Balmoral House
- Registered: 2001
- Registered Places: 3
- DfE Education: Yes
- Assessment/Therapy: Yes
- Step Down Placements: Yes
- Staff Ratio: 2:3
Balmoral House - A 'Good' Children's Home
"There have been no children living at the since January 2024. The three children that were living in the home, moved together, along with the manager and staff to another home operated by this provider. The inspector spoke to them to get their views in relation to their experience and care during the time that they were living in this children’s home...
[ ]... The children moved to allow the provider to undertake much needed refurbishment work. The move was extremely well planned, and staff took great care to prepare and involve the children in the move. The things that mattered most to them such as their possessions, games, furniture and the staff moved with them. They have settled quickly into their new home and are doing well.
The children spoke fondly about their time in this home and they value the relationships that they have with the manager and staff. They described how they liked their old bedrooms and one child had painted his room in the new home the same colour as his old bedroom.
All the children made excellent progress while living in the home. They are all fully engaged in education and enjoy their studies. A social worker reported that the former registered manager of the home worked extremely well with him to ensure a child got the additional support that he needed at school. This helped the child through a difficult period and has kept him on track to do well and complete GCSE exams this year.
Children are healthy, active and have fun. All the children have their own hobbies and interests and attend groups and clubs in the community such as basketball, youth clubs, cadets and snooker club. This helps them to develop healthy friendship groups outside of the home.
The three children who lived in the home are aged between 11 and 19 years old. Staff provided individual support and supervision at the right level to achieve a good balance between keeping them safe and taking acceptable risks to promote their independence. This support was delivered with genuine care and nurture. This helped children to work with the staff as they understood that they were looking after them in the same way that a good parent would."
Ofsted Inspection - March 2024 - Full report available by request
Residential Care
Balmoral House is registered to provide residential care to three boys aged between 8 and 14. However, we will restrict the age range appropriately at the time of each vacancy to ensure effective matching with the other young people sharing the home.
The primary focus of Balmoral House is to work with younger boys who have experienced multiple previous placement breakdowns and/or childhood trauma and are in need a period of emotional stability and professional intervention. Placement goals are often a phased return to the family home or a family foster placement. In some cases, it is deemed by the professionals with case responsibility that a young person will have their needs better met in a residential placement on a longer-term basis. This may be due to the young person not wishing to make the emotional investment necessary in a foster placement, or that their presenting concerns would be too demanding for a foster carer to manage on a 24/7 basis.
No matter what goals are identified in individual care plans, the aim of the home is to provide a safe, nurturing environment in which children and young people can maximise their full potential.
Balmoral House is located close to Margate's popular harbour area, family beaches, parks and coastal paths, providing a range of local age appropriate amenities and activity opportunities for children and young people throughout the year.
The staff team at Balmoral House are experienced in working with children and young people presenting with a range of social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD) and adopt a positive re-parenting approach, focussing on the development of mutually trusting and respectful relationships, together with unconditional positive regard for the staff team and young people alike. The team have a developed understanding of behaviour being a form of communication and employ strategies to identify the underlying reasons for behaviour so that it can be modified accordingly.
Education
The home is directly affiliated to both our DfE registered, specialist SEMH schools: The Davenport Primary School and The Old Priory Secondary School.
The respective school and the home work in close partnership to ensure continuity in respect of learning support, achieving developmental goals and behaviour management.
The Davenport School (Key Stage 2: 7-11yrs) offers a differentiated curriculum in order to meet the individual learning needs of each young person. The school operates with small group settings where children are closely supported and supervised by a qualified teacher and learning support assistants.
The Old Priory School (Key Stages 3 & 4: 11 – 16yrs) offers the national curriculum allowing for GCSE study in essential subject areas, alongside alternative, differentiated curriculums, including ASDAN and City & Guilds NPTC vocational awards, both of which lead to nationally recognised qualifications.
Assessment & Therapy
Children and young people residing in our care have access to a range of assessment and therapy services including:
- Psychological Assessment
- Psychotherapy
- Systemic Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
- Speech & Language Therapy
- Equine Therapy
- Music Therapy
- Drama Therapy
- Art Therapy
- Play Therapy
All therapy referrals are overseen by the organisation’s dedicated Therapy Services Manager in consultation with the allocated social worker and other key stakeholders as appropriate.
Our assessment and therapy services are an inclusive element of our residential care provision and attract no additional funding requirement.
Health Support
In addition to our therapy services and panel of consultants, each of our homes have direct access to a health promotions worker and, in the event of any significant health concerns arising, oversight from a registered, dual diagnosis nurse. This ensures effective, professional guidance in respect of health profiling, together with the immediate and ongoing health needs of each individual child and young person placed in our care.
Statement of Purpose
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