Children's Home run by Kedleston (Wood Grove Childcare) Limited in Essex

Unique reference number SC423453 Inspection date 25/03/2014 Inspector Susan Southey Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 30/04/2013 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Brief description of the service

This privately owned children's home is registered to accommodate three boys with emotional or behavioural difficulties. Education is provided through the home's independent school and local education authority provision, when possible.

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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

The service received an overall rating of outstanding at the last inspection in April 2013. One recommendation was made in respect of cleanliness in the home. There have been improvements in ensuring young people have a pleasant home environment. The manager has achieved this through the introduction of cleaning rotas which are regularly monitored. This ensures that the home is cleaned appropriately to provide a comfortable home for young people. Some areas of the home have been re-decorated, which further enhances the quality of the home environment for young people.

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Progress

Young people demonstrate they make on-going progress to develop skills and help others. They make a positive contribution in the community and integrate with their peers who live locally. Examples of this are young people acting as football coaches for young people with additional needs. Others regularly attend local music projects, which gives them opportunities to demonstrate their talents with likeminded individuals. Young people are confident in their abilities and feel part of the community. They build positive relationships with their peers in the home and demonstrate they are able to form and sustain positive attachments with other young people in the area.

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Progress

Young people regularly attend health appointments and demonstrate an increased awareness of sustaining good health. They are able to choose and prepare nutritious meals, and they act on advice given by staff and health professionals to promote healthy lifestyles. They take regular exercise and increase their consumption of vegetables to improve their diets. This demonstrates that young people are able to make healthy lifestyle choices that promote their wellbeing. Young people’s emotional health is supported well through the recruitment of a professional art therapist. Young people engage well in these sessions, which enable them to express their wishes and feelings through art.

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Progress

Young people living at the home for many years continue in further education and make excellent progress. They attend college regularly and achieve recognised qualifications. Young people who have more recently come to live in the home make considerable progress from their starting point. Those with histories of non- attendance in education attend regularly, and they demonstrate significant improvement in their engagement with tutors from their starting point.

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Progress

Young people living in this home generally behave well and make a contribution to the home. The introduction of achievement charts gives young people the opportunity to earn rewards for making positive contributions and adhering to boundaries. This gives a consistent approach to behaviour management and enables staff to monitor young people’s progress. Each young person is monitored to assess their progress in completing personal care and life skills, completing domestic chores and engagement in education. Young people make good progress as a result of this practice. There has been a reduction of negative incidents and young people receive increased positive rewards. This demonstrates that young people are encouraged by the praise they receive from staff and make progress in all areas of their development.

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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.

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