Children's Home run by Ethelbert Specialist Homes Limited in Kent

Unique reference number SC023740 Inspection date 15/02/2012 Inspector David Putnam Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 27/07/2011 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

This children's home is privately-owned and is registered for three young people. The home must reduce the number of children by the number of people aged 18 and over who are provided with care and accommodation in the home.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Good progress The children’s home has demonstrated continued improvement in quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the large majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Satisfactory progress The children’s home has maintained quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Inadequate progress The children’s home has failed to address one or more requirements and/or has not met the majority of recommendations and/or the quality of care and outcomes for children and young people have declined since the last full inspection.

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Progress

Since their previous inspection the service is judged to be making good progress.

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Progress

At the last inspection the home was judged to be good overall. Four recommendations were made. The home has fully addressed these and demonstrates continued improvement in the quality of care and outcomes for young people.

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Progress

The home is currently undergoing refurbishment to build a brand new kitchen/diner, following the recommendation of the Registered Manager. Young people say they are excited about these changes. This is the first stage of a process to bring about significant improvements to the overall living environment for young people. Young people speak positively about the home, saying they feel safe, get on well with staff and do lots of activities they like. Staff give clear and consistent messages to young people that this is their home.

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Progress

Young people appreciate having contact with members of their families. Staff actively advocate for young people to ensure they have positive experiences of contact. Social workers confirm that staff support contact for young people appropriately and provide good reports. One social worker described the home as, 'an excellent placement', adding that the particular young person 'seems much more content in himself, which is huge.' Social workers also confirm that negative behaviours have moderated. In particular, one young person no longer goes missing whereas this was previously a significant concern.

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Progress

A small, but committed staff group work well together to provide a consistent quality of care for young people. Staff are supported through regular supervision and appraisal. Through detailed placement plans and their knowledge of the young people, staff recognise individual needs and vulnerabilities. Staff take appropriate steps to ensure the safety of young people. Positive behaviour is rewarded through individual targets set for young people. The young people themselves are involved in deciding if they meet their daily targets. Staff and young people have jointly agreed a set of sanctions used in response to certain negative behaviours.

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Progress

Staff encourage young people to be active and remain healthy through a range of activities. Young people make a positive contribution to the wider community through completing a sponsored cycle ride for a national charity. In addition they make considerable progress in education. Young people who previously struggled to stay in a class now receive daily tuition and attend vocational training twice a week. One young person attending school received the head teacher's award for the most improved student last term. Placing local authorities also recognise the achievements of young people. Staff and all young people in the home attend award ceremonies together to celebrate these achievements.

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Progress

The quality of record keeping within the home has recently improved in response to recommendations made during monthly monitoring visits. Records now contribute to an understanding of each young person's life. Social workers say the home works well with them. They describe communication and co-operation from the home as, 'first class'. All key policies and linked guidance documents have recently been reviewed by the parent organisation. A children's guide for the home does exist, but some young people find this difficult to read. The home does not currently have an alternative guide that communicates key information in a more accessible format.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 ensure where a child requires it, the children's guide is available through suitable alternative methods of communication. (NMS 13.6)

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About this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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About this inspection

The report details the progress made by the provider since the last full inspection, identifies any further strengths, any areas for improvement and makes judgements as outlined in the Inspection of children’s homes – framework for inspection (March 2011).

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