Durham House
- Registered: 2001
- Registered Places: 3
- DfE Education: Yes
- Assessment/Therapy: Yes
- Step Down Placements: Yes
- Staff Ratio: 2:3
Durham House - A 'Good' Children's Home
"Most children living in the home are making good progress from their starting points, particularly in relation to their emotional wellbeing. One child said that staff understand their individual needs, enabling the staff to provide personalised support. As a result, the child has been able to better understand and manage their emotional responses.
Professionals say that children receive a high level of care from staff who show a
genuine commitment and interest in them. One professional stated, ‘They have taken
the time to understand [child’s name] needs and have responded in a way that is
right for them. They have provided them with a home where they feel safe and they
have been able to experience being loved and nurtured’.
A particular strength is the staff’s commitment to supporting children to spend time
with their families. Staff and managers take a proactive approach, communicating
directly with parents and taking responsibility for planning family time arrangements.
One parent praised how staff help create a more natural and comfortable experience
through their friendly and supportive approach.
Staff encourage children to take part in activities that reflect their individual interests.
As a result, children get to try new things and regularly take part in a range of
experiences, including days out, hobbies and holidays.
Children enjoy warm and trusting relationships with staff, who respond to them with
affection and show genuine interest in their day-to-day experiences. Children are
actively spoken with about their care through regular discussions with staff, children’s
meetings and consultation documents. Children say that their views are consistently
listened to and acted on and that the best thing about living in the home is the staff.
One child has moved into the home since the last inspection. Careful consideration
was given to the child’s needs prior to them moving in. Managers visited the child and provided information about the home in advance. As a result, the child was well
prepared, which supported them to settle quickly."
Ofsted Inspection - May 2026 - Full report available by request
Residential Care
Durham House is located in the Palm Bay area of Margate within a 5-minute walk of family beaches, cycle paths and stretching cliff top lawns. Margate provides the range of amenities associated with forward thinking towns and offers an abundance of open spaces utilised for sport, leisure and recreation. Following considerable investment in the town, Margate is quickly becoming recognised as a centre of excellence for art and culture.
The young people residing at Durham House engage in a 24-hour curriculum designed to promote resilience, self-identity and independence. The home provides a safe, structured and consistent environment where each young person has a individualised placement plan tailored to meet their specific needs.
The manager and staff team endorse an inclusive, supportive ethos and through positive interaction and appropriate role modelling develop trusting relationships with the children and young people they care for. As a consequence, mutually respectful relationships develop between young people and the staff team which emulates, as closely as possible, a close knit family environment.
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 AQA. In addition, young people can study towards City & Guilds NPTC vocational awards in a range of work related subjects, including: building trades, vehicle maintenance, craft skills, art and design, design and technology and horticulture.
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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