Children's home run by Kennet Care Limited

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:

 Young people make good progress from their initial starting points upon  arriving at the home.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff have developed good relationships with young people.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people each have an adult whom they trust and confide in.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people are engaged in daily meaningful activities which are positively  influencing them.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff provide stimulating education activities which are engaging and  promote learning.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people develop social, life and personal care skills.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff are calm, caring and consistent in their approach with young people.  They use a variety of de-escalation strategies and approaches to support  young people when in crisis.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Care plans are detailed and thorough, providing clarity to staff who support  young people.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff provide good-quality direct work and key-work sessions to young people,  offering a regular opportunity to explore issues, thoughts and feelings.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people are encouraged to share their views about all decisions and  actions that involve them.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff support young people to reduce their levels of challenging and risky behaviours.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff have good relationships with other agencies outside of the home.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Managers’ monitoring and evaluation systems are robust, and provide clarity  regarding strengths, weaknesses and actions required.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Staff supervision is effective and regular, and staff also access reflective  supervision.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 The staff team are child-centred, and the child is at the centre of all decision  making and plans.

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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

 Regulation 40(4) requires the registered person to notify Ofsted and other relevant persons if one of the situations specified in regulation 40(4)(a)–(d) occurs, or if there is an incident relating to the protection, safeguarding or welfare of a child living in the home which the registered person considers to be serious (40)(4)(e)) ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations including the quality standards', page 63, paragraph 14.10).

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Information about this children's home

The home is registered to provide care for up to four children and young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties, and/or children and young people with learning disabilities. The home is one of two homes that are privately owned by the proprietor.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

p.5

Good

Young people receive good-quality care, and each has made good progress from their initial starting point. Each young person has settled in well to the home, with support from staff.

p.6

Good

Young people build positive relationships with staff. Staff treat each young person with respect and dignity, and are child-focused in their approach. They show a real interest in young people and invest in time with them. Staff have good knowledge and insight into young people’s needs.

p.6

Good

Staff support the young people to accept, and to explore, diversity and different cultures. The staff are diverse. They explore differing cultures with young people. They explore different foods, clothes and celebrations. They support young people to have an understanding about both why they are living at the home and the individual circumstances which affect them.

p.6

Good

Young people participate in day-to-day decisions made in the home. They have input into menu planning and activities, and choose furnishing for their bedrooms . They are involved in reviews and meetings which involve them.

p.6

Good

Young people are encouraged to share their worries and anxieties with staff, as well as their achievements and the progress they make. Every young person knows how to make a complaint and is encouraged to use the comments box in the home. Staff provide visual clues to assist young people to share their views and feelings with others.

p.6

Good

Detailed care plans provide information about the needs of young people. Staff are knowledgeable regarding details and information to support young people. They each read a young person’s support plan upon arriving at work, ensuring that their knowledge is current and up to date. Staff review plans with young people, and reflect on progress made and areas to develop. Goals are used in planned one-to- one sessions, enabling staff to reinforce skills and knowledge with young people. These sessions provide invaluable learning and reflection for young people, alongside an opportunity to explore their individual worries and concerns. The home has a calm, homely feel to it, and all staff engage in the home’s routines. Staff and young people sit together, and share meals and activities.

p.6

Good

Staff actively seek and explore education options for each young person who is not in education. Staff support young people to visit a variety of settings and resources. They provide structure and routine each day, and offer meaningful activities. Staff plan off-site educational activities to supplement the learning offered in the home. They provide varied activities for young people, and offer new experiences and opportunities to develop new skills. One young person has learned to swim while at the home.

p.7

Good

Staff support the young people to address basic health needs. They seek additional support and guidance when needed. Young people engage with interventions and services that promote their physical well-being. Young people learn how to share and talk about their worries and concerns with key trusted adults. On admission young people are introduced to the home, and staff spend time developing their knowledge about the home and what it offers for young people. Staff spend time with young people to explain the routine of the home and the basic house ethos. Young people are asked for their consent and sign up to many aspects of the home, including bedtimes, pocket money and mobile phones. Staff explain the complaints process in a child-friendly manner to young people. This is visible in the home and in the young person’s guide.

p.7

Good

Staff facilitate contact with family and friends, as per the plans and risk assessments in place. Staff raise concerns with professionals and request reviews, when required.

p.7

Good

Young people have good relationships with staff, and they each have a key adult whom they trust and confide in. Staff practice is in accordance with the ethos of the home. Staff actions and support to young people assist them in regulating emotions and behaviour.

p.7

Good

Staff enable young people to feel safe through their interactions with them. Staff are calm and consistent in their approach, which has assisted young people to manage and reduce their challenging and risky behaviours. Risk assessments and plans provide clarity and detail, enabling staff to support young people in a consistent manner. Insight and historical information is available to provide staff with information specific to young people’s histories and individual journeys. Staff regularly review and update risk assessments to reflect change.

p.7

Good

Staff manage and respond effectively to episodes of ‘missing’. They complete coordinated responses, reporting and recording as required. Staff complete good quality ‘safe and well’ questionnaires with young people, and explore the reasons and causes for such episodes.

p.8

Good

Young people report feeling safe and being well cared for at the home. Staff provide clarity with regard to boundaries and expectations in the home.

p.8

Good

Staff regularly reward positive behaviour and actions with a variety of rewards and treats. Consequences are restorative in nature and link to the trigger or cause. Staff review, monitor and evaluate sanctions to review their effectiveness and appropriateness. Young people’s views within the records state that the consequences are fair.

p.8

Good

Behaviour management plans provide a clear method of approach. Staff are clear that physical intervention is a last resort and is avoided. There has been no physical intervention in the home since its registration. All staff are trained in the home’s preferred method.

p.8

Good

Staff investigate and refer complaints and allegations as required. Clear, concise recording of investigations and outcomes is evident, with responses to complainants. Staff did not notify HMCI of a complaint that evolved into an allegation.

p.8

Good

Staff have good working relationships with the local police. Young people have met with them and attended activities facilitated by the local police force. Police also attend the home to keep in touch with young people, and to provide some education and safety sessions about risks in the community.

p.8

Good

Staff follow the home’s safeguarding policy and procedure. They are thorough and act swiftly to report, refer and act on concerns, as required.

p.8

Good

Managers are building relationships with those in the community, contacting local neighbours and others, and offering to meet with them to explore any issues as they arise.

p.8

Good

Staff provide information and advice to young people. They provide information and advice regarding Internet safety and keeping safe on-line through key-work sessions. Young people are supported to access the Internet, with clear boundaries in place regarding its use.

p.8

Good

Staff have good, robust practice with regard to recruitment and safer recruitment.

p.9

Good

Managers are effective, and good systems are applied to review and monitor the quality of care provided. Evaluation has formed the basis of the home’s development plan. The plan identifies key areas to improve and develop, and has clear action points. Robust independent visits take place, providing additional scrutiny and oversight of the quality of care provided. Managers use the evaluation to act on the areas identified.

p.9

Good

Staff regularly seek the views and feedback of young people and stakeholders. This is done through questionnaires and the comments box. These views are considered and incorporated into the home’s development plan.

p.9

Good

Young people make good progress, and monthly reviews of progress take place. Clear goal-setting, creating aims and objectives for all parties to work towards, has provided clarity for all. Young people and other key people participate and contribute, with amendments to plans as required. Case records are of good quality and provide clarity, and they are all monitored and reviewed regularly.

p.9

Good

Staff are child-focused in their approach to young people. An experienced skilled staff team meets the needs of young people. Staff are ‘child-centred’ in their decision-making regarding young people. They are creative, and have plans that explore a variety of activities and organisations to support young people in meeting their individual needs.

p.9

Good

Staff develop proactive open relationships with other agencies and professionals. The manager is in the initial stages of developing relationships with others in the community.

p.9

Good

Staff receive regular effective supervision, with six-monthly appraisals of their practice. They also participate in a reflective supervision session once a month, providing an opportunity to review and reflect on practice and issues as they arise. Staff meet weekly, as a team, to discuss team issues and to complete in-house training. Managers provide staff with a varied programme of training and learning, which supports their knowledge and practice. Staff work towards their required qualifications, and have action plans that address the timeliness of achievement.

p.9

Good

Staff update the statement of purpose. They reflect the ethos and support provided within it through their practice and interventions.

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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 ‘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 0300 123 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, work- based 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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