Children's Home run by Channels and Choices Limited in Kent

Outstanding

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

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

 Young people make excellent progress through the commitment and skill of staff in implementing a research-led therapeutic approach to their care.   A team of therapists skilfully guides and supports staff to put into practice successful individualised strategies compiled from detailed psychological and emotional needs assessments.   Young people with complex needs and attachment difficulties show significant improvements in all areas of their development. They are better able to manage their emotions, and they improve their behaviour and exhibit less social anxiety.   Staff listen, and are responsive, to young people’s specific needs. Young people thrive as they develop trusting relationships with staff. Young people feel safe and secure in a stable, nurturing environment.   The registered manager’s calm and committed leadership, effective management and dedication to implementing and embedding a therapeutic

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The children's home provision is outstanding because:

approach to young people’s care benefit young people and staff.  

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Recommendation

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:  The registered person must demonstrate every effort to achieve continuity of staffing so that children's attachments are not overly disrupted and, in particular, consider the notice period for staff leaving the home in the context of the ethos and approach of the home as set out in the home's statement of purpose. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 51, paragraph 10.1)

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Information about this children's home

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is operated by a private organisation. It offers therapeutic residential care.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

22/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

12/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Outstanding

Through reliable and predictable therapeutic care, young people with complex emotional needs, resulting from severe attachment disorders, make significant progress. They enjoy living in the home, knowing staff care for them and care about them, keep them safe and respond to them as individuals with different needs and unique qualities. Some young people show considerable improvement in managing their emotions, their social anxiety and independence skills. Their level of aggression and violence in times of distress reduces as they gain trust in staff. They respond positively to the specific therapeutic interventions designed to meet their emotional needs. Because of the staff team’s commitment to individualised therapeutic care, young people’s future life chances are substantially enhanced. Young people feel listened to and valued. Daily young people’s meetings are integral to the therapeutic approach adopted by staff. They are a forum where

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Outstanding

young people can express their views and opinions relating to day-to-day matters and issues arising from group living. Discussions with young people extend to societal topics such as terrorism, the European Union referendum, animal cruelty and other issues, such as teenage pregnancy, contraception and sexually transmitted diseases. Such open discussions extend young people’s awareness of current issues, build their confidence in expressing opinions and help them develop their identity. Young people have excellent attendance at school and make significant progress. The home’s staff communicate closely with school staff in relation to each young person’s progress, behaviour and development, providing individual support for their education related to their specific needs. Helping young people engage in activities, including in the community, is an important aspect of staff support. Staff help young people who have anxieties

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Outstanding

linked to trying new experiences and participating in group activities to gradually broaden their experiences. One young person is interested in dance classes and has one-to-one dance lessons to build their confidence so they can fully participate in a group dance class. A young person who, prior to living at the home, would not engage in any activities but retreated to their bedroom, is now joining staff and other young people in leisure pursuits. Recent leisure activities include Combined Cadet Force, horse riding lessons, ice skating, baking, rugby and community dog walks. Detailed health plans ensure that young people receive health services according to their individual needs. Staff work together with the organisation’s therapy team to deliver effective individual support and group work with a strong focus on young people’s psychological and emotional well-being. The therapy team provides staff with effective training to refer any emerging mental

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Outstanding

health issues promptly to the child and adolescent mental health service. Staff appreciate that developing young people’s independence skills is an important aspect of preparing them for moving on, which is often to a foster placement. Consequently, staff support them to take more responsibility for themselves without close one-to-one support, while keeping in mind their developmental rather than their chronological age. For example, young people are now walking some of the way home from school independently and are managing time away from adults. Staff support includes assisting young people in developing basic daily skills routines. Young people are making good progress in acquiring independence skills. Careful planning by the registered manager ensures that young people have a positive experience when coming to live at the home. The aim is also to have a planned transition for young people leaving the home. Recently a young person

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Outstanding

did not have a smooth, well-planned move to another placement due to the local authority’s delay in confirming details of the new placement. The registered manager, however, took appropriate and sustained action during this period of uncertainty. Due to the sensitivity and skill of staff, the young person remained calm and settled and experienced a positive ending before moving on.

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Outstanding

Staff are successful in providing a warm, stable environment where young people flourish and make considerable progress. Through consistent nurturing, therapeutic support and close supervision from staff, young people develop trust in the adults who care from them. Young people who previously had difficulties in making positive relationships are now experiencing constructive interactions with staff and peers. They are better able to participate in group activities, widening their social experiences and gaining self-confidence and appropriate social skills. Young people report that they feel safe living in the home, ‘because staff protect us and I can always talk to staff’. Their confidence stems from their knowledge that staff know them very well and respond to their specific needs. Detailed and comprehensive care plans, with a focus on young people’s emotional needs, guide staff to provide targeted support. Psychological and emotional needs

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Outstanding

assessments provide the basis for individualised strategies that staff implement successfully to promote young people’s development. Staff take all aspects of the young person into account when planning how to support them to progress confidently to a stage from which they are ready to move forward. Young people participate constructively in individual therapy sessions as part of this process. Care plans and assessments form the basis for frequent key-work sessions. These promote young people’s development well. Managers review plans frequently, ensuring that the focus remains relevant to young people’s needs. Regular meetings with therapists, managers and key workers are shortly to be implemented, to ensure that key-work action plans continually have a sharp focus on advancing young people’s progress. Monthly therapeutic ‘thinking time’ meetings with therapists enable all staff to assess whether support strategies

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Outstanding

are effective. Individualised risk assessments demonstrate that staff fully understand the risks associated with each young person. Appropriate measures, with clear guidance for staff, are in place to protect young people from harm. Trusting relationships and the depth of understanding of each young person’s emotional needs reduce the necessity for physical intervention when young people become distressed or anxious. As a result, physical intervention is rare. Alternative strategies based on a therapeutic, nurturing approach are proving successful. For one young person, the implementation of relaxation techniques, sensory toys, lights and a safe area to which they can retreat in times of anger and frustration, has dramatically reduced the necessity for physical intervention. A psychologist directs how staff communicate with young people. Strategies such as reducing language overload and using visual cues are examples of precise and individualised interventions,

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Outstanding

which staff use effectively. Comprehensive positive handling plans provide excellent guidance for staff to manage challenging behaviour. Staff receive good training to provide physical intervention safely. All incidents are well recorded and closely monitored by the registered manager. There have been no incidents when young people have left the home without permission. Agreed procedures and protocols are in place to protect young people if such an event occurs. Staff and young people receive training to raise their awareness of the risks involved in using the internet. Young people are vigilant in reporting concerns they have to staff who take prompt action to protect them from potential danger. Staff receive comprehensive training in all aspects of safeguarding young people. Appropriate consultations and referrals are made to the local authority designated officer. The registered manager considers allegations made by young people against members of staff seriously.

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Outstanding

She takes immediate action to protect young people while investigations are undertaken. Young people know that staff listen to them and take action following any complaint they make. This reassures them that their safety is of the highest priority. Robust recruitment processes protect young people from unsuitable adults working with them. All checks on prospective employees are completed before they start working at the home. Health and safety checks are up to date. Appropriate fire safety measures are routinely applied.

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Outstanding

The manager has been in post since 2015 and is registered with Ofsted. She is suitably experienced for the role, having worked at the home for several years, and has completed the level 5 diploma in leadership and management for residential childcare. Young people benefit significantly from her calm and committed leadership, effective management and dedication to implementing and embedding a therapeutic approach to their care. Staff mirror her approach, communicating in a responsive, measured manner, creating a stable and relaxed atmosphere. They are committed to providing a stable family environment where young people receive consistent care, fulfil their potential and advance their life chances. Staff receive relevant training to provide research-led therapeutic and nurturing care for young people. Responding to young people’s emotional needs and promoting their psychological well-being are priorities for staff. Ongoing staff

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Outstanding

development, directed by the organisation’s team of therapists, advances the staff team’s knowledge and understanding of attachment theory. Through monthly ‘thinking time’ meetings, therapists work closely with staff to analyse young people’s behaviour and emotions and compile strategies relevant to their specific attachment styles. Consequently, young people receive good individual support, helping them to achieve positive outcomes. Staff who have not yet achieved the level 3 diploma are working towards this qualification. In addition to comprehensive training, the registered manager and deputy manager provide continuous support for staff through regular formal supervision and informal day-to-day support. A member of staff commented, ‘Managers are very approachable and accessible and I feel comfortable going to them about any issue.’ Records of staff supervision and appraisal show that the registered

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Outstanding

manager maintains high standards of care for young people, helps staff reflect on their practice and ensures that they have targets to improve performance. Rigorous monitoring systems ensure that young people continue to benefit from high standards of care. Shortfalls identified through scrutiny of day-to-day records and monthly reports from the independent visitor are promptly addressed by the registered manager. Quarterly reports compiled by the registered manager are comprehensive and evaluative, providing analysis of patterns and trends, which inform the development plan for the home. Senior managers in the organisation undertake monthly monitoring visits. A systematic quality assurance system focuses on improving provision to meet the needs of young people. Relationships with external professionals are very positive. This supports the registered manager in challenging proposals when they are not considered to be

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Outstanding

in the best interests of the young person. Though young people are making excellent progress and developing their independence skills in preparation for a fostering placement, she is keen to ensure that the transition takes place when a young person is fully prepared and emotionally ready. Despite some changes to the staff team, a core of experienced staff helps maintain stability for young people. Staff employment contracts require a notice period of only one week. This can have a disruptive effect on young people’s attachments and does not wholeheartedly align with the home’s therapeutic ethos. Young people do not always have sufficient time to adjust to the prospect of staff leaving. The registered manager pays attention to positive endings and ensures that opportunities are available for young people to say goodbye.

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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 children looked after 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 ‘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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