Children's home run by Kites Children Services Limited in Colchester

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged as good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection, there were four requirements and two recommendations set. The manager was asked to improve the staff working patterns and to ensure that all staff have suitable training, and to maintain the statutory records effectively. The manager has addressed all of the requirements and made improvement in all areas.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Meticulous planning and transition work, both prior to placement and prior to moving on, means that the children experience successful, stable placements where they thrive. The staff provide highly individualised and child-focused care, which means that the children’s individual needs are exceptionally well met. There have been no placement breakdowns since the last inspection. The vast majority of the children have lived at the home for over a year, with two having lived at the home for more than three years.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The children feel safe and talk positively of their experiences, rating their home as ‘excellent’. The staff and the children develop deeply caring relationships and speak very warmly of each other. One member of staff said, ‘He’s done brilliantly, I am really proud of him.’ One of the children said the staff, ‘have given me love and acceptance. They are everything.’ These mutually caring relationships underpin the good progress that the children are making in all aspects of their lives, and they are justly proud of this. With the support of his key worker, one child was able, via a presentation, to confidently share his personal growth and achievements in his recent care review.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff have high aspirations for the children. As a result, they are making good educational progress. One social worker described their delight at how staff have successfully supported the child they placed to progress from not engaging in education to exceeding expectations and undertaking extra tuition for their GCSE exams. One child spoke proudly of the progress they are making and their aim to gain a distinction in their sports science course. Older children are assisted in gaining part-time employment and understand the importance of balancing work and their education commitments. They enjoy an active house where things are planned for most evenings, with opportunities for enrichment, such as the Outward Bound challenge, art and crafts activities and music tuition. This enables the children to experience new opportunities and explore talents which they were previously unaware they had.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Older children build skills for independence effectively. They work their way through a comprehensive skills development programme. They receive continued outreach support if they move on from the home, which most of them aspire to, with the organisation’s semi-independence flat as their next step. The children are healthy and are supported to live healthy lifestyles. While staff have undertaken e- learning in medication management, not all staff have been assessed as competent to administer medication. To meet the health and well-being needs of the children effectively, there should be sufficient staff who have been assessed as competent to administer medication.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Relationships between the children are positive, and behaviour management systems are effective. The very calm environment and focus on talking issues through means that the children feel able to express their fears and frustrations to the staff, who are always available to them. Consequently, there is no antisocial behaviour and no incidents of physical restraints have occurred.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The building is well maintained, spacious, clean and safe. The high level of security and supervision does not detract from the warm homely atmosphere. The children are well safeguarded and any risk-taking behaviours they engaged in at the time of placement, such as going missing or offending, have not reoccurred. The children and their views are integral to the development of any risk assessments, care plans or support packages. Consequently, the children understand exactly why they are placed at the home and the expectation of their full engagement with the care plan. As a result, significant incidents are rare, and there have been no concerns raised regarding the service.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Equality and diversity is threaded through the service, and each child’s needs are considered in detail. One child described how they had been sensitively supported to explore and come to terms with their identity and sexuality in a non-judgemental way. This has enhanced their confidence, resilience and self-esteem. They described how this had helped them understand what good relationships look like and be ready to appropriately and successfully ‘find love’. One child said, ‘This home has made a massive difference in my confidence, how I present myself and completely changed my mind-set. I’m now more accepting of advice, and I am making friends. My roots are now here.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff and the managers have built close and effective partnerships with other agencies, which promote the children’s well-being. Professionals describe the staff’s approach as all ‘very joined up’ with ‘seamless and effective partnership’. They also said:  ‘Staff are exceptionally insightful and supportive.’  ‘I have nothing but praise, they have been flexible and focused on his needs. They’ve worked really well to keep him safe and advocated on his behalf.’  ‘He has made tremendous progress and is very settled. The therapeutic input is hugely beneficial.’  ‘He is very much seen as a whole person and as a teenage boy, rather than a collection of challenges.’  ‘He is liked by the staff, and they enjoy having him. They really know him well, they see through the personality and challenges presented.’ Families describe excellent partnership working which promotes the repair of fractured relationships, recognising the integral role that families play in the long-

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

term outcomes for the child. A parent said, ‘It’s an excellent home. His confidence has grown, and he feels safe and secure. The staff are very good at thinking outside the box. They are really, really good, they fully understand his needs.’ One child described their joy at cooking their whole family a full Christmas dinner, something which they thought would never happen.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Due to some changes, the home has experienced a stretch of staffing resources. However, a recruitment drive is under way. The manager is now monitoring the staff’s working patterns and duty rotas effectively to ensure that no staff work excessive hours, better promoting both the children’s and staff’s welfare. All of the staff have engaged in improved professional development, and have updated their training in first aid, medication management and identifying and responding to extremism. All staff undertake training in the therapeutic model of care and receive good practice-based reflective supervision. This enables the therapeutic ethos to permeate through the service effectively. As a result, the children can access responsive, appropriate emotional support when they need it, enhancing their weekly therapy.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Quality monitoring arrangements have improved and provide greater scrutiny of the home. As a result, the manager has a clearer understanding of the quality of care and the support that the staff provide. However, opportunities to identify areas for development and celebrate success are not fully utilised. The views of the children, parents and the partner professionals are not considered as part of the quality of care review.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Two recommendations have been set at this inspection. However, these do not have an impact on the positive outcomes and experiences of the children. The home continues to make a substantial positive difference for the children and their families. A placing authority said, ‘This is a therapeutic service which really does what it says on the tin. It really is doing its job to help this boy and helping him not reoffend, and he now has aspirations for his future.’ One child summarised their thoughts on the home as the ‘staff are brilliant, kind, caring and accepting. This home is basically where I call home’.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private provider and is registered to accommodate six boys and provides therapeutic care and support for young males who may exhibit inappropriate behaviour . It is one of a small range of specialist support services operated by this provider, including a fostering service and a school.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 20/10/2016 Full Good 04/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 18/06/2015 Full Outstanding 10/12/2014 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Ensure that there are suitable arrangements to manage, administer and dispose of any medication. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15) In particular, ensure that staff only administer medication when assessed as competent to do so.

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Recommendations

 Undertake a review under regulation 45 that focuses on the quality of the care provided by the home, the experiences of children living there and the impact that the care is having on outcomes and improvements for the children. The review should be underpinned by the quality standards as described in regulations 5 to 14. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.2) In particular, ensure that the system ascertains and considers the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff.

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the ‘Inspection of children’s homes: framework for inspection’.

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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 focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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 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, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for children looked after 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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