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 has been registered with Ofsted since 24 May 2019.

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: 22 January 2019

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

22/01/2019 Full Outstanding 23/11/2017 Full Outstanding 08/12/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 13/07/2016 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC434517 3

p.2

Recommendations

 The Statement of Purpose is of particular importance to this Standard (regulation 6(2)(a) and (b)(i)). Homes are required to develop and keep under review a "Statement of Purpose" (regulation 16 and schedule 1). The home’s Statement of Purpose should be child-focused, indicating how the home provides individualised care to meet the Quality Standards for the children in their care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.5) In particular, ensure that the statement of purpose takes into account equality legislation in relation to all protected characteristics, including the needs of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender children.  The information set out in the Statement of Purpose is an essential part of the process of agreement between the registered person and placing authority that a placement in that home is the right one for that child, and that the home will be

p.3

Recommendations

able to respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs. Emergency admissions should not be taken unless the home’s Statement of Purpose and its capacity and support systems mean that it has the capability to care for children admitted at very short notice while continuing to offer high quality care to children already living in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.6) In particular, ensure that the statement of purpose clearly reflects the home’s shift towards providing shorter-term, outcome-focused placements.  The registered person must ensure that staff have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to: respond to the health needs of children; administer basic first aid and minor illness treatment; help children to manage long-term conditions and where necessary meet specific individual health needs arising from a disability, chronic condition or other complex needs. (‘Guide to the children’s

p.3

Recommendations

homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.12) In particular, ensure clear safety planning for children with allergies. Inspection report children’s home: SC434517 4

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home provides an innovative ‘stepping stone’ model to support the children move through residential care to permanence in a foster family setting.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Caring and insightful adults understand the impact of early adverse childhood experiences. This informs their practice. As a result, the children experience attuned and nurturing relationships. Adults recognise that the strength of their relationships with the children has the power to change children’s lives for the better.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Through staff’s investment, time and energy, children develop greater insight to understand and manage their emotions. They make excellent progress as a result. For one child, improvement in academic attainment has been exceptional. Joined-up and proactive work with schools ensures that the children have the right level of support to achieve.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children have access to a wide range of recreational pursuits. Adults encourage the children to follow their individual interests and extend their social experiences. The children particularly enjoyed a recent community ‘Bake off’, hosted at the home. All the children got involved; many are keen and talented bakers. Small touches such as personalised aprons and wooden spoons send a message to children that they are valued, and subsequently they develop confidence.

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Adults cooperate well with the children’s families to promote positive relationships. Children all live at a considerable distance from their families. However, the team ensures that the distance is not a barrier. As a result, children see their families regularly, in line with their agreed plans.

p.4

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

Attentive and protective adults ensure that the children are safe and feel protected from harm. A child told the inspector, ‘They know when something is up.’

p.4

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

Adults strike the right balance between keeping the children safe and supporting them to take measured risks. Staged and planned independent social time enable the children to develop independence and take age-appropriate risks.

p.4

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

Adults have up-to-date knowledge of a broad and relevant range of safeguarding matters. Risk assessments and management plans are dynamic and offer clear guidance to the adults in response to the changing needs of the children.

p.4

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

Personalised plans and individualised approaches address specific vulnerabilities and provide consistent approaches for adults to follow. The team sets appropriate boundaries that are warm and supportive and has clear expectations. As a result, children learn to Inspection report children’s home: SC434517 5 manage emotions and behaviours.

p.4

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

A joined-up therapeutic approach between school, therapy team and the home ensures that children receive attuned , consistent and patterned responses from the adults who care for them . An example is ‘keeping children in mind’, which includes adults sending the children post cards when they are on holiday and leaving encouraging notes in the children’s lunch boxes. Consequently, the children feel that they matter to the adults, who genuinely care for them.

p.5

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

Adults place equal importance on the mental and physical health needs of the children. Each child has an up-to-date health plan and therapeutic needs assessment. This forms part of each child’s overall care plan. Although healthcare planning and arrangements are good, a shortfall was found in relation to the safety planning for one child with an allergy. This was rectified during the inspection, so this did not place the child at any further risk.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a dedicated and passionate registered manager. She is well supported by the deputy manager and other senior staff. Consequently, high standards of care are achieved, and the children enjoy living in a well-organised home.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Adults receive a good balance of support and challenge that assists them in their roles. Supervision is regular and developmental. Group sessions led by a therapist support the team members in their application of the home’s therapeutic approach. Reflective debriefs are valued by the adults and are helping to create a learning culture within the home.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are sufficient staff members, and recruitment adheres to safer recruitment processes. Adult induction is good, as are yearly appraisals, which include the children’s views. Good employment practice of the adults safeguards children and minimises potential risks.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professionals from other agencies are consistently positive about their relationships with the registered manager and the team and about the progress that the children make.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a respectful culture in the home. Adults promote tolerance and equality and celebrate diversity. However, the home’s commitment to ensuring protected characteristics, as defined in equality legislation, is not set out in the home’s statement of purpose. Moreover, the home’s shift towards shorter-term, outcome-focused placements is not clear in the statement of purpose. This may cause some confusion if long-term residential care is the assessed need of a child.

p.5

Information about this inspection

Inspection report children’s home: SC434517 6 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.6

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 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Channels and Choices Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Camburgh House, 27 New Dover Road, Canterbury, Kent CT1 3DN

p.7

Inspector

Anne-Marie Davies, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC434517 8 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.7

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.8

Inspector

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

p.8

Inspector

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

p.8