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

Unique reference number SC023740 Inspector Liz Driver Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Ethelbert Specialist Homes Limited Registered person address Cheesemans Farmhouse Alland Grange Lane, Manston Ramsgate Kent CT12 5BZ Responsible individual Leslie Peter Davenport Registered manager Brian Shaw Date of last inspection 27/02/2014 2 of 11 Inspection date 30/12/2014

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Previous inspection good progress Enforcement action since last inspection none

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Overall effectiveness outstanding

Outcomes for children and young people outstanding Quality of care outstanding Keeping children and young people safe outstanding Leadership and management outstanding

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Overall effectiveness

Young people make excellent progress in this home in relation to their starting points across all aspects of their personal, social, behavioural and educational development. This progress is as a result of the exceptional support and commitment given by the staff team who understand the individual needs of the young people. Challenges and barriers to education are robustly challenged by the Registered Manager. He works extremely closely with all partner agencies to ensure young people access the best education, suitable to their needs. The service's track record for educational attendance and achievement is outstanding.

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Overall effectiveness

Relationships between the young people and staff are exceptionally positive. Staff demonstrate good role modelling which has a positive impact on the young people. Ex-looked after children visit the home and also act as positive role models. Rules and expectations are clearly communicated. Staff have high individual aspirations which are maintained throughout the daily living. Young people know what is expected, and respond extremely well.

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Overall effectiveness

Care planning is detailed and extremely thorough. Risk, both potential and actual, are assessed, understood and effectively addressed. Young people feel very safe and they are safe in this home. Comments from parents include `this is the happiest and safest my child has been for a long time.’ The Registered Manager has 3 of 11 developed professional relationships with the local authorities and will challenge on behalf of the young people if in their best interests. Potential referrals have been refused where the manager has deemed the home cannot meet their needs, or placement matching is inappropriate with current young people's needs.

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Overall effectiveness

Safeguarding procedures are clear, structured and implemented consistently. This provides young people with maximum protection. Young people do not participate in risk taking behaviours; however, they are protected from real or potential risk of harm. Child protection and safeguarding polices work alongside local safeguarding policies and are continually being reviewed and updated by the organisation's designated safeguarding officer.

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Overall effectiveness

Extensive internal and external quality assurance procedures assist the manager in identifying the service's strengths and weaknesses in respect of the quality of care and also inform future development plans and improvements.

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Overall effectiveness

Two recommendations made relate to the home re-writing the children's guide so it is more child friendly and contains contact details of the independent person who visits, and also to provide e-safety training regularly so staff and young people are up to date with the ever changing risks of accessing social media. 4 of 11

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children's home is registered for up to three children or young people who may have emotional and behavioural difficulties. Children or young people living in the home are able to access education through separately registered provision which is managed by the same organisation. Therapy or counselling is also available if this is appropriate.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/02/2014 Interim good progress 26/09/2013 Full outstanding 27/03/2013 Interim good progress 12/09/2012 Full outstanding

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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

 provide additional training to staff and young people on the safe use of social media and the internet (NMS 4.4)  review the current children's guide to ensure it is more child friendly and contains the up to date contact details of the independent person. (NMS 13) 5 of 11

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people make outstanding progress during their time at this home. They learn to make sense of their past and previous life experiences. This assists them in moving forward in all aspects of the social, emotional and psychological aspects of their lives, including feeling safe, being happy, mixing with their peers and anger management.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Educational progress is outstanding for the vast majority of young people. Young people who join the home with histories of low attendance are successfully supported to re-engage in education and as a result make quick progress. The Registered Manager is both challenging and professional in ensuring young people receive the best possible educational provision available. Professionals comment that `it is hard to comprehend how well a young person has done at school’, and that the home has ‘turned things around for a young person.’

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people develop trusting relationships with staff. They refer to them as ‘caring and helpful’ as well as saying `staff help me if I am having a bad day.’ Staff foster very good role modelling and encourage young people to form positive friendships in the home. Ex-residents often return to visit staff and the young people as a result of the excellent relationships developed during their stay. Young people know staff's expectations of behaviour and that they may differ according to age. Young people have an excellent understanding of the importance of healthy lifestyles and do not engage in risky behaviours such as smoking, alcohol consumption, running away or offending.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people are supported to maintain their important and significant relationships. Such arrangements are in accordance with their individual plans. This ensures all contacts are appropriate and both staff and young people are informed of any restrictions of contact. Staff support contact to ensure positive experiences. Professionals comment ‘staff showed the willingness to go that extra mile’ and `staff also reached out to family members and are always prepared to travel out of the homes area.’ Relatives and placing social workers describe an exceptionally positive approach to contact by staff and managers within the home. This ensures that young people are able to maintain or re-establish important relationships with their relatives. In some cases, staff work with agreed plans to prepare young people to successfully return to their families.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people are, and feel valued at this home. Their achievements, of which there are many, are celebrated, through the display of awards in communal areas of the home and individual certificates in their bedrooms. Their own families are valued and respected through the display of photographs personally chosen by the young people themselves. This contributes to young people’s understanding of their personal identity and helps them to make sense of earlier life experiences. 6 of 11 Daily routines are firmly embedded and give the young people regular opportunities to practice their life skills. In accordance with individual understanding and their age, young people learn to take responsibilities in line with growing up. The service has many success stories for previous young people who left the service age 18 years of age. Many re-visit to show their appreciation.

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Quality of care outstanding

Young people experience highly supportive and nurturing relationships from the start of their placements. Staff are described by placing social workers as `going that extra mile’ and providing `high levels of skills and professionalism.’ Comments from young people include `I like the staff especially my key worker who helps me all the time.’ Young people respond extremely positively to appropriate boundaries and they learn to think about consequences of poor decisions. From this they are successfully supported to develop effective coping mechanisms especially with anger management.

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Quality of care outstanding

Young people's views, wishes and opinions are central to the practice in the home. Young people say they feel valued and are listened to. Formal and informal opportunities exist for young people to raise concerns. Regular house meetings, key worker sessions and daily discussion around the meal table provide an extensive range of opportunities for young people to be heard. When they first come to live at the home young people are introduced to the organisation's independent person as someone they can contact at any time. He also visits regularly to ensure they are happy and provides an advocacy service if necessary. Complaints from young people are rare. Additionally procedures and systems are in place for staff and others to raise a concern or complaint, again this is a rare occurrence.

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Quality of care outstanding

The vast majority of young people have excellent school attendance and many exceed their academic potential. Others who join the home with low attendance are supported and encouraged by the staff team to re-engage positively into education. Although this may take time for some young people, the service has an excellent track record in getting young people back into education full time. The Registered Manager is both challenging with local authorities and ambitious for all young people to access the best possible education available.

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Quality of care outstanding

Young people engage in the planning of menus and receive good balanced nutritious food. Diets cater for individual preferences and allow for eating out in restaurants which provides the opportunity for life skills experiences and feeling part of the local community. Young people receive highly organised health care, from access to medical professionals to the safe administration of medication and first aid. Where appropriate, appointments with external agencies, such as mental health services, are fully supported. Young people enjoy an extensive range of both indoor and outdoor activities including climbing mountains, cycling and fossil hunting. These 7 of 11 activities add to maintaining good physical health. Young people are proud of their achievements of climbing many peaks and mountains.

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Quality of care outstanding

Staff demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the individual needs of the young people. This knowledge effectively informs the on-going care planning process. The practice of care delivery is impressive, as is the quality of the written records. Individual risk assessments and behaviour management plans are highly effective in informing staff and young people to manage conflict and to develop positive relationships. Young people are set targets that they jointly agree with staff with clear and measurable outcomes. Staff are imaginative in in finding ways to support young people in making progress with their targets. For example, joining a group activity like the Scouts and Judo club that promotes group participation and listening skills.

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Quality of care outstanding

The home is spacious and well situated in terms of easy access to local community resources. The kitchen is described as the hub of the home where staff and young people enjoy meals together. The home is situated over three floors and is very well maintained. Young people feel this is their home as they say `we have helped decorate the house so it's just how we want it’ and `I love it, it's my home.’

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Young people say they feel safe at the home and can trust staff to keep them safe. This comes about by the strong relationships they form with staff and the sense of belonging they feel. Parents also feel their children are safe at the home commenting `this is the safest my child has been for a long time.’ Professionals comment that the home offered a young person `a safe and secure home base.’ Young people are very comfortable with the staff team and there is clear mutual respect for each other.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Staff understand and effectively implement the safeguarding and child protection policy and procedures of the organisation. The policy and procedures work alongside, and in accordance with, local authority guidance. The manager works closely with a designated safeguarding officer in the organisation who is suitably qualified and experienced to manage any allegations or concerns. Close working relationships with the local safeguarding agencies ensure young people are protected from actual or future risk and that concerns are appropriately referred. Staff training is routinely delivered by experts in this field and staff are confident in safeguarding procedures.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Young people's behaviours are exceptionally positive. Anti- social behaviours are very minimal. Bullying within the home is not seen as an issue for any of the young people; however, they are confident to raise problems when they occur elsewhere. Young people’s sense of well-being means that they do not engage in risk taking behaviours. None of them smoke, take drugs or drink alcohol. Incidents of young people running away are extremely rare. Young people with previous histories of running away stop doing so once they arrive at the home. This is due to the trusting 8 of 11 relationships that are quickly developed, and the robust behaviour management strategies that are put in place. Staff are aware of the possibility that young people could run away and are fully informed of the actions they would need to take. The runaway and missing from home and care policy of the home and the organisation, has been written in agreement with specialist local police officers. The organisation,

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

as a whole works, closely with the local missing person's co-ordinator to facilitate positive and joint working practices. Policies also address the risks of sexual exploitation which is backed up by staff receiving training so they can identify such risks. Procedures in place for young people to talk to staff, the police and the independent person on their return are fully implemented and highly effective.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Young people's access to the internet and a range of social media is managed well with agreements in place between young people and the staff regarding safe use. Staff are acutely aware of the difficulties in consistently managing safe use and consistently provide clear messages to young people. Although staff receive basic training relating to e-safety, this needs extending to ensure their knowledge is up to date. Young people will benefit from staff’s extended knowledge in this area.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Risk assessments clearly set out how risks are assessed and managed. Current risks are low for young people although they do allow for a balanced approach, such as travelling to college independently. Records show how risks identified before young people come to live in the home are reduced over a short period of time. The use of physical restraint techniques is rare. The written records of such incidents are clear and accurate and show the reason for the use of such measures. Staff receive on- going training that focuses on de-escalation practices rather than physical intervention. Young people are proud of their achievements in areas such as behaviour management and the skills gained to be more independent.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Excellent recruitment procedures, established over a long period of time, add to the protection of young people. All staff are carefully selected and vetted to prevent unsuitable people being employed and having contact with vulnerable young people. Detailed records of checks are kept at the organisation's head office. Essential details are kept in the home. All visitors are very closely supervised.

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Keeping children and young people safe outstanding

Health and safety checks are meticulously carried out to ensure all aspects of the home are safe and secure. Routine health and safety checks are undertaken with highly organised records kept. All young people and staff are able to respond if a fire started as the result of regular day and night practice drills taking place. Records show these drills are taken seriously and are effective.

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Leadership and management outstanding

9 of 11 The home is effectively led by a Registered Manager who has a wealth of experience and suitable qualifications to fulfil his role. He is currently extending his management qualifications by completing the Level 5 Diploma. He is well respected by the staff, young people and professionals he has contact with. He is dedicated and passionate about his role and is highly visible in the home. Staff value his management style and say he is an excellent role model and extremely supportive. Young people say he is `a very good manager who is fair’ and that he has `helped me grow up.’

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Leadership and management outstanding

The staffing team has seen a change in recent months with a few long standing members moving on. The impact of new staff commencing has not had a negative impact on the quality of care or excellent relationships formed with the young people. New staff get to know the young people quickly and fully engage in the smooth running of the home. Young people have managed the change very well. This is down to the careful selection, by the Registered Manager, in recruiting staff who fit in well at the service. Staffing levels are very suitable and provide sufficiency for young people to engage in activities of their choice independent of each other.

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Leadership and management outstanding

Staff receive high quality training and support guidance in line with their learning and development needs. A comprehensive staff training matrix is successfully implemented and regularly reviewed. Staff receive training from experts in their specific field, such as safeguarding and child sexual exploitation. Additional training is provided in order to meet the needs of the current young people, such as training in autism.

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Leadership and management outstanding

No external complaints have been received since the last inspection and the home continues to operate in an open and transparent manner by submitting appropriate, although rare, notifications to Ofsted and other relevant organisations.

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Leadership and management outstanding

Internal monitoring systems allow the service to continually explore and improve the quality of care provided and in turn improve the outcomes for young people. Copies of monthly monitoring visits from an independent person are routinely submitted to Ofsted. These are comprehensive and provide detail and challenge when appropriate. Reviews of the quality of care are systematically undertaken every three months and are focussed on the needs of young people. They also reflect on areas for development in driving forward improvement.

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Leadership and management outstanding

The service has an up to date Statement of Purpose that allows stakeholders to appropriately place young people at the setting. The service meets it aims and objectives. The Registered Manager continually works to maintain the outstanding standards and is open to suggestions and ideas to further develop the service. He is supported by senior leaders in the organisation who clearly express their intention to provide excellent provision and maintain good working relationships with all professionals. The service's children's guide is in need of updating so it is more child friendly. It currently does not include the contact details of the independent visitor for young people's easy access. 10 of 11 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Leadership and management outstanding

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Judgement Description

Outstanding A service of exceptional quality that significantly exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Good A service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Adequate A service that only meets minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Inadequate A service that does not meet minimum requirements.

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Information 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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Information about this inspection

The report details the main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation, and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the framework of inspection for children's homes.

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