The dreaded PE lessons, now it’s official
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-17873519
Having read the article by the BBC on how teenage girls or opting out of PE,http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-17873519 I am pleased to see the creative ways in which this is being address by some schools and at the same time unsurprised at the widening gap between boys and girls.
Some interesting points raised was the competitive and somewhat elitist side of PE, and concentrating on only the best pupils, you have to wonder if this is all about the good Ofsted score for their lessons?
The article raised the issues of girls being “body conscious” and therefore not wanting to get changed in to PE outfits as it sets them apart at times. I remember my PE days as great fun, but also recall that the girls stopped playing the same sports as we did in the second year when I was a Boston Spa comprehensive school. We were all allowed to choose what sessions we did for each half term. If I remember the girls had the staples of hockey, trampolineing and net ball, but I don’t remember them opting out. Maybe we had more of an eagerness to be up and moving about, playing games for the sake of playing and more motivations that to be on facebook, twitter and BBM’ing than kids nowadays.
However the issue was highlighted in March 2008, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/7288175.stm where they were asking the questions to find out what stops girls from joining in. As mentioned earlier I like the innovative approaches taken by some schools using different and more youthful forms of exercising like Zumba and rollerblading to encourage participation.
Great ideas, but I wonder what other sports could be played in the teenage years that would get girls more involved. I’m surprised that there is no sort of “industrial” sized Wii or Kinetix style game system that could be used during the colder months.
That is the type of creative thinking we like to do at Harmony, it finds ways that allow the overall aim to be achieved, that allows everyone to be on board. We make good use of the Wii in group and single player games, involving everyone and find it develops supportive relationships within the home, more self confidence and the thrill of achieving goals, something important to us all.
Working with kids web site
I was just surfing the web to see what new approaches and ideas were happeing in the childcare industry and came across this well presented site.
I found a really nice and simple article on working in a childrens home. http://www.workingwithkids.co.uk/childrens-homes.html
The 1st of April marked another step forward for Harmony Childrens service. I have now stepped away from the day to day mangement of Harmony house and handed the steering wheel and controls to the new manager Julie Cuttell. i inetnd to increase the awareness of Harmony house and the possitve work it does and can do for other children in need of our help and support.
I first met Julie in 2005 when I was heading up a small cluster of children’s homes and Julie was an LSA in our school. I quickly saw that Julie was destined for bigger things and when we opened a new home, I immediately knew who I wanted a deputy manager.
Julie did a stirling job, assisting in developing, training and providing constant support for the staff team with some challenging children. Julie and I shared the same approach and values to out care practices and together we made some significant and positive changes to the lives of the young people in our care.
Julie was ready in no time to replace me as the registered manager and upheld the standards achieving consistent Good reports with the right elements of outstanding, in my opinion the best type of reports.
Julie has been integral during the start of Harmony House and has continued to provide support and guidance to the staff and educated and championed the Harmony family ethos and approach with all staff and young people alike.
Julie will have my full support in this role, not that it is needed ad i hope she will continue to be integral to Harmony. I wish her all the success and look forward to her roll growing as Harmony grows.
Julie can be contacted on julie.cuttell@harmonycs.co.uk should you wish to discuss any topic regards Harmony House, arrange a visit prior to making a placement or to discuss any potential referrals.
Ofsted Inspection and new staff appointments
Another memorable day and further good achievements by Harmony House, its residents and staff.
David, our Ofsted inspector made his 2nd unannounced inspection today and was again reasured by the evidence he found that we still continue to deserve our GOOD rating. David spoke with myself, who happened to chose to go on shift that day, our residents and staff who I was working along side. Myself and resident were just about to leave to go do an arial assult course 15 meters, (47ft) up, something she had always wanted to do. The things we do for our kids to make them smile. Have I said previously I hate hights. Especially those with a very long drop!
Before I go into a summary of the important points a full version of the Interim Ofsted Insepction report is available to view at: http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-reports/find-inspection-report/provider/CARE/SC424759 Again, no recomendations.
David again was easily able to, and this is clearly reflected in the report the continued work in “ensuring that the young people are as far as possible protected from harm. It has successfully reduced the number of occasions when young people go missing. When young people do go missing the staff are proactive in involving the police and make strenuous efforts to locate young people and make sure they return to the home quickly.” This is a statement that I am especially proud of as it reflects our passion in keeping the kids in our care as safe as they allow us and shows thats they are making great progress in keeping them selfs, and for some, more importantly out of any further CSE.
David stated in the report other praising comments about the residents, the staff and how our family ethos has made positive impacts.“… they said that they liked living in the home and have a clear understanding of plans for their future. Interactions between staff and young people is warm and good humoured and this makes a significant contribution to the way in which positive behaviour is encouraged.”
Another good report which I have passed on special praise and thanks to the whole staff team who are instrumental in their actions and levels of care provided to make these reports so positive.
So what else has been happening within Harmony?
A few big things within the company, and the internal structures and staffing compliments.
We have been commissioned to provide a supported living package to a young resident in theHalifaxarea and have been busy making plans for her individualised care and support package to start in March to educate and give her the skills needed to live a more independent lifestyle.
Within the home Julie Cuttell, as of the first of March will be taking over the role of Home manager and moving onto Registered Manager once her Ofsted Interview has taken place. Janet Brisby has shown significant progression and earned herself the role of Deputy Manager and now in a prime position to further learn the ropes and approches that we know work with children and will, I hope being involved in running the second home when it is the right time to open. Both solid appointments in my opinion. I am confident that both Julie and Janet will continue to ensure the ethos and therapeutic understanding approach is continued to all our current and future residents.
These further positive developments will allow me to move my focus toward the expansion of services and options that Harmony can offer to the local authorities.
I will be speaking with all the local authrites in our area and those futher afield, in due course regards the remaining vacancies we have at Harmony House and will happy to discuss any other potential avenues of suppport that we can can provide regards supported living and supported tenancies.
Happy and Prosperous New Year to all.
What a year 2010 has been. I have achieved one of my dreams this year; opening, setting up, registering and operating my own Childrens Home, as I see correct. In the nine months since registration was approved, we have had many referrals. I could have filled the house twice, but decided to do it correctly and pace the growth of Harmony accordingly and securely and to taking the correct referrals for the service at that time.
So, during the year we admitted three children and did what is recognised as ‘good quality’ and ‘positive’ work with them all. We received, and continue to receive, praise from the social workers, Police operations and other professionals we work with. All of this was reflected in the ‘GOOD’ Ofsted report (see http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/files/1871629/urn/SC424759.pdf) that we achieved. The OFSTED report really topped of my year.
To achieve all of this in a climate where others in the industry are closing homes, down-sizing, scaling back, call it what you wll, most of those I used as a sounding board told me that I was brave to take this risk. However not only have we beaten the statistics and Harmony is still here after our first year of operations, but we are providing employment to 10 people from the local community and are looking to recruit more. In addition we are a financially secure company.
So what does the next year have in store? I would like to set my personal goals and targets to include at least;
a) I would like to build on and then consolidate on what Harmony House has to offer to the children that need our service.
b) Explore the opportunities to offer the caring, supportive and realistic approach of Harmony to those in need of supported living in and around the Kirklees boarders,Leeds,Wakefield, Calderdale and other areas.
c) Look towards opening up our second 3 or 4 bed home in the West Yorkshire Area. I am happy to discuss this with any local authority whom may see some benefit in working together on this.
d) Expand the regions that currently place at Harmony House to outside theWest Yorkshirearea, toward the Greater Manchester area andLincolnshireareas.
So I’m now looking forward to the coming year with the continued commitment and focus to providing a honest, good quality Residential Child care within Harmony house, the new home we aim to set up, and all the challenges that it will bring.
Mark
Here at Harmony there is very mixed emotions at the present time, but a sense of job satisfaction nonetheless.
Our first resident has now moved on to pastures new. She has, after several months of planning decided to go it alone, and has plans in place to move into her own accommodation in the very near future.
Myself, Julie and all the team wish her all the very best and hope that she will keep in touch and she knows she would always be more than welcome to call in anytime for a drink or meal and let us know how she is doing.
I would also like to thank all the staff for their hard work and efforts over the past nine months in helping her deal with her past issues, which will enable her hopefully, to move on to a much more positive period in her life.
This now leaves Harmony House with two vacancies within the unit for the near future and into the Christmas period. The current residents are a very settled 17 year old female, and a 14 year old male coming for respite every other weekend.
he staff team is developing in numbers are continuing to develop their skills and experience in many aspects of child care as well as improving their knowledge and understanding, particularly in relation to young people.
Should you have need to use our services for a child or young person in need of a stable placement within your authority, or to discuss what we offer in order to build your portfolio of placement options, please do not hesitate to contact me on 07702 050 890, or via the web site at www.harmonycs.co.uk
I would like to take this opportunity to extend my very best wishes to everyone over the festive season and for a very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year for 2012.
from
Mark, Julie and all the team at Harmony House
Harmony House 1st Ofsted Report – Awarded GOOD
I can proudly say that our first Ofsted report, where we were acknowledged as operating at a GOOD standard has been published on the Ofsted Web site.
To read it in full please click here:-
http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/files/1871629/urn/SC424759.pdf
Mark
Harmony House awarded GOOD on its 1st Ofsted Inspection
Harmony’s 1st Ofsted Inspection – GOOD in all areas.
On the 16th and 17th November we had the pleasure of our first unannounced Ofsted inspection at Harmony House.
I am very proud and pleased to feed back to all that our inspector has awarded Harmony House an overall rating of GOOD and a consistent GOOD in all areas.
This is a very proud moment for myself and the staff who have all helped to enable Harmony to achieve the good standard of practice I have learnt over the many years and it is now evident that this has paid off in our grades.
During the new inspection regime the inspector now makes contact with all the professionals involved with the residents. I am pleased to say that all the professionals he contacted all spoke very highly of the service, commenting on how much progress we have made with the young person, by keeping them safe and giving them stability in their lives. This was also reiterated by the young people themselves when the inspector spoke them. The inspector highlighted the ethos, in terms of the caring and honest approach of the Harmony care team, and the commitment to the children and young people in our care as they are always our priority.
I won’t go into too much detail at this point, as the report has to be finalised by the Ofsted inspection team. When it has been completed, a link will be made available to all. This can be accessed from the Ofsted logo on the site, directly to our space on the Ofsted web site.
As a result of the inspection our certificate is now in the process of being changed to remove the 9 -17 years age clause. This will be reflected in the newly updated Statement of Purpose that can be made available to those who wish to have a copy in order to update their records.
This now means that Harmony house will be able to offer its services to a much wider age range of children and intends to do so with immediate affect.
So where to go from here? Our aim is to keep building on our success with the service, residents and staff and we very much hope that our next inspection will be either a full outstanding grade or at the very least a good with elements of outstanding.
Once again a big thank you to the residents, staff and the many professionals we work alongside.
That’s all for now; more to come later as the report is released,
With thanks and my best wishes,
Mark
Really…….. When did we stop kids from being kids and care more about beetles.
Just read this article online by Ian Gallagher of the Daily Mail and had to have my say, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2046977/Children-tears-Richmond-Park-officials-pull-camps.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
What is going on with people today when there are 6 guys jumping from a van to take down dens made by youngsters in a public park? Firstly, a sledge hammer to crack a nut springs to mind, secondly did these Health and Safety park commandos never build dens when they were kids? Of course they did, we all did. I had one up for 2 months where we lived. It was a great source of fun for me and my friends. We’d spend hours there each weekend without mobile phones, face book, instant messaging and all of the other modern things we have come to depend on, instead of encouraging our children to use their natural ability to explore through play.
The article talks about the “officials” deciding that the children were not safe, despite the fact that parents were there with their 7 year old children. Surely the parents would have moved them on if they felt the kids were unsafe playing there. After all they cared enough about their children to accompany them a short distance away, when they bought some ice creams leaving the dens unattended.
As such an activity seems common place in the park with Health and Safety ‘den commandos’ doing these raids on a regular basis, surely some Manager would just stop and think it through. These youngsters are just using the park as other kids have done for years, messing around and taking part in childish activities. Does the council want to erect signs saying No cycling, No Dens, No climbing trees, NOKIDS???
It should be noted that the site has been designated of special scientific interest for Cardinal Click Beetles, Stag Beetles and Deer. Not that I don’t agree that they should be preserved and encouraged to thrive, but the park wardens will know where the colonies are and should preserve those areas only and allow the kids to do their thing in other areas. Too simple or am I missing something????
I finish with the statement from the Royal Parks spokesman “…. for the benefit of the visitors we have to dismantle dens if there is a risk they could collapse”.
Why not suggest that they maybe they advise little Tom how to build a better den that does not collapse, thus improve his design, engineering and building skills. Who knows what great structure little Tom could be responsible for when he is older.
I guess that’s how Isambard Brunel started……….
Happy 1/2 Bithday to Harmony
Happy ½ birthday to Harmony I had the privilege to meet up with other child care professionals and commissioners at the recent NCCT conference. I found the discussions very positive also found the workshops very informative. The two days gave me some interesting ideas to consider on how to further develop Harmony and its ethos. We also received praise from some regards what we have been able to achieve in this difficult climate. It is always hard to walk around at a conference and try to recognise name badges, so apologies if I was unable to catch up with you all during the day or at the now legendary quiz and disco.
From this event Harmony has had a number of potential clients express an interest in what we can offer and several meetings have already been arranged with a few of the larger organisations who are keen to come and see what we have been doing and how we are doing it.
If I missed you or you didn’t attend NCCT we will be at the ‘Community Care Live’ event for Childrens and Families in November. Alternatively if you wish we can make a separate arrangement to meet you personally, either at Harmony House or at your office and discuss how Harmony can help meet your needs.
There was memory stick that was provided to all delegates at the conference, which included a flyer form ourselves. However I feel that at present, without an Ofsted certificate, our best form of endorsement comes from the commissioners and social workers that we currently work alongside. If you wish to find out from your peers in the industry about the high quality service we offer please let me know and I will speak with those concerned and pass on their details if they are happy to do so.
It has now been six months now since Harmony House received its Ofsted certified status on the 21st March.
A huge amount has happened in such a short space of time; we currently have 50% occupancy and have the high possibility of two more referrals coming to fruition within the next 5-6 weeks. More of that later in the year hopefully.
We have created a solid and skilled staff team who are using their skills to provide high quality support and promotion of independence skills to our residents on a daily basis. The current residents have enjoyed joining in on some of the in training to help them in later life and provide qualifications to strengthen their own job applications. On that, well done to those who attended and passed the Fire safety and health and safety course. The kids have also had some wonderful days out; at Blackpool, Alton Towers and shopping trips to mention a few.
I am eagerly waiting for our first Ofsted Inspections to be carried out. I expect that it will be very soon given how long we have been open now. I will update everyone with how they can access the report when the private links are available. We will have a link to all our reports on the website so that you can access them.
At this point though I would like to thank all those who have offered advice, guidance and support to myself and Harmony to assist us in getting to this point. And also thank you to all the staff that has helped to provide the residents with such positive experiences and inputs into their lives, and have changed the kids’ views for the better of what a children’s home is. Keep up all the good work.
Mark Raw