to provide a truly holistic service and the best possible long term outcomes for young people within the care system. Key to this will be the development of young people’s employability through workplace and vocational skills, experience and qualifications.
Person Specification
We are looking for:
Someone with a passion for helping the most vulnerable children build a future and reach their potential. Someone with significant experience of operating at a senior level of business, preferably within an organisation which links to children and young people or someone who has worked with children and vulnerable adults in the past Experience of risk management and/or auditing (preferably in a service industry other than finance) Experience of working with committees and chairing committees Exceptional interpersonal skills and ability to work with a range of people with different roles Someone with the ability to listen to others and bring in external expertise when needed
What’s in it for the Volunteer?
This is an exciting time to get involved with the work of the Caldecott Foundation, providing strategic leadership to the Audit and Risk sub-committee as well as facilitating the existing skills of committee members. This is an opportunity to get involved with the Caldecott Foundation at a strategic level, having a direct impact on the decision-making processes which will affect the entire organisation’s future as well as the quality, impact and thoroughness of it’s service delivery.
What impact will the role have?
This role is key to providing quality assurance around the management of organisational risk and ensuring that risk assessment informs organisational development and strategic planning. You will be an important member of the leadership team and through your involvement contribute to an organisation achieving outstanding long term outcomes for some of the most vulnerable young people in our society.
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Time Commitment and Expenses
Audit and Risk Committee meetings are held twice a year and usually last about 2 hours. Board meetings are held five times a year and usually last 3 hours.
This role is entirely voluntary, however, reasonable expenses incurred will be reimbursed by the organisation.
Contact for applications and enquiries
TrusteeWorks is liaising with candidates on behalf of the Caldecott Foundation and all applications are made to TrusteeWorks in the first instance. Application is by CV and cover letter. For any preliminary enquiries about this role, please e-mail the TrusteeWorks Team at:
Reach Volunteering Caldecott House, 89 Albert Embankment Hythe Road, SE1 7TP Smeeth, Tel: 0207 582 65 43 Ashford, Kent TN25 6SP
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Appendix: The Roles and Duties of a trustee
Other Trustee roles and responsibilities include the following:
1. Set and maintain vision, mission and values
2. Develop strategy
The trustee board is responsible for establishing the essential purpose or mission of the organisation. They are also responsible for guarding its vision and values. Together, the board and chief executive officer develop long-term strategy. Meeting agendas reflect the key points of the strategy to keep the organisation on track.
3. Establish and monitor policies
The trustee board creates policies to govern organisational activity. These cover: guidance for staff systems for reporting and monitoring an ethical framework for everyone connected with the organisation conduct of trustees and board business
4. Set up employment procedures
The trustee board creates comprehensive, fair and legal personnel policies. These protect the organisation and those who work for it. They cover: recruitment support appraisal remuneration discipline
5. Ensure compliance with governing document
The governing document is the rulebook for the organisation. The board makes sure it is followed. In particular, the organisation's activities must comply with its charitable objectives.
6. Ensure accountability
The board should ensure that the organisation is accountable as required by law to: the Charity Commission Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) the Registrar of Companies (if it is a company limited by guarantee).
The board also needs to make certain that the organisation is accountable to donors, beneficiaries, staff, volunteer, and the general public. This means publishing annual reports and accounts and communicating effectively.
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7. Ensure compliance with the law
The board is responsible for making sure that all the organisation's activities are legal.
8. Maintain proper fiscal oversight
The board is responsible for effectively managing the organisation's resources so it can meet its charitable objects. It: secures sufficient resources to fulfil the mission monitors spending approves the annual financial statement and budget provides insurance to protect the organisation from liability seeks to minimise risk participates in fundraising (in some organisations) ensures legal compliance
9. Select, manage and support the chief executive
The board creates policy covering the employment of the chief executive. It selects and supports the chief executive and reviews his or her performance.
10. Respect the role of staff
The board recognises and respects the domain of staff responsibility. At the same time, it creates policy to guide staff activities and safeguard the interests of the organisation.
11. Maintain effective board performance
The board keeps its own house in order. It takes steps to establish: productive meetings high standards of trustee conduct effective committees with adequate resources development activities recruitment and induction processes regular performance reviews partnership with consultants where necessary
12. Promote the organisation
Through its own behaviour, governance oversight and activities on behalf of the organisation the governing Board enhances and protects the reputation of its organisation. Board members are good ambassadors for the organisation.
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