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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2624222 1 Registered provider: Channels & Choices Kent LLP Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and run by a private organisation and can accommodate and care for up to five children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since July 2021. Two children have lived in the home since it was first registered.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

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

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2624222 2

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Recent inspection history

Not previously inspected Inspection report for children’s home: 2624222 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to develop their emotional resilience and skills. The model of care in this home is the ‘stepping stones programme’. Its aim is to support children to transition to foster care where appropriate. Targeted keywork sessions are identified for each child during the programme. They explore areas that children need help to develop, such as positive relationships and emotions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager completes a thorough assessment of each child’s needs before they move into the home. This ensures that children arrive at the home in a positive way. A social worker commented, in relation to a child’s planned move, that ‘it worked so well.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Learning opportunities for children are creatively embedded by adults. Daily catch- up meetings with children are used to explore thoughts and feelings. Furthermore, these discussions are used as an opportunity to promote safety, such as quizzes on water safety and railways.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a range of activities. One child likes to meet with a friend in the local park after school. This provides children with normal childhood experiences that they may not have previously experienced.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children attend the local school. The adults have built positive relationships and show collaborative working. This gives children the best chance to succeed. For example, one child who has struggled to get up on time has an initiative with school to attend slightly earlier to play the piano. This has helped her get to school on time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s talents are celebrated. One child was recently awarded a medal and certificate in a small ceremony for her natural talent and abilities. This makes children feel valued and recognised for their strengths.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is a large open environment with beautiful surroundings. However, some areas require improvement. For example, thick grey and red wires run around the beams of the home, and the side entrance hall does not match the homely nurturing feel of the rest of the home.

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

Children have not gone missing. There are plans in place for children if they do go missing, including adults going to high-risk areas to look for children.

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

Incidents for children are rare. When they do happen, consequences used are reflective and give the child an opportunity to give their views on how they feel. Inspection report for children’s home: 2624222 4 Three fire doors were observed to not self-close. This had been identified by the provider. However, immediate remedial action has not been sufficient to fix the issue. This has the potential to put children at risk should a fire occur.

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

The provider’s risk mitigation provided during the home’s registration for the proximity to the railway station included staff staying ‘on duty’ until the last train has left the station. However, the inspector found staff would often retire to the sleep-in room before the last train had left. While this is a proportionate response given the current children’s risks, the risk management plans for this are unclear. The registered manager reflected on this during the inspection and made changes to the children’s plans to reflect this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A small team was in place to support the opening of the home and the initial children who have come to live here. This includes experienced adults who have transferred from other homes to provide induction support to new adults joining the company. The home has sufficient adults to support the children, with plans to expand the team before new children move into the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is a mentor to the adults, supporting them through career development within the company. Adults speak of how they feel supported and encouraged to professionally develop. Adults benefit from a comprehensive induction. This is then further developed in practice-related supervision with the management team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has an aspirational development plan for the home. Monitoring and oversight of the home is supported by the head of care and ensures consistency for children and adults. There is excellent collaborative working between the registered manager and head of care. However, during the period the home was not operational, the provider failed to ensure that the home was visited by an independent person and the findings submitted to the regulator.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has not had his performance appraised in the last year. This is a missed opportunity to develop his learning and set targets to ensure his continued professional development. Inspection report for children’s home: 2624222 5

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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.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)) 30 June 2022

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a) applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b)) 30 June 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month. (Regulation 44 (1)) 30 June 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a supportive environment that is homely and domestic. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc.). In particular, ensure that areas of the home are maintained and provide a pleasant environment for children. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations including the quality standards Paragraph 3.9 page 15)  The registered person should ensure that all staff must have their performance and fitness to carry out their role formally appraised at least once annually. In particular, the registered manager should have their practice appraised annually. Inspection report for children’s home: 2624222 6 (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations including the quality standards Paragraph 13.5 page 61)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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 for children’s home: 2624222 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Channels & Choices Kent LLP

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 44 The Pantiles, The Pantiles, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 5TN

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Inspector

Sara Stoker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2624222 8 to 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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