Children's Home run by Institute of Integrated Systemic Therapy in Kent

Good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The home provides a safe place for young people to live together and make good progress in their educational, emotional and social lives. This can be seen in the greatly improved levels of school attendance and improved behaviours.  The manager works effectively with his staff team. He continues to develop a staff team to achieve a good mix of gender, age and ethnicity.  A strong, short and long-term development plan identifies the many strengths of the home that are subject to further development; these include increasing staff members knowledge of equality and diversity, continued high levels of school attendance and continued robust safeguarding practices. The areas of weaknesses being addressed include, staff training, improved communication with local authorities and increased practice in the use of restorative justice practices.  The young people receive therapeutic care delivered by staff with suitable

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The children's home provision is good because:

and specialist therapeutic qualifications and knowledge.  Good relationships built with local health practitioners such as the dentist, optician and general practitioner results in young people being less anxious about treatment they may require.  Senior leaders and managers oversee the monitoring and auditing of the service. The charity’s compliance team offer support to the manager to ensure the Quality Standards and regulations are met. The manager responds well to any identified actions in response to the detailed auditing.  Young people develop meaningful relationships with staff they trust, which results in improved outcomes.

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Information about this children's home

The home is registered to accommodate four young people of mixed gender aged 11 to 16 years old. The home specialises in the treatment of young people who present with severe emotional and behavioural problems. It is operated by a charitable organisation.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

24/03/2015 CH - Interim Sustained effectiveness

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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 (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees undertake appropriate continuing professional development; specifically relating to Autism and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) training to meet the needs of the young people. (Regulation 33 (4) (a)) 30/11/2015

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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 the behaviour management policy for room searches is clearly outlined in the home’s statement of purpose and children’s guide (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 46, paragraph 9.33)

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good

Young people make good progress with their emotional, social and mental health needs. They also make good progress with their education and attendance levels have risen significantly since the last inspection; from previously low levels to above 90% attendance. Young people attend the organisation’s school located close by. The good communication with the school staff enables the care staff to assist young people with their homework.

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good

The therapeutic treatment young people receive helps them to make healthy attachments, address their feelings and relate to others in their lives. A significant part of the home’s ethos is for young people to gain confidence in living together with others. Although, at times this can be challenging for young people, staff apply consistent therapeutic care that results in good outcomes over time.

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good

Young people receive regular individualised psychotherapy sessions provided by the home. Reports are included in placement reviews and information shared with other professionals involved in their lives. The service is collaboratively working with the local childhood and mental health services in relation to a research project about how mental health services can be improved. As a result, the service integrates their core findings into their referral process.

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good

Young people enjoy a wide range of activities and opportunities. A recent holiday was very successful with positive feedback from the young people. The young people were able to participate in activities they may not previously have been able to access; such as canoeing, and commando challenges. A young person said `the holiday was great, the staff were excellent and we did so many different activities.’ Other activities young people enjoy outside of holidays include visiting car auctions in response to a young person’s love of cars, swimming, horse riding and cycling. Health and safety matters are strictly applied such as the wearing of cycle helmets at all times.

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good

Young people are encouraged to make healthy life style choices including healthy eating. Meal times are a sociable event offering a choice of meals suitable to the individual preferences of the young people. Staff members are trained in the safe administration of medicines. Young people benefit from the very good relationships staff have formed with health professionals such as the dentist, optician and general practitioner. As a result, young people are less anxious to visit them for treatment. The staff team work collaboratively with other professionals, such as social workers to facilitate family contact. The home has a dedicated placement and family officer who works directly with families providing a supportive relationship.

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good

Transition arrangements are in general well planned. One Social Worker said ‘the transition here was a very positive experience for the young person’. The manager will challenge local authorities if moving on plans are not as they should be, for example changes to future placements at the last minute.

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good

Young peoples’ safety is a key focus at the home as described in their statement of purpose. Young people receive good levels of protection overseen by the manager and senior leaders. The service is clear in their role to safeguard young people as well as to protect them. The home maintains a record of any concerns and appropriately shared with the relevant safeguarding authority.

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good

Safeguarding policies and procedures are clear and the staff members are aware of the procedures. Staff members are trained in recognising harm or abuse and receive good support from the manager. The manager leads on safeguarding in relation to referrals and seeking advice from external safeguarding authorities. The senior leadership team keep under review safeguarding records through the monitoring and auditing processes.

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good

The staff team have a good knowledge of child sexual exploitation and e-safety. Recent training has enhanced their understanding of risks relating to social media use. Young people are supervised in accessing the internet. The risks involved in giving free, but secure access is an area the manager and senior leaders are currently reviewing. The staff team support young people to understand the risks they may face when using any form of social media. Staff members have learnt from a recent incident and this has resulted in the review of the future use of social media.

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good

Behaviour management systems ensure young people are safely managed. If a complaint arises from a restraint, it is referred to the local authority designated officer (LADO), with good outcomes and lessons learnt put into place. This include a staff member undertaking refresher training and/or update behaviour management plans.. The number of restraints have decreased significantly since the last inspection; data analysis shows the number of physical interventions for one young person, have decreased from six in the month of February to one in the month of July, and none in August. Reflective work with the young people is firmly in place and overseen by the manager and senior leaders. A weekly meeting specifically aimed at reviewing restraints ensures safe practices are maintained and any concerns are dealt with quickly.

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good

Young people respond well to clear boundaries set by staff. Overtime they make very good progress and develop more appropriate ways of communicating their feeling to others. Young people are encouraged to raise matters that concern them in group and individual meetings or key worker sessions.

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good

The home has an anti- bullying champion who works directly with the young people. The staff team employ a restorative approach to incidence of bullying. The focus on increasing restorative justice practice has resulted in very good outcomes, although the number of incidences is very low. Young people are clear in what to do if they feel they are being bullied. Young people feel confident in staff members’ ability to address any such incidents.

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good

A member of staff takes the lead in promoting equality and diversity. A true champion, she continues to seek innovative ways of ensuring equality and diversity is included in all aspects of staff practice and in meeting individual needs.

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good

Young people live in a safe environment where all health and safety checks are carried out. Recruitment arrangements are robust. Only those adults assessed as suitable to work with young people are appointed.

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good

The manager has been in place since July 2015. He has worked at the service since November 2014. He has completed the registered manager’s application which is receiving attention by Ofsted. He has previous experience of being a registered manager of another children’s home. He has completed the NVQ Level 4 in Health and Social Care of Children and Young People and NVQ Level 4 in Leadership and Management for Social Care Services. In addition, he has postgraduate certificates in Emotional and Behavioural Disturbance and Multi- cultural Studies,. This manager is suitably qualified and experience to fulfil this role. The staff team has seen changes since the last inspection. The manager is enhancing the management structure by recruiting a deputy assistant to assist in managing the home. In addition, there has been an active recruitment programme for residential care staff. This has resulted in a staff team with a wide range of

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good

knowledge and experiences that meet the home’s therapeutic ethos.

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good

The staff team are suitably trained, with a structured training programme in place. The induction programme is robust. This is supplemented by specialist therapeutic training so staff are able young people’s needs. This results in the home meeting its objectives as stated in its statement of purpose.

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good

Staff members have also received training relating to child sexual exploitation and e-safety. Although staff members demonstrate satisfactory knowledge to meet young people’s needs they have not completed training in autism and attention deficit disorder (ADHD).

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good

Monitoring of the service is very good. Auditing systems address areas that require improvement and inform future planning. Senior managers and leaders across the organisation have clear oversight and input into the structured quality assurance processes. They know the strengths and weaknesses of the home and have a strong development plan in place. An independent visitor provides an objective view with recommendations that the manager actions.

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good

The home’s statement of purpose meets the required standard. The document does not include room search and this is also not included in the children’s guide. However, in practice, there has not been a need to search young people’s bedrooms.

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good

The home is well equipped and homely. It is maintained to a good standard. Work carried out since the last inspection has resulted in a much more homely environment. The garden offers a large area for young people to play and ride their bikes. The manager, senior leaders and staff continually strive to improve the setting to benefit the young people.

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children's home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children's home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children's home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place, however, the children's home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children's home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being

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What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This 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 Children's

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Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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