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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC067895 1 SC067895

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Registered provider: Channels and Choices Kent LLP

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private organisation that operates several registered children’s homes. The home provides care for up to 4 children with social and emotional difficulties. At the time of this inspection, 4 children were living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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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.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC067895 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/03/2025 Full Good 12/04/2023 Full Outstanding 26/04/2022 Full Outstanding 25/05/2021 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC067895 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are happy, settled and thriving. They benefit from warm and nurturing relationships with staff, who have exceptional knowledge of their needs, wishes, likes and dislikes. Staff respond with sensitivity and consistency and, as a result, children make exceptional progress in all areas of their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are in full time education and make strong progress from where they started. This is especially significant as some children have been unable to go to school previously. Staff champion children’s learning and work closely with education professionals to make sure that children are supported to continue to succeed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are encouraged to develop age-appropriate skills. Staff help children to learn practical independent living skills, such as travelling safely, managing money and making informed decisions about their future This work is tailored to each child’s ability and confidence and enables them to build increased independence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children benefit from a wide range of enriching activities. Staff ensure that choices reflect each child’s interests and requests. This has included racing car track days, visits to the London Dungeons, after-school clubs and holidays abroad to Holland. Children speak fondly of these experiences and the positive memories that they have created

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are also supported to make friendships outside the home and staff help them to do this safely through supported work. This helps children to understand risks and how to keep themselves safe. As a result, children gain confidence and build positive peer relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are encouraged to be active members of the community. They take part in charity events and beach-clean litter picks. These experiences help the children to develop an understanding of contributing to the world around them. Children gain a sense of pride and responsibility from these activities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff are supported by a multi-disciplinary therapeutic team, who work directly with them and the children. The assessments carried out by the therapeutic team inform day-to- day practice and are embedded in children’s care plans. This ensures that support is consistent and focused on each child’s needs and developments and supports them to make progress. Inspection report for children’s home: SC067895 4 Staff build positive relationships with children’s birth families and work closely with social workers to promote family time in a way that is safe and in the best interests of each child. One staff member described the positive working relationship she had built with a child’s grandmother and how this made the family time meaningful and relaxed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are actively encouraged to have their say about what it is like to live in the home and have a wide range of opportunities to raise any concerns. All achievements, no matter how small, are celebrated. Staff use creative methods to help children see their successes. Children value this.

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

Staff and managers have exceptional knowledge of how to keep children safe. Clear boundaries have created a stable environment. This has led to a sustained reduction in incidents for all children.

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

There is an effective reward system that is used to promote positive behaviour. The children are involved in choosing their own rewards, which increases their motivation. This consistent approach has contributed to a calm and stable environment. One child described the home as a ‘calm, quiet and safe place to live’, reflecting the considerable progress that they have made.

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

Incidents are rare. When they do occur, staff and leaders ensure that lessons are learned. Children and staff are supported to reflect and consider what they could have done differently. Staff take a kind and restorative approach that ensures that children continue to feel supported.

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

Children rarely go missing from the home. When this does happen, staff follow rigorous procedures and act quickly to ensure the child’s safe return. When children return, they are welcomed warmly and are helped to understand why staff were worried. Staff carry out targeted work with children in relation to keeping themselves safe and reducing risk, particularly when they are out in the community. This educational and compassionate approach has been successful in significantly reducing missing-from-home incidents.

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

Leaders recognise, through their own monitoring, that the response to allegations about staff have been inconsistent. This is because not all concerns were routinely shared with external professionals. Leaders also identified occasions where children were spoken to immediately after incidents without being given time to calm. Leaders have responded positively to their identified learning and have strengthened procedures to ensure that all allegations are reported to the appropriate professionals in a timely manner. This improved practice was noted in response to the most recent incident. Inspection report for children’s home: SC067895 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is managed by an experienced registered manager, who has a clear vision for what he wants the children to achieve. He sets high aspirations for the children and ensures that staff share his ambitions for every child. Children have made strong progress under his leadership.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are proud of the work that they do and of the positive progress that the children make. They consistently think about how children can be supported to develop further. One member of staff said, ‘I am incredibly proud to be part of the team and have witnessed significant progress in the children.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff complete a wide range of training. This equips them to meet the complex needs of children. Where staff identify additional training, leaders respond quickly and provide this without delay. New staff receive a comprehensive induction as part of joining the home. Staff recognise the importance of this. One staff member said, ‘The training has allowed me to tailor the way I work with the children in the home.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers provide a supportive environment through effective staff supervision, team meetings, child-led reviews and therapy-led discussions. These forums help staff to understand each child’s needs and provide valuable space for staff to reflect on their practice and identify areas of improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has built positive relationships with each child’s professional network. He works closely with them to ensure the best possible outcomes for children. The manager appropriately challenges, when needed, and advocates for all children. The promotion of children’s rights is a strong area of practice in this home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC067895 6

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Recommendation

 The registered provider should ensure that staff consistently report any allegations of abuse immediately to a senior manager of the home. Any allegation of harm or abuse must be addressed in line with the home’s child protection policy. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraph 9.17)

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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: SC067895 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Channels and Choices Kent LLP

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 15 West Street, Brighton BN1 2RL

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Inspectors

Ben Wilson, Social care Inspector Mark Newington, Social care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC067895 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 looked-after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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