First Ofsted inspection finds much to praise

23 August 2007

One of St Christopher’s children’s homes has just had its first Ofsted inspection, and passed with flying colours.

One consequence of the recent reorganisation of government departments is that our children’s homes are now inspected at least twice a year by Ofsted. In the first of our homes to be visited by the inspectors, they found many things to single out that the service does well.

In their overall summary of the service, for example, the inspectors found that the home is well maintained and that the environment is warm and welcoming.

Areas of particular commendation included

• the provisions for children’s health, with mentions of healthy eating advice, children’s participation in menu planning, and access to primary and specialist health services
• the respect shown by staff for young people's dignity and privacy
• the good management of young people’s behaviour in the home
• the way that staff individually support young people with tact and sensitivity
• the work of the educational support office in ensuring that all efforts are made for young people to improve their life chances through learning
• the promotion of independent living skills.