Children's Home run by Ethelbert Specialist Homes Limited 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:

  Warm, trusting relationships between young people and staff allow young people to feel safe and underpin all aspects of care. Young people’s wellbeing is at the centre of all practice within the home.   Care planning is detailed and comprehensive, resulting in young people’s specific needs being identified and met. Staff regularly review strategies to meet young people’s needs, minimise any risk of harm and promote positive outcomes.  The Registered Manager is forward-thinking and proactive in addressing any shortfalls to maintain high standards of care. Monitoring is rigorous and demonstrates a commitment to continually advancing the quality of care and promoting positive outcomes for young people.  The Registered Manager and staff work extremely well in partnership with other professionals to enhance young peoples’ progress and experience.  Young people are making positive progress in many areas of their lives.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The shortfall identified relates to a recent period of unforeseen staff changes when young people have been unsettled due to inconsistencies in their care arising from these staff changes. 

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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 the employment of any person on a temporary basis at the children's home does not prevent children from receiving such continuity of care as is reasonable to meet their needs. (Regulation 31(1)) 4/12/2015

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Information about this children's home

This children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is privately owned.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

24/02/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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good

Young people with complex needs and learning disabilities develop trusting relationships with staff and settle at the home. Staff respond to them with warmth and value them as individuals. They benefit from nurturing and consistent care from staff who understand their specific emotional needs and are highly skilled in managing difficult behaviour. Young people have opportunities to grow, develop, and fulfil their potential. Staff are committed to listening to the views of young people. They are sensitive and patient in allowing young people with communication difficulties to put forward their opinions. Weekly meetings enable young people to suggest activities and meals they would like with a record of discussions written in symbols for their future reference. Staff are proactive in consulting with them prior to their looked after children reviews to ensure their opinions are considered. Frequent key work

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good

sessions provide opportunities for them to voice their thoughts, concerns and feelings. Young people are listened to and their views are important to staff. There have been no complaints from them since the previous inspection. Young people engage in education and are making progress. Effective links between staff and school staff foster partnership working to ensure young people’s individual needs are met. An example of this close liaison is a form tutor attending therapy meetings to discuss a young person’s emotional wellbeing, associated risks and appropriate, consistent strategies to support him in school and at the home. Young people access a range of leisure activities relevant to their individual interests. Community activities include bowling, horse riding, swimming, trampolining and visits to local parks and the beach. Such social activities enrich and extend their social experiences and fosters their sense of belonging in the local

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good

community. They enjoyed a summer holiday away with staff, which further enhanced positive relationships. Young people learn new skills at a pace appropriate to their level of understanding. They have one-to-one support throughout their daily routines, allowing staff to provide a level of support to promote their development and independence skills. They help with daily chores, shopping and keeping their bedrooms tidy. Detailed health plans ensure young people receive health services according to their individual needs. Plans include detailed strategies to manage specific health needs such as epilepsy and staff receive training to ensure they have the skills and knowledge to promote young people’s wellbeing. Close partnership working with a learning disability nurse ensures health plans are rigorous and monitored closely to support young people achieving their health targets. Consequently, their levels of

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good

medication have reduced and their health is improving. Their emotional and psychological health is a priority. Some young people engage in weekly therapy sessions to promote their emotional wellbeing and are referred for external specialist interventions and assessments when necessary.

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good

A robust approach to safeguarding ensures staff keep young people as safe as possible. Through close staff supervision, young people develop a sense of safety, protection and trust in the adults who care for them. Strong relationships combined with routine, structure and boundaries protect young people. Also, staff and therapists pay close attention to their changing needs as they develop, identifying when potentially harmful behaviour is emerging and taking appropriate action to protect them and others. Individualised risk assessments are current. Clear safeguarding measures protect young people from harm. Detailed behaviour management strategies identify specific de-escalation techniques and guide staff in safely managing challenging behaviour. These strategies demonstrate that staff have an excellent understanding of young people and use this knowledge to promote positive behaviour. External professionals, such as a learning disability nurse and a

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good

behaviour management specialist, provide expert advice and guidance to ensure young people are receiving effective responses to their difficulties. The Registered Manager has correctly focused on closely monitoring incidents resulting in physical intervention and providing staff support to reduce the incidence of and necessity for restraint. Incidents, are properly recorded, including a discussion with the young person following the incident and de-brief with staff involved. Follow up discussions result in amendments to risk assessments and afford staff the opportunity to reflect to improve supportive strategies and ensure safe practice. There have been no incidents of young people leaving the home without permission but procedures ensure staff take appropriate action to protect them and ensure their safe return if such an event occurs. All staff receive child protection and safeguarding training and have up to date knowledge of safeguarding policies

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good

and procedures. Staff are aware of the risk of child sexual exploitation. Staff have completed the local authority’s risk assessment toolkit for child sexual exploitation for each young person and have implemented measures to safeguard their welfare. Robust recruitment processes are in place to protect young people from unsuitable adults working with them. All checks on prospective employees are undertaken before they commence work at the home. Health and safety checks are up to date. Appropriate fire safety measures are routinely applied.

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good

The Registered Manager has been in post since March 2014 and is suitably qualified and experienced. She is dedicated to maximising outcomes for young people through clear identification of their individual needs and strong leadership for the staff team to implement strategies to advance their progress. Recent unforeseen staff changes have unsettled young people who previously benefited from a stable staff team. While recruiting new staff, the home has employed temporary staff and implemented comprehensive 24-hour management plans to enable all staff to deliver stable, consistent care and reduce young people’s anxieties arising from unfamiliar staff. Staff undertake relevant training enabling them to support young people with complex needs effectively. Regular supervision provides guidance for staff and focuses on improving staff practice and issues affecting the quality of care for young people. Staff report that the Registered Manager provides effective

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good

leadership, guidance and support. The Registered Manager actively reviews the quality of care on an on-going basis with follow-up action to address any shortfalls. Quarterly internal monitoring reports are analytical and evaluative demonstrating a reflective and ‘lessons learned’ approach to issues affecting young people’s experiences. Monthly reports by an independent person add further value to the quality assurance system to maintain high standards. Areas identified for improvement through these rigorous monitoring systems are included in the home’s development plan. The Registered Manager reviews this plan quarterly and clearly demonstrates a commitment to continually advancing the quality of care and promoting positive outcomes for young people. The Registered Manager and staff work proactively with other professionals to enhance young peoples’ progress and experience. Utilising these professional

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good

specialisms such as learning disability, therapy and positive behaviour management, staff are developing their knowledge, skills and understanding to meet young people’s developmental needs confidently and competently. One Social Worker commented that ‘there is excellent communication between them and the home ’. Another reported that the Registered Manager ‘takes on board any concerns or worries and addresses them accordingly’. Staff regularly review detailed care plans to assess young peoples’ progress and identify areas where changes are required to assist their development. For example, the Registered Manager plans additional support and training for staff to implement a structured sex education programme to meet the specific needs of adolescent young people with learning disabilities. The Registered Manager is forward-looking in relation to the developing needs of young people. She ensures that external professionals are considering and planning young people’s transition

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good

from the home at the appropriate time and to a suitable placement to achieve positive outcomes. The statement of purpose sets out the ethos of the home and the approach to care. The home provides a comfortable and homely environment. A Social Worker commented that ‘it is a very warm environment with a welcoming atmosphere’.

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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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