Children's Home run by Channels and Choices Kent LLP 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:

 An accomplished Registered Manager leads this home. She is committed to achieving high standards of care and good outcomes for young people. She leads an experienced and well-trained staff team, equipped to meets the needs of young people living at the home.  Meticulous monitoring, both internal and external, provide robust quality assurance. Any issues identified via monitoring are effectively addressed, this ensures that standards are high in all areas of the functioning of the home.  Relationships between staff and young people are excellent. Daily key work with all young people helps to build trusted relationships. Young people share their concerns with staff and receive the help and support that they require.  Young people receive extensive opportunities to engage with activities that they enjoy. Numerous individual and group activities include outings to the beach, theme parks and bowling. Charity fun runs and dog-walks enable

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The children's home provision is good because:

young people to contribute and develop belonging in their community.  All young people are in full time education, and make educational progress. Teachers and social workers speak highly of the work of staff to support young people’s education.  Young people receive specialist services to meet their individual needs. Links with transport police provide railway safety training. Association with the Tavistock Clinic provides specialist emotional support. Staff establish connections with specialised agencies in line with young people’s individual needs.  There are minor shortfalls: Current staff appraisal does not include feedback from young people and professionals. The missing from care policy has unclear procedures in respect of the provision of return home interviews.

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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

Specify the procedures to be followed in the children who run away and go missing from care policy, in respect of the provision of return home interviews. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 45, paragraph 9.28)

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Recommendations

Ensure staff appraisal takes into account, where reasonable and practical, the views of professionals who have worked with the staff member over the year and the children in the home's care. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 61, paragraph 13.5)

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Information about this children's home

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for no more than four young people who have emotional and behavioural difficulties. A partnership company runs the home.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

04/03/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Good

Relationships between staff and young people are overwhelmingly positive. One young person said ‘the best thing about living here is the staff; I’ve got to know them and have made special bonds’. A Social Worker said ‘he has built trust with staff; this has been a long journey and has been helped by the consistent care and clear boundaries that staff provide’. Staff provide a secure base for young people, their placements are settled and they develop a sense of belonging.

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Good

Staff place emphasis on listening to young people. Daily young people’s meetings enable their input into day-to-day decision making in the home. A young person said ‘I feel listened to; if I feel sad staff listen’. Daily one-to-one keywork sessions provide an opportunity for young people to share their concerns and to receive the advice and support that they require.

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Good

All young people attend education full time. A creative approach supports young people’s educational attendance. One young person has daily time out of school over lunch, promoting their ability to sustain the school day. Another young person said ‘school is still hard, but my teacher and the staff help’. Staff develop strong partnership relationships with young people’s schools, working together to support learning. A teacher commented ‘staff are very persistent, co-operative and supportive. Strategies are discussed and created together to support the student’s requirements during school hours and when at home. We have worked well together to help engage and encourage this young person back into school’.

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Good

Staff demonstrate a proactive response to young people’s health. They identify and address young people’s health conditions, as a result their health improves. Specialist services support young people’s health; currently this includes therapists, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and the Tavistock Clinic. Qualified and registered therapists provide in-house therapeutic support; young people benefit from this provision for as long as necessary.

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Good

Young people take part in recreational activities according to their interests. A Social Worker said ‘he does lots of things, street dance, bowling, skating; they do lots of activities together and individually’. Activities enable young people to develop relationships with their peers and to build self-esteem as their skills improve and they achieve goals.

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Good

Staff support young people’s contact; positive relationships with parents benefit young people. One parent said ‘staff are wonderful, I have been to the home to visit and they bring my daughter to see me for contact. I get reports on her progress. They are so professional and she has got some really good relationships with staff; she is happy there’.

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Good

Staff treat young people with dignity and respect; they value and celebrate young people’s identity and heritage. Young people’s achievements, big and small, are celebrated and are on proud display in the home. There is a culture of praise and reward, which results in positive behaviour change.

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Good

Young people make good progress across all areas. One young person said ‘I couldn’t have done it without staff’. A Social Worker said ‘he has made really good progress due to the dedication of staff. His behaviour and maturity have increased; there’s been marked improvement’. Staff support young people’s positive development and help them to build positive futures.

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Good

All young people undertake activities. Wide-ranging links with local clubs, youth groups and sports facilities enable young people to try new activities and expand their interests. Young people take part in charity events including charity fun runs and dog walks, enabling them to develop a sense of belonging in their community.

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Good

Thoughtful transition planning helps newly placed young people to settle, and young people moving on to understand and engage with future plans. A Social Worker commented ‘staff are working really well to support his future plans. We are moving him into a family environment and they are preparing him for this. They’re fantastic, I can’t thank them enough’. Young people, if they chose to, are able to maintain contact with the home after move on, in line with the secure-base model operated in the home.

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Good

Young people live in a safe environment and say that they feel safe. They identify trusted adults to talk to and share their concerns. One young person said ‘the staff care a lot; if you need help they help you. They always listen and help’. Daily keywork with all young people means that staff understand young people’s issues and provide help and support without delay.

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Good

Young people receive help to manage their feelings and behaviour. Behaviour management plans are clear and guide staff, with an emphasis on de-escalation. Any physical intervention is to regulation with clear recording that includes young people’s comment and management review. Young people can identify the progress that they have made in respect of their behaviour since living at the home. One young person said ‘I think staff are really nice and really fair, they say enough is enough, there’s boundaries. I’ve made progress in my behaviour; I’m not kicking off as much now’.

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Good

Individualised risk assessments address young people’s behaviour. Links with external agencies provide specialised support that addresses young people’s specific needs, for example, links with transport police provide railway-track safety awareness. A proactive response to safeguarding means that young people’s safety is maximised. Young people receive support to take age appropriate risks, enabling them to develop their independence. One young person who initially needed supervision outside of the home is now able to travel to school unaccompanied via public transport.

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Good

Evidence of exceptional safeguarding at every stage of recruitment protects young people. The Registered Manager notifies relevant authorities of allegations against staff; reporting of inappropriate adults to the disclosure and barring service (DBS) safeguards children and vulnerable adults.

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Good

Effective links with the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) ensures that safeguarding training and knowledge are up to date. All staff undertake safeguarding training, which includes online safety, child sexual exploitation and radicalisation. Discussion with young people about these issues means that they have a good understanding of these areas of risk to increase their personal safety.

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Good

Proactive links with the local police missing person’s coordinator means that staff have thorough understanding to safeguard missing young people. Young people go missing rarely, when they do individual missing person plans guide effective action. The missing policy requires clarification in the procedure for arranging return home interviews; the updating of this document is in process. Despite this, all missing young people receive return home interviews; the home provides these where the local authority is unable.

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Good

There are no issues of drug or alcohol use or smoking. Clear policies guide staff to address these issues should they arise. Bullying is rare and receives immediate robust action by staff. One young person said ‘There is sometimes bullying, but not often, staff pick up on things and sort them out. I did a bullying project with staff.’ There is a focus on learning and restoration; this supports constructive relationships between young people.

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Good

Health and safety is up to date. Regular health and safety monitoring ensures that consistent high standards are maintained. Staff take health and safety seriously, which maximises the safety of everyone.

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Outstanding

An accomplished Registered Manager with a commitment to achieving high standards of care and good outcomes for young people leads the home. She brings extensive experience to her role, with eight years of employment in residential childcare. She has completed the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare.

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Outstanding

The manager has effectively implemented the one requirement from the previous inspection. This brings improvement to the home’s complaints procedure. Written records of complaints are now stored together. In addition, a new response pro- forma improves feedback to the complainant on conclusion. Complaints are infrequent, where made they are taken seriously, investigated thoroughly and resolved effectively.

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Outstanding

A proficient permanent staff team provides care. Staff know young people well and understand their needs. Induction of new staff is thorough and ongoing staff training meets the needs of young people who live at the home. All staff have achieved their Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare, or are due to complete this to timescale. Experienced bank staff supplement staffing in the home as required; there is no use of agency staff.

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Outstanding

Monitoring within the home is exceptional. Meticulous systems of internal and external monitoring ensure quality assurance. Issues identified via monitoring are effectively addressed, ensuring that standards of practice within the home are consistently high.

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Outstanding

The manager and staff receive regular effective supervision. Staff value supervision, one member of staff said, ‘We can be open and frank; it’s a good space. We talk about young people’s needs, and how we are feeling. I feel looked after and if I have any problems I can ask for help; it’s supportive’. Staff appraisal is annual. This is robust, including review of staff practice and targets for future development. Appraisal does not include feedback from staff and young people to enhance quality assurance.

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Outstanding

A written placement matching pro-forma underpins decision making about young people coming to live at the home. Individualised transition planning and induction helps young people to settle. A Children’s Guide provides clear information, including advocacy and complaints. Careful matching ensures that only young people whose needs the home can effectively meet are placed; this promotes placement stability of new and existing young people.

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Outstanding

Care plans comprehensively address young people’s needs and effectively guide care; staff know and understand care plans. Careful monitoring of young people’s progress ensures that plans are reviewed where young people fail to make progress. A Social Worker said ‘staff advocated for his schooling, this led to him being moved to a more suitable school where he is making much better progress’. The Registered Manager is an effective advocate for young people and ensures that decision-making is in their best interests.

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Outstanding

Proactive working with specialist agencies means that young people receive the specialist care they require. The local Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) visits the home, providing advice and information to young people and staff. An ongoing association with Canterbury University means that staff have a good knowledge of current research; this knowledge improves young people’s care. Links with the Tavistock Clinic provide specialist advice to enhance young people’s emotional wellbeing. Staff seek out specialist services to meet young people’s individual needs.

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Outstanding

The home environment is well decorated and furnished. Effective maintenance means that repairs are swiftly rectified. This ensures that the home provides a well-maintained and homely environment for 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

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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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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