The Brook: statement of purpose

We provide care for children with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, complex medical needs, and sensory needs.

Our home has both a catering and young people’s kitchen, which some young people regularly use to develop independence and life skills and to enjoy cooking. There is a dining room where children can choose and are encouraged to socialise and eat together, social and play areas with a wide range of toys and games. There is a sensory room, accessible bath and shower rooms and a wide range of play equipment including computers, Wii, Xbox Kinect. There is immediate access to a purpose-built playground and swimming pool at the neighbouring school and community centre.

Residential accommodation

We have a bedroom and living area that provides living accommodation for up to four children receiving full-time residential care. The home has multiple lounge areas so that children can choose to have time away from others if they want. However, having the accommodation co-located does provide options for children and young people that would otherwise not be available. Each child’s bedroom is highly personalised; they can choose wall coverings, curtains, bedding and are encouraged to shop alongside the staff to buy all the little bits that make a house a home. We think carefully about getting the match right for the children in each apartment.

Short breaks accommodation

For the children coming into the home for short breaks each room is spacious and can be tailored and adapted to suit the needs and preferences of the child staying The Brook. Children and young people attending overnight short breaks are encouraged to maintain a ‘treasure box’ containing personal effects, favourite toys, and bedding to personalise their rooms. This allows each room to reflect the individuality of the person staying with us.

The Brook is situated in the village of Dartington, just outside Totnes in Devon.

It’s an area low in crime and high in opportunity, close to transport links and beautiful Dartmoor. Children are involved in many local community and resident events and activities.  These include utilising local youth clubs, youth football teams and an outdoor swimming pool.

We’re also close to Dartington Hall which has a calendar of events year-round, with music, a food and home festival, an open day (our young people particularly liked the tractor ride), Equine Therapy and wonderful gardens to explore.

We have developed excellent local partnerships which enables our children to engage with their local community, enables them to have a voice in local improvements and be part of and support community events.

The Brook is less than 20 minutes from beaches and moors. Our children enjoy getting out and making the most of our wonderful location and resources.

A location risk assessment has been completed, and this is updated at least annually.

At The Brook we support children from birth to 17 years from our own local authority as well as other local authorities (currently Plymouth and Torbay). We support children who have learning disabilities, physical disabilities, and complex medical and sensory needs. We undertake comprehensive assessments of their needs, consider the group dynamics, and introduce children to the home in a way that is right for them.

The support is provided within a framework agreed through the child’s care planning process. We provide residential, short breaks and shared care support for children.

Emergency placements will be considered on an individual basis where a risk assessment will be carried out.

We can be commissioned to implement assessments and treatment plans for individual children as appropriate, in liaison with other relevant persons, ensuring a multi-agency approach that values the child and puts the child’s welfare at the centre of all decision-making processes.

The staff team at The Brook are skilled in adapting their approach to suit the specific needs of the children they support, and the staff training is provided to develop and maintain individual’s skills.

Our aims are to provide enjoyable stays that expand the opportunities available for children whilst also supporting them to learn skills appropriate to their age, ability and understanding, encouraging natural progression within a home environment.  We do this by working closely with the child, their families, key professionals, schools and others that are important to the child to provide consistency and support in ways that are in the best interest of the child.

Each child will have an individual care plan that is reviewed at least every six months or when their needs change.

The ethos of the home is to provide a home-from-home environment where children can grow and develop through a nurturing process that caters to their individuality. We are committed to providing a caring environment where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. We provide activities and opportunities to enhance the children’s experiences and outcomes. We will complete a ‘My Story’ with each child to celebrate all their experiences and achievements.

The team at The Brook value the feedback we receive about the service; this is sought from a variety of sources and any learning is embedded into our practice.

We are committed to gathering feedback in ways that suit the individuals preferred communication methods which may include verbal, written, pictorial, behavioural or making use of technological aids. Children are supported to give their views and wishes before and throughout their time with us. Listening to children is something that is embedded into the way we do things at The Brook.

Children are given the opportunity to express their views in a way appropriate to their individual communication abilities and needs. They are encouraged to participate in the review and development of services, both in general and in relation to them individually.

We work in a child-focused manner to provide a safe environment for children where they are supported, offered a variety of stimulation, and benefit from life experiences and opportunities to access a variety of in house and community-based activities.

Our staff support and respect the children’s individual beliefs and wishes. We support each child as an individual and in so doing we recognise that religious beliefs may influence every area of a child’s life from philosophy, morality, to diet and preparation of food and mode of dress. These beliefs and wishes will be incorporated into an individual’s care plan and will shape the support and care they receive whilst at The Brook.

The children come in for each stay with their own clothes, personal affects and equipment or medication, which when staying for a short break are returned when their visit has ended. Children and families can choose to leave items at The Brook to enable their room to be personalised before their stay with us.

If children have pocket money, we ensure they are aware of how to keep this safe and will support them in doing this. During a child’s stay access to a variety of activities, both within the home and in the local community, a majority of this is supported and funded by The Brook.

It is the aim of the home to ensure that every child always feels relaxed and safe. Any safeguarding disclosure will be treated sensitively and supportively, as per Devon County Council Policies and Procedures. All disclosures will be treated seriously and reported as appropriate.

All those involved with the provision of services for children in the children’s home settings must be alert to the possibility of abuse by other children, visitors and members of staff. Staff attend relevant training in line with the Devon County Council policies. The staff team working at The Brook always have access to the management team on-call for advice and guidance as well as regular supervision in which they can discuss any concerns they may have.

Staff from Devon County Council Children’s Homes have good multi agency links which enables us to keep up to date with the most recent developments and practice.

All compliments, concerns and complaints are taken seriously. Children are encouraged to share compliments, concerns and complaints with their parents and carers, staff, managers or the Service Manager for Countywide Services. The Brook adheres to Devon County Council complaints policies and procedures.

Children, their parents/carers, members of the public, agencies or professionals can all raise compliments or concerns to staff, lead professionals, or go directly to MASH, LADO, Disabled Children’s Service, or Ofsted.

Requests to see the homes policies and procedures can be made to The Brook or Devon County Council Children’s Homes.

The home promotes an environment in which bullying is not acceptable. If bullying is found to occur, effective strategies will be implemented to manage the situation safely and promptly. We support children to actively come forward with their concerns in any area.

The team at The Brook are aware that children need privacy. However, this must be balanced with issues of protection and safety. The privacy and dignity of the children are always respected. There may be exceptions where monitoring is required due to individual needs for health and safety reason, these decisions will always be made with the child, parents, carers, and relevant professionals views being heard and considered.

All children that stay overnight at the home have their own private bedroom. They can lock their bedroom door if they wish to, although staff do carry a key to the door to enable access if they deem the child to be at risk.

The need for supervision, checks, and the use of audio or visual monitors during the night, is assessed on an individual basis. Night time monitoring will only take place where there is an identified need which will be detailed in the individual’s agreed care plan and consented to by the parent and/or their placing authority. Any night-time monitoring or restrictive practices will be reviewed and discussed at the good practice committee.

Access into the building is restricted by keypads at all external entrances and exits. These doors will be locked during the night or where there has been a temporary increase in risk. The front door will always remain locked to protect the safety of children staying at the home.

At The Brook we support multi-disciplinary working with professionals and are happy to facilitate visits from known education, health and social care professionals. There are procedures in place to ensure the individuals identity is known and recorded. Any visits that take place will be organised by the parents or carer and/or lead professional for the child except in an emergency situation.

In the event of a child going missing from the home (or during outings away from the home) immediate action will be taken to locate the child. The member of staff supporting the child will carry an emergency card, which holds emergency contact details and a photograph. We will inform the police, and contact families and lead professionals, as appropriate. Full risk assessments are put in place for children who have behaviours that increase the likelihood of them going missing from care – we will link with the local police where necessary.

Compliments, concerns and complaints can be made to:

Glenn Lobb – Service Manager for Countywide Services
County Hall
Topsham Road
Exeter
EX2 4QD
Telephone: 07814 779948

Devon County Council Customer Relations
FREEPOST DCC CUSTOMER RELATIONS
Telephone: 0800 212783
Email: customer.relations@devon.gov.uk

Ofsted
Piccadilly Gate
Store Street
Manchester
M1 2WD
Telephone: 0300 123 1231
Email: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk

At The Brook we promote positive behaviour and relationships. Children have staff members supporting them that they are familiar with. Wherever possible the child will be supported by their link staff member.

We are aware that, at times, children may present behaviours of concern. This may be due to their disability, environmental factors, other medical conditions, or as part of growing up. We support children with behaviours of concern using the positive behaviour management ethos. The valuing of individual rights, opinions and wishes of children and working in partnership with them and their families is seen as paramount.

The Brook has close links with external professionals who can provide support and advice for the staff team and the child. We aim to minimise the behaviours of concern and work with the child in order to ease out their frustrations in a safe manner. The staff team have regular meetings in which they can discuss strategies to positively support individuals.

If behaviour becomes unsafe for the child or others, staff may, as a last resort, need to use a physical intervention to support the child. The Brook team members receive behaviour management training which incorporates training and assessment of competence of physical guides and release strategies. Any use of a physical intervention or restraint will follow the guidelines set by the Department of Health and Devon County Council. This is used only as a last resort and reflects the presenting behaviour, using the least restrictive intervention for the shortest time possible, to keep people safe. All children who use our service will have a care plan which includes a risk assessment, behaviour plan, and a positive handling plan where applicable.

De-escalation of behaviours is supported with positive strategies. Details of any physical intervention will be recorded, and details shared with parents or carers and relevant professionals. The Department of Health Guidance 2002 – ‘Restrictive Physical Interventions: How to provide safe services for people with learning disabilities and autistic spectrum disorder’ – will underpin and support good practice.

At The Brook we support children to make progress towards achieving their educational potential. EHCPs and Individual Education Plans are incorporated into the care plans where applicable. We provide suitable facilities and support to enable children to complete homework tasks where needed.

The staff team at the home have close working relationships with the schools that the children attend. We are able, by arrangement with school and home, to visit the children and see them in their school environment. The team can liaise with the class teacher and teaching assistants to provide continuity of care with regard to any educational and behaviour plans. The Brook staff members consult with the speech and language team so as to provide the children with necessary resources to aid communication – such as Makaton, sign language, PECS (Picture Exchange Communication Systems) books and symbols, communication buttons and apps and yes/no symbols for the children who are only able to eye point.

A representative from The Brook will attend the child’s annual EHCP review and provide a written report where required. The ‘My Stories’ that are completed will be taken to the reviews. The team complete school/home communication books to maintain effective communication.

As part of the individual care plan at The Brook each child has identified outcomes that are regularly monitored; identifying progress and adaptations to support that may be required. These will be evidenced in the children’s own ‘My Stories’ so that the children and family can celebrate their achievements.

The health needs of all the children are determined in consultation with the child, their parents or carers, and lead professionals, prior to admission and throughout their time at The Brook.

Where the children have long term health conditions, staff are trained in the clinical skills necessary to deliver the care safely. The Children’s Home has responsibility for ensuring correct and appropriate training of staff. Where it is necessary to utilise the skills of other individuals, their credentials and identity will be checked thoroughly and, if they require access to the child, it will be with parental consent and supervised.

Some of the children may require specialised equipment and follow specialist physiotherapy programmes. Staff members liaise with the relevant professionals to provide these services, consulting with parents, carers and the specialist school, often accessing these environments to provide continuity of care for the child during their stay.

Some of the children may have specific dietary requirements. Regular discussions with the parents or carers and the dietician, Paediatrician and GP are necessary in order to meet the health needs of the child, whilst also taking into consideration the child’s wishes.

For children having short breaks stays families will usually retain parental responsibility and take their children for regular health, dental and optical checks. Families should inform the home of these so a record can be kept. Where a child is a child in care, we recognise our increased responsibility and will provide support for individual children, and their families where required.

Where children live with us at The Brook, we will ensure all medical appointments are made and attended and ensure any actions require are taken. Staff will support parents at visits if requested

If any concerns arise about the health of a child during their stay, parents or carers are contacted and, if necessary, the child’s GP or Devon Doctors. If necessary, we will either call an ambulance or take the child to the local accident and emergency department for medical attention.

If a child is staying for a short break stay and a hospital visit is required, families will be required to meet and support the child at the hospital unless specific arrangements have been agreed prior to the child’s stay. Consent forms regarding children receiving medical treatments will be completed prior to accessing the home.

Parents and carers are required to supply the correct dosage of medication for the child’s stay, in pharmacy labelled containers, containing all information to enable administration. Any changes in medication should be in written form on the medication authorisation sheet, signed and dated by the parents or /carers, and by a team member of the home.

At times, children’s medication is changed on a regular basis and a prescription with the new dose on it may be delayed: for example, if the medication is changed by the paediatrician the same day as the visit. In these circumstances we will seek, where possible, confirmation from the child’s paediatrician or GP over the phone or via email or letter. We insist that a correct label is sent in on their next visit.

We regularly consult with the child’s Paediatrician with regard to medication; this is done via telephone and email and with full involvement of the parents or carers.

The Brook adheres to Devon County Council policies regarding food hygiene, follows the Food Standard’s Agency Registration and Compliance, and follows the local authority’s ‘Better standards, safer food’ policies. The meals prepared take into account the individual needs of the children accessing the home. The home supports the staff in accessing basic food hygiene training and relevant training in areas such as health and safety and infection control.

The staff team provide regular cultural evenings for the children, providing a variety of taste sensations from around the world.

The Brook provides an environment where healthy living is promoted. We aim to provide a varied healthy diet, opportunities for physical activities, and promote good personal hygiene and cleanliness.

The Brook is a non-smoking site. Smoking is not permitted anywhere on the site by the children, staff, or visitors.

The Brook staff team are recruited according to Devon County Council safer recruitment policies and procedures as recommended in the ‘Warner Report: Choosing with Care (1992)’. All our staff have a satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service and meet the schedule 2 requirements set out in the childrens home regulations 2015.

Staffing levels are considered based upon the needs of the children accessing the home and are regularly reviewed. At night the home is staffed by at least one waking night member of staff, a sleep-in member of staff, with the support of an on-call manager.

The Brook has a Registered Manager, Deputy Managers, Team Leaders and Residential Support Workers. The Registered Manager is accountable to the Head of Service – Internal Provisions |County Wide Services.

Bank and agency staff are available to support staffing levels during holidays and to cover staff absence and vacancies.

Our manager regularly meets with the Responsible Individual. Our qualified Clinical Lead for the Children’s Homes supports the team and delivers in-house medical training to the staff team at The Brook as required.

The team at The Brook is predominantly female; it is acknowledged that there is an imbalance of gender role models. However, our recruitment of staff is designed to encourage a diverse workforce.

The Brook is committed to the ongoing professional development of our workforce and providing tangible opportunities for all team members to reach their full potential. We use a robust recoding and monitoring system both organisationally and locally to monitor and ensure compliance with required training and development activities.

With excellent learning and development resources and opportunities, we offer and support the completion of a comprehensive mandatory training schedule to every new team member as part of the induction to the home. This includes a range of mandatory training as well as training linked to specific needs of the children and home. Due to having good links with other teams of professionals and by being creative we are able to use different forms of research to develop the team’s knowledge and skills enabling development of practice and ability to meet the changing needs of our home.

At The Brook we strongly believe in continued Learning and Development and in providing our teams the opportunity to develop existing skills as well as to gain new ones.  We regularly review opportunities for succession planning for the team members giving them support to develop their knowledge and skilling leading to their development into different roles in the homes or services.

Opportunities to discuss, review and plan for development and learning is discussed regularly with the team in individual supervision sessions that occur monthly, annual appraisals and with the team in the team meeting to ensure we continue to meet the development needs or our workforce and the needs of the children that use the home.

Mandatory training includes areas such as induction, Basic Life Support, seizure control, conflict resolution, medicines management, safeguarding levels 1-6, equality and diversity, pump training, gastrostomy training, manual handling, basic food hygiene, infection control, and Information Governance. All staff attend the required annual fire safety updates, and fire drills will occur at intervals throughout the year with the details recorded.

The Home manager holds a foundation degree in Early Years and Education and is working towards her Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management. Team Leaders are required to hold, or be working towards, Diploma Level 3 but this can also be a Level 4 or 5. Residential Support workers are required to hold or be working towards a Diploma level 3.

The home complies with Devon County Council Human Resources policies and procedures. Devon County Council have staff side reps (union reps) who are widely available to staff at any time for advice and support. Devon County Council also provide occupation health support for all staff and this is a confidential process where required.