Children's home in Medway

Outstanding

The children's home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the home contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

 Children in this home make exceptional progress and achieve exceptional outcomes. A local authority social worker said ‘it’s an amazing place. She was previously moved around as nobody could cope with her behaviour. Now she’s thriving, it’s due to the dedication of the manager and her staff’.  Staff develop excellent relationships with children. A child said ‘I like living here because I have loads of people who care about me’. Staff demonstrate genuine care, warmth and commitment to children. A social worker said ‘staff have stuck with him; they are holding him and will not let him go’. In an environment of committed nurturing care, children undertake a journey of positive change.  A culture of ambition for children and high expectations for their outcomes underpins all care. Staff believe in children and children learn to believe in themselves. A social worker said ‘he arrived at the home with nobody able

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

to work with him; his behaviour was off the scale. Now he is moving to a foster placement. There has been an enormous shift’.  Supervision to safeguard children is meticulous. Purposeful one-to-one supervision achieves successful monitoring with a non-invasive style. No children have been missing and there have been no safeguarding concerns within the home.  Administrative management sometimes lacks clarity. This has resulted in shortfalls in the recording of staff recruitment checks. However, this does not diminish the protection and safeguarding of children.

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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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure the registered person recruits staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children's safety and that full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2 (Regulation 32 (1) and (3)(d)). 21 July 2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:  Ensure that the registered person makes the best use of information from independent and internal monitoring to ensure continuous improvement. They are responsible for proactively implementing lessons learned and sustaining good practice, particularly in respect of administration required by regulation ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 55, paragraph 10.24).

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Information about this children's home

The home is privately owned. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to 10 children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

9 February 2016 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

3 March 2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Outstanding

Children in this home make exceptional holistic progress in response to the therapeutic care that they receive. A social worker said ‘I’m impressed with their work. He is more emotionally aware and is able to say how he is feeling; this is huge progress’. Moreover, children are able to recognise and own the progress that they make. A child said ‘I can talk about my feelings now, sometimes’. Excellent attention to all aspects of health means that all children are in good health and receive the health services that they require. Children learn to keep themselves healthy; they grow and eat their own vegetables. A dedicated cook provides wholesome meals, enabling children to try new foods and develop healthy eating patterns. Staff promote education and learning at school and at home. Purposeful partnership working with children’s schools ensures high-quality communication to support children’s learning. Individual tuition is provided to children who are

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Outstanding

awaiting a school placement; this promotes learning and prevents educational delay. A social worker said of a child tutored in the home ‘in education the improvement has been massive. She could not identify the numbers one and two, now she is able to count up to 20’. Children enjoy school, their attendance is excellent and they are proud of their educational achievement. A child said ‘school is going great, I’m in the school play, it’s going really good and I’ve got lots of friends too’. Excellent links in the local community mean that all children are able to take part in clubs and activities that they enjoy. In addition, links to local charities including the Rotary Club and Guide Dogs for the Blind enable children to learn about the needs of others and to cultivate empathy. Staff place emphasis on helping children to develop and form positive friendships. Children invite their friends to the home informally and for parties on special

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Outstanding

occasions. A member of staff said ‘children learn to smile and have fun; they develop a sense of humour, learn to trust, build relationships, grow in confidence and exhibit immensely improved self-esteem’. A social worker said ‘she used not to be able to make friends. She makes friends now; this is huge progress for her’. Daily mealtimes are times of ‘family’ discussion. Children share their days with staff who are keen to listen, acknowledge and praise. A social worker described this as ‘a family outside of the norm’. ‘Family time’ fosters positive relationships between children. There are no issues of bullying. Where children ‘fall out’ staff use reflection and restorative interventions, helping children to talk about their emotions rather than acting these out. Staff listen to children; their views matter. Their ideas, wishes and feelings influence decision making, including the decoration of their bedroom, the meals

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Outstanding

that they eat, the activities that they undertake, the staff employed to care for them and their future placement plans. A new children’s guide, produced in consultation with children, ensures that children know how to seek advocacy and complain. There have been no complaints made. Children are treated with dignity and respect; their identity, culture and faith are valued. Regular visits to different places of worship, including recent trips to a local Mosque and Gurdwara, help children to learn about and value those of different backgrounds from their own. Support of children’s identity is exceptional. All children undertake lifestory work and produce their own lifestory book. Alongside this, ‘big think’ time allows children to ask questions and to make sense of who they are and their personal journey. This work accompanies, wherever possible, proactive work with children’s birth family and committed support of contact arrangements.

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Outstanding

The acceptance and celebration of each child, along with recognition and praise of their achievements, is fundamental to this home. Feedback from all sources confirms that all children are flourishing. A social worker commented ‘I can’t fault it, they are doing everything right. I’ve got high hopes for her future in this placement’.

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Outstanding

Children, without exception, describe trusted relationships with staff. One child said ‘the best thing about living here is the grown-ups. They listen, even though you’re angry and say that you hate them. They still carry on caring for me and I think that’s really nice’. Another child said ‘staff are nice, they look after you and are fun to be with; I trust them’. Exceptional relationships between staff and children result in ongoing open discussion in individual and group forums. Children can ask questions and receive the advice that they need. Staff model positive interaction and appropriate care. In this setting, children are kept safe and learn how to keep themselves safe. Staff safeguarding training is up to date and includes training around child sexual exploitation, radicalisation and online safety. Staff demonstrate an understanding of safeguarding procedures, effectively equipping them should they encounter any

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Outstanding

safeguarding concern. Safeguarding policies and procedures are up to date, including procedures to direct the new mandatory reporting of female genital mutilation. The designated officer and local authority safeguarding children board provide advice and information as required. There have been no notifiable safeguarding concerns or allegations. Proactive links with safeguarding agencies mean that staff have specialised knowledge to keep children safe. The local police missing person’s coordinator and police child sexual exploitation officer have provided recent training for staff. There have been no incidents of children going missing or issues of child sexual exploitation. Internet use within the home is fully supervised. In addition, online safety discussion and training equips children for safe internet use outside of the home. Police community support officers (PCSOs) visit the home monthly, enabling

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Outstanding

children to develop a positive understanding of police services. Children have visited the police station and met the police dogs. PCSOs also provide one-to-one advice to children. The police helped one child to understand that physical violence could be an offence, supporting the development of his positive behaviour. There have been no incidents requiring police to be called to the home. Exceptional supervision of children ensures that they are safe inside and outside of the home. One-to-one supervision keeps children safe while feeling non-invasive. Children are enabled to develop skills for their future independence within ongoing safe and supervised care. Successful behaviour management plans are known and understood by staff. Regular updating means that plans are consistently in line with children’s needs and behaviour. Children contribute to their behaviour management plans; they know the strategies that staff use to manage their behaviour and understand why

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Outstanding

these strategies are required. This transparent approach to behaviour management helps children to think about, understand and positively modify their behaviour. Restraint is only used in line with regulation and only after unsuccessful de- escalation. Clear policies mean that staff understand acceptable restraint use and align this with children’s individual behaviour strategies. Exemplary restraint procedures and recording ensure that each restraint is reviewed for effectiveness and includes discussion and reflection with the child involved. Behaviour management strategies in the home take every opportunity to support children to reflect and understand their behaviour as a pathway to positive behaviour change. Diligent attention to health and safety keeps children safe. Health and safety in the home is up to date. Fire alarm checks and fire drills are undertaken regularly. Maintenance is undertaken without delay, ensuring that high standards within the

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Outstanding

home are maintained. Meticulous attention to health and safety provides a safe environment for everyone.

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Good

The registered manager demonstrates exceptional commitment and has managed the home for 21 years. She is a qualified social worker with ongoing training that furthers her professional development. She is ambitious for children and creates a culture of high aspiration that is intrinsic to all care provision. A full, permanent staff team are highly trained to meet the needs of children. All have completed their level 3 diploma for Residential Childcare. The home promotes staff development; senior staff undertake specialised leadership training including the level 5 diploma in Leadership and Management. The home’s statement of purpose clearly defines the ethos of the home. Staff know and understand the therapeutic model of care; this promotes a coherent staff approach and consistent boundaries. A social worker said ‘staff are attentive and work well as a team; they work very smoothly’. Excellent working with partner agencies ensures that children receive the best

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Good

possible care. New partnerships are established in line with children’s needs, including specialist physical and mental health services and educational support. The home demonstrates strong advocacy and ensures that children receive the services that they need to make progress. Children’s care plans comprehensively address their needs. Regular monitoring evaluates children’s holistic progress and leads to care plan review where children’s progress is not in line with expectation. Children are listened to; they participate in their care reviews and their wishes and feelings are promoted. The registered manager and all staff receive regular supervision. One member of staff said ‘although supervision can sometimes be quite challenging, I find it very valuable in looking at different perspectives of practice and reflecting on my own practice, looking constantly at ways to improve knowledge and performance’.

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Good

Supervision focuses on the needs of children while recognising the emotional impact of work and supporting staff. An ethos of developing highly-skilled staff who understand and can meet children’s needs underpins staff training. The induction of new staff is thorough and ensures that they understand the ethos of the home, policies and procedures and children’s care plans. A new member of staff said ‘this home is wonderful; I’ve never worked in a home like it. The staff are friendly and helpful and have wonderful relationships with the children’. Staff have the opportunity to develop their skills and progress their careers within the home. Consequently, they remain in children’s lives for many years. Exceptional decision making in respect of children coming to live at the home means that children are only placed where their needs can be met. Vacancies are filled with ‘the right children’ irrespective of the vacancy timescale. Existing children

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Good

are involved in transition planning and invest in welcoming new children. Thoughtful transitions promote stability for all children. Children engage with their case records and read and contribute to their progress reports. They understand their behaviour goals and demonstrate awareness of their progress. One child said ‘I am trying to get all green days this month, then I will get a prize’. Exemplary documenting by staff means that all children have a detailed photographic record and memory box of their time at the home. Leadership in respect of children’s care is exceptional. Administrative management does not reach the same standard of excellence. This includes recording staff recruitment checks, where all the necessary steps are taken but the system for recording them is not as good as it needs to be. However, identified shortfalls do not compromise the safeguarding and protection of children. It is recommended

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Good

that the registered manager use internal and external monitoring to sustain and develop the administrative oversight and practice within the home.

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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 that 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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