Advert for a bespoke registered solo Children's Home.

Service Specification

For a Durham young person who requires a bespoke registered solo Children's Home. What we require: • To open up discussion with providers about the development of a 'new' registered Children's Home provision in County Durham or in the surrounding area within the North East of England to meet the specific needs of an identified young person. • A provider may already have a registered children's home with a highly experienced Registered Manager and be able to develop a smaller satellite home. • Providers that have knowledge and experience of working with children with complex needs and within Ofsted and CQC's Regulatory Frameworks. • Providers that have a track record of achieving positive outcomes for children / young people and who provide consistent good quality care and who demonstrate stickability. Environmental considerations: • A good size outdoor space, ideally a garden area with safe play equipment to use, is important. • Separate room for staff to go to when the young person needs less stimulation or more space. • The environment needs to be calm, minimally furnished and not overstimulating. • Will need breakout room or low stimulation space. • Some areas of the house may need to be made secure. • Adjustments made to fixtures and fittings e.g. heavy duty internal doors, uncarpeted throughout, enclosed TV cabinet, flush spotlights and white goods will need to be fixed to the ground.

Rural or urban location: • Urban opportunities need to be planned carefully and antecedents/triggers mitigated as much as possible. This needs a positive risk taking approach and reflective approach to risk events. • Would thrive in terms of freedom of movement, exercise, and wellbeing opportunities in rural/more secluded locations.

Single tenancy or share with others: • Will need bespoke single occupancy/support options in respite/outreach/education. Existing or potential DOLS issues: • Post 16: Use of wheelchair, use of harness, degree of observation and supervision, anything needed to mitigate running away or leaving supervision.

Noise issues and the impact on neighbours: • Has tendency to discard items over fence repeatedly and will throw objects over fence without consideration of hitting others. • May try and climb garden fences into neighbour's gardens. • Can be vocal and noisy when dysregulated. • Parents often resort to using their yard as break out area. • Has a tendency to focus on low branches of trees in garden and surrounding area.

Technology: • Stable internet connection with enough bandwidth to stream video. • Back up technology remotes and media devices (occupation options).

Current level of support including night (staff to complete daily support needs timetable): • 2 staff members minimum to observe and supervise at all times - rotating no more than 2 hours. • Minimum of 4 carers in education, outreach and respite. • More staff needed to support medical appointments.