Windsor House
- Registered: 2001
- Registered Places: 3
- DfE Education: Yes
- Assessment/Therapy: Yes
- Step Down Placements: Yes
- Staff Ratio: 2:3
Windsor House - A 'Good' Children's Home
"...Children are settled in the home and have formed positive relationships with staff. One child, who was a long-term member of the home, has recently returned to live with his family. While this was unplanned, it has ended with a positive outcome, and the family feels this was made possible because of the support from the manager and staff. The family said, ‘They have made him into the person he is today'...
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... Children benefit from therapy that helps them to understand their identity and how this has shaped them into the person that they are...
...Staff are committed to supporting children to learn new skills. For example, one child is learning to travel to school using public transport, with a plan to travel independently when ready. Another child learned to read during the COVID-19 pandemic. They have since returned to live with their family. The family is proud of his ability to read to his younger sibling. Children are attending school, and reports show they are making excellent progress...
...Staff ensure that children are supported to explore their cultural needs and identity. For example, one child receives a monthly magazine based on the journeys of influential Black people and the impact they have had. The registered manager ensures that all children have access to resources linked to their identity. Each child in her care is celebrated for who they are."
Ofsted Inspection - January 2023 - Full report available by request
Residential Care
At Windsor House we provide children and young people with warmth and nurture, within an environment where we observe children to grow and develop as they begin to respond positively to the homes environment and the homes adults.
The children placed within Windsor House have all experienced some form of loss, neglect, trauma and rejection. This has had a profound effect on the children, whom are encouraged and nurtured to once again begin to trust for them to feel safe and secure within their placement. With the support of the adult team and the professionals involved in each child’s care, it is our intention that we will be able to successfully support the children in coming to terms with the underlying reasons for coming into care and to feel safe, secure, happy and healthy during their time with us.
The home aims to build positive relationships with all children whom come to reside at Windsor House in order to at first establish the ways in which we can support them to develop their self-esteem. A focus on building positive relationships begins from their arrival to the home and continues to grow throughout their placement.
Once these relationships are established, the children’s views, wishes, and feelings in regards to their care are incorporated into the way in which we provide care for them. All adults aim to support the children with their individual needs which are determined early on into placement. This is the foundation for ensuring that the children within Windsor House feel healthy, safe and secure and this builds the platform for which they are able to grow, develop and achieve.
The homes adults have the understanding and skills to support all children with their behaviours and recognise that at time the presented behaviours are a form of communication and reflects the thoughts, feelings and needs of our children at that time.
Through the development of positive relationships, the children are supported to recognise their emotions, and to understand how to communicate and express themselves in a constructive and appropriate manner. Positive encouragement and praise is regularly used within the home to recognise the children’s achievements and support is provided to assist them in developing further and understand socially acceptable behaviours. It is our aim that by supporting the children in this way, we are maximising the potential for them to achieve both their own self set goals and make improvements highlighted by the adults involved in their care.
For some of our children the long-term plan may be that a suitable fostering placement is identified and for others, there may be an aim for them to return to their family home. Whichever option is being considered for our children, we aim to ensure that they can manage that transition at a time that is right for them.
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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