Children's Home run by Channels and Choices Limited in Kent

Unique reference number SC408584 Inspector Helen Lee Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Channels and Choices Limited Registered person address 10 Clanwilliam Road DEAL Kent CT14 7BX

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Responsible individual Martin Anthony Scholfield Registered manager Katie Anne Smissen Date of last inspection 15/01/2014 2 of 11 Inspection date 29/01/2015

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Previous inspection good progress Enforcement action since last inspection none

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Overall effectiveness good

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

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Overall effectiveness

The young people have been at this home for a significant period of time. This has given them a sense of belonging. As one young person stated, 'Everything is good and they help me. Nothing could be better and it's really good here.'

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Overall effectiveness

Overall outcomes for young people are adequate though due to some young people disengaging, prior to moving into semi-independence accommodation. As a result, although some young people are thriving within the home, others are not achieving their full potential. There are some areas of good progress being made by young people. In particular with regards to education. Purposeful links have been developed between the home and the educational establishments attended by the young people. The home is excellent in ensuring that young people gain educational provision quickly. In addition to this, young people are prepared to enter further education. As a result, the young people have aspirations for their future.

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Overall effectiveness

The home works, with the placing authorities, to ensure that the young people's daily lives reflect the their assessments and what is recorded within their plans. As one young person stated, 'I have lived here for four years and the staff are kind to me and I enjoy my unsupervised time. It's pretty cool - staff care.’

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Overall effectiveness

Young people and their social workers confirm that the young people are safe within 3 of 11 the home. A social worker stated, 'I am happy that they are meeting the young person's needs and continuing to keep them safe and stable’.

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Overall effectiveness

This inspection highlighted some areas requiring further development such as consent for surveillance; the independent visitor inspecting of children's case files; and the role of the deputy managing the home in the Registered Manager’s absence. Recommendations, to improve practice, are made regarding training monitoring; the young people’s use of social media; checks on qualifications; and young people's placement plans. 4 of 11

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care for up to three young people who have emotional and behavioural difficulties. The home is run by a partnership company.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/01/2014 Interim good progress 29/05/2013 Full good 14/01/2013 Interim good progress 15/05/2012 Full good

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children's Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) gain all children's placing authority's consent to any surveillance and ensure it is provided for in the child's placement plan. (Regulation 22 (1)) 02/03/2015

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) Get the child's and child's Placing Authority's consent to the inspection of the child's case records by the independent person. (Regulation 33 (8) (b)) 31/03/2015

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Reg. Requirement Due date

8 (2001) ensure that persons do not manage a children's home unless they are fit to do so, in particular consider the position of the deputy who manages the home 2 days a week in the Registered Manager's absence (Regulation 8 (1)) 24/04/2015 5 of 11

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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 that young people have access to social media and are helped to understand how to keep themselves safe when using the internet (NMS 4.4)  ensure there is a system in place to monitor the quality and adequacy of record keeping and take action when needed, in particular in regard to staff training records (NMS 22.1)  ensure that information within young people's files is stored correctly, which will be helpful to a child when accessing their files (NMS 22.5)  ensure the home has a record of the checks regarding the qualifications having been confirmed if deemed a requirement or relevant to the role. (NMS 16.3c) 6 of 11

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Outcomes are judged adequate because some of the young people, who are moving onto supported accommodation, have disengaged for a period of time with the home. For instance, they are no longer accepting necessary medical treatment and ensuring risks regarding substances and sexual health are decreasing.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Overall young people make good progress in learning how to manage their feelings, learning to talk about worries and reducing challenging behaviour within the home. Young people are in the process of developing an understanding of their backgrounds thereby enabling them to build emotional resilience. Sometimes, though, their behavioural progress is unsettled by outside influences and there can be temporary setbacks. Nevertheless, a social worker notes that, ' The young person has made progress. They are in a much more positive space now'.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

In the main, young people's general health improves as a result of living in the home. They access all the general medical services they need but do not always accept the necessary treatment or follow up appointments, which may compromise their long- term health. The majority of the young people make real progress in understanding the importance of healthy lifestyles. For example, eating more fruit and vegetables and engaging in exercise. Young people's self-esteem improves as they develop the increased confidence to make healthy choices.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people acknowledge that education is important and report that staff encourage not only their regular attendance, but also offer practical support helping with homework. Young people, who have been resident in the home for some time, achieve well in school and have progressed on to college placements. Consequently, these young people's confidence in their educational abilities improves and they are ambitious for their future employment prospects.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people fully benefit from the proactive approach employed by staff to ensure that they are able to maintain and improve contact and relationships with parents. This effectively enables the young people to understand their cultural links and build relationships which will sustain them now and in their future independent lives. Young people are creatively supported by staff, when necessary, during family visits.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people say that their views, wishes and feelings are listened to, via young people’s meetings and key worker sessions. Good progress is made in young people learning to do things independently. They help staff with practical household chores such as laundry, cooking and washing-up. They take responsibility for getting themselves to school or college on time and returning to the home when they are expected. Young people's life skills improve, for example, by travelling longer 7 of 11 distances on public transport alone or to manage on a budget.

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Quality of care good

Young people in this home enjoy positive, constructive relationships with most staff. They use the skills they gain in forming these relationships to build friendships with each other and within the community. Some young people do not fully engage with the home, though, as they state they 'want to be a normal teenager’: however, they report, that staff continue to support them and care about them.

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Quality of care good

Young people in the home are appropriately placed . Their needs are assessed appropriately and placement plans outline how these needs are met. Young people living in this home are activity encouraged to make positive choices and to use every opportunity to develop and reach their individual potential. Individual placement plans have been developed that recognise the young people's individuality. However, the plans do not record measureable outcomes, achievements or progress although this is found in other records and reports.

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Quality of care good

Young people are fully conversant with the complaint procedure and confident to use it. They receive prompt feedback, as to actions, and are happy with outcomes. This effectively builds their confidence in expressing dissatisfaction in a positive manner.

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Quality of care good

There is effective multidisciplinary working. Staff ensure they work closely with other professionals such as therapists and education. Young people benefit from in-house services to support their mental health in line with their assessed needs.

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Quality of care good

Young people’s educational needs are extremely well supported and highly valued. Staff have consistently high aspirations for young people who talk enthusiastically about the support they receive with regards to their education. As a consequence, the young people are progressing with their education. A young person reported that, ‘I am doing very well at college now because the home have helped me.’ Staff ensure that young people are ready, are interested in how their day went and celebrate any achievement or progress they make. Staff liaise with schools and attend any meeting or significant events. A school representative reported that, ‘Because we are part of the same organisation, communication is a strength. We use many methods including books and frequent handovers; support between the home and school is excellent. The home’s staff well support school events, the last was a Christmas barbeque!’.

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Quality of care good

Young people benefit from involvement in a range of inclusive activities in the home and community. These enable the young people to explore new activities, pursue positive personal interests and spend one-to-one time with staff or each other. This 8 of 11 effectively builds self-esteem, self-worth and promotes a healthier lifestyle. Staff support young people to develop their knowledge, skills and independence by offering appropriate advice, encouragement and by being good role models. Young people live in a homely building which suits their needs. They like their bedrooms which they are encouraged to personalise according to their tastes.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people report they feel safe in this home. The home’s procedures states that, 'Normal use of the internet for recreational and educational purposes by children and young people should be encouraged, but should be monitored at all times to ensure they are protected'. However, the young people said that they were not allowed access to social network sites. One young person said, ‘I can’t use it here but we do at college.’ This does not ensure that young people are treated as individuals or that they have the skills and knowledge to access them safely.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

The home follows the local authority’s policy and procedures regarding young people who leave the home without staff permission. The home has established very good protocols and reporting systems with the local constabulary. A police officer reported, ‘The situation has greatly improved for this home recently, with a massive improvement for one young person.’ The Registered Manager has been proactive in calling strategy meetings, and ensuring visits by social workers, when a child has been missing on a number of occasions. Young people say that they are responded to positively on their return and staff are concerned about their safety and welfare. One young person stated, 'The staff do welcome me back, and do talk about how to do things differently and keep myself safe'.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Restraint is used infrequently, by suitably trained staff, for appropriate reasons and is always followed-up with the young person to help them reflect on the incident. Staff use consistent boundaries and strategies with the young people. The recording of any restraint is legible and clearly expressed. The home operates a procedure where there is directorial oversight of any restraints where the Registered Manager is involved. Robust management oversight of sanctions and restraint ensures methods used in the home are fair and appropriately applied, contributing to a reduction in their use. . A Social Worker commented that the home has 'helped the young person increase their resilience to learn from any mistakes. The number of restraints have reduced for them so there is progress. This is due to the hard work at the home.'

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Keeping children and young people safe good

The home has a robust recruitment policy and practice. However, qualifications relevant to the role are not consistently verified. All visitors to the home are monitored and sign in and out of the visitor's book, acknowledging the importance of the young people's safety.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

The home has established systems and structures to maintain fulfil health and safety obligations. All services and utilities are inspected regularly. Fire safety is given 9 of 11 appropriate importance and fire drills are carried out routinely. This means that young people and staff know what to do in the event of an emergency. However, the home lacks written consent regarding the use of its surveillance technique's such as the door alarms, although placing authorities are aware of this practice as it is detailed in the home’s Statement of Purpose.

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Leadership and management good

An enthusiastic, calm and effective manager manages this home three days a week. She has been registered with the regulator Ofsted for three years. She is awaiting final sign off of her Level 5 in Leadership and Management. The remaining two days a week are managed by a deputy who is not registered with Ofsted.

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Leadership and management good

All staff spoken to, on the inspection, said they enjoyed coming to work; that they had a strong team who are committed to ensuring the safety and improved outcomes for young people; and that they thought that the support given by the Registered Manager and deputy was good.

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Leadership and management good

The good management of this home contributes significantly to the positive impact on the care and support young people receive. There were two recommendations made at the last inspection. These have been fully addressed. Good communication is a feature of the home, which enables staff to be well informed about daily events, routines and the progress of each young person. Regular handovers share up to date knowledge regarding the young people and their changing needs. Team meetings are viewed as essential. One staff member commented, ‘We have two therapists and it is really helpful and the whole team engage and it works really well’. This promotes consistency of care for the young people.

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Leadership and management good

Staff are supervised regularly, which means that they are supported in their work with young people and also that their work is monitored. The numbers of staff on duty are sufficient to meet the needs of the young people.

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Leadership and management good

Staff recognise the impact of the significant numbers of new staff and accept that the young people have stronger relationships with the core of more established staff. All staff have achieved, or are working towards, formal qualifications. During the inspection, the records didn’t immediately demonstrate that staff had the necessary skills required for the needs of the young people. Although this information was eventually located, the organisation’s system fails to aid the monitoring processes to ensure that all staff have received core and specific training and that these remain in date.

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Leadership and management good

The Registered Manager monitors key documents, policies and procedures in order to ensure practice is current, relevant to young people's needs and accountable. The views of young people, parents and professionals are consistently captured to improve day-to-day care. A good development plan outlines the aims and objectives 10 of 11 for the year. In addition to this, an excellent location risk assessment draws together any potential, immediate or known risks within the local and surrounding areas. External monitoring is undertaken, by an independent visitor, which includes consultation with the young people, however this person does not have the placing authorities’ or the young person’s written consent to view their case files which hinders their ability to identify any potential issues.

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Leadership and management good

The home has a statement of purpose, which details the services and manner in which care is provided and this is reviewed in accordance with the regulations. The colourful and informative Children’s Guide is individually personalised for young people, welcoming them and providing them with a sense of belonging in the home.

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Leadership and management good

Young people’s files are not well structured because old documents have not been archived, thus making the file unwieldy. Several documents have not been completed, signed or up to date. This does not ensure that staff have the most up– to-date written information; is not helpful to young people when they read their file; and does not ensure that all parties are in agreement with the plans in place. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Leadership and management good

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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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