Children's home run by Channels and Choices Limited in Dover

Inspection report children’s home: SC434517 1 SC434517 Registered provider: Channels and Choices Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four children aged between eight and 17 years old on admission. The home is operated by a private organisation. According to the statement of purpose, the home caters for children who have behavioural, emotional and social difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager is in the process of being registered with Ofsted.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

p.1

outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

outstanding

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

p.1

outstanding

Date of last inspection: 23 November 2017

p.1

outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

p.1

outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC434517 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/11/2017 Full Outstanding 08/12/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 13/07/2016 Full Outstanding 11/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC434517 3

p.2

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet 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.

p.3

Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year, taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard). When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46(2)) 11/03/2019

p.3

Recommendations

 The registered person is responsible for maintaining good employment practice. They must ensure that recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguard children and minimise potential risks to them. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

p.3

Recommendations

In particular, when considering the appointment of new staff, reasonable checks should be made to find out if organisations, such as Interpol or national embassies, are able to provide pertinent information about people who have lived or worked abroad.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff provide a nurturing environment where the children are helped to relax, play and have fun. One child said, ‘I love it here.’ Through the staff’s energy and commitment, children experience stability and understanding, and develop the confidence to thrive.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff promote play-based activities that are centred on the children’s developmental stages, rather than their chronological ages. This approach enhances the children’s abilities to self-soothe and organise their feeling states. As a result, the children develop self-awareness and gain a greater understanding of the impact that their feelings have on their behaviour. Inspection report children’s home: SC434517 4 Staff prioritise the children’s emotional and social well-being. Many of the children will have experienced trauma and often will have undergone frequent moves before coming to the home. Each child has a therapeutic needs assessment that is undertaken by an in- house clinical therapist. This informs detailed and individualised care planning. Consequently, children receive consistent care and support from staff who know their strengths and vulnerabilities.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff are ambitious for the children. Improvements in school attendance and attainment are outstanding. For some children, success is being able to take part in overnight school residential trips. For others, achievement is measured by an improved ability to stay on track and follow instructions during lessons. With support and encouragement from the staff, children engage with the support that is available to them. Staff work closely with the schools to ensure that the children receive consistent messages.

p.4

How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Safeguarding arrangements uphold the children’s welfare and safety. Staff follow procedures for responding to concerns about the safety of the children. Child protection concerns are immediately shared with the placing and host authorities as required. The manager and the staff quickly follow up outcomes of referrals, so that appropriate action is taken to protect the children.

p.4

How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Staff treat the children with positive regard and respect. There is a strong emphasis on helping the children to repair relationships and to accept responsibility for behaviour without experiencing this as shameful. Daily children’s meetings provide opportunities for the children to express themselves around issues arising from living in a group. Staff act on what children say, or explain to the children why they cannot do what they have asked for. Consequently, children feel listened to and heard.

p.4

How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

The structure and routines in the home provide the children with a sense of safety. One parent commented that care is ‘meticulous’. Staff have clear expectations, and set appropriate boundaries that are warm and supportive. This helps the children to understand acceptable boundaries. Emphasis is placed on restorative measures and de- escalating negative behaviour. As a result, children experience predictable, safe and responsive care.

p.4

How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Staff focus on developing trusting relationship with the children and this is extended out to families and professionals. Staff are proactive in helping the children to maintain family relationships. This includes providing transport and supervising contact, which can be at a considerable distance from the home. The staff’s confident role modelling of building positive relationships helps the children to develop the skills to have positive relationships with others.

p.4

How well children and young people are helped and protected: outstanding

Children who are new to the home are welcomed sensitively with thoughtful rituals and planning. For example, the staff help the children to create memory books as part of Inspection report children’s home: SC434517 5 their life stories. When the children leave they are given a cuddly bear with recorded messages. These extra touches send a message to children that the staff value and care for them.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager was previously the home’s deputy manager and has been in post for four months. The transition of her role to manager has been accomplished well. Focusing on the impact of the change for the children and the staff team has been key to this. Well- thought-out measures allowed for a smooth handover and minimised disruption to the children.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and leaders promote an inclusive culture at the home. Children experience care and help that are responsive to their individual needs. Staff provide opportunities for children to celebrate and understand difference. This helps children to develop a positive self-view and a sense of their identity.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Each child has a detailed up-to-date risk assessment that includes clear strategies, which shows that the manager and the staff give careful consideration to managing and reducing risk to children. The location risk assessment for the home is due for review. This needs to include the views of other agencies, such as the police. This will enable the manager and the staff to evaluate potential risks within the local community.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and the manager operate a safer recruitment policy. However, in one recruitment file there was no evidence that intelligence from Interpol or the relevant embassy had been sought for a member of staff who had lived and worked abroad.

p.5

Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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 whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

p.5

Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, 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’. Inspection report children’s home: SC434517 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Channels and Choices Limited

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 31 St Georges Place, Canterbury, Kent CT1 1XD

p.6

Inspector

Anne-Marie Davies: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC434517 7 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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

p.6

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, 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 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspector

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

p.7

Inspector

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

p.7