We are able to support young people from the ages of 10 years old and up to their 18th birthday, who may present with a range of complex social, emotional, educational and behavioural needs. These may include the following:

• Social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs
• Sexually harmful behaviour and Risk of child sexual exploitation
• Past criminal and anti-social behaviours
• Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)
• Conduct disorder

 Duratem Supported living  is based in the London borough of Havering and is close to surrounding boroughs within geographical areas and will be accessible to all local authorities regardless of their demographics. The home will be operational 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year from the outset. Experienced staff will be on hand to support young people 24 hours every day.

We provide;  

Emergency placements

• Short-term placements

• Medium-term placements
 

Our primary aim is to provide a ‘warm and homely environment’ in which our young person will feel safe and independent while still knowing support is on hand when they need it. Our service is uniquely tailored to the high needs of looked-after children who present high emotional and behavioural difficulties. Our home is designed to feel very much like any family home, and we limit the amount of signage and commercial elements that are present. 

Our mission here at Harmony House is to provide a caring, stable, safe and happy environment for children and young people who are not able to live with their families. Here at Harmony House we think of ourselves as more of a family than a business, and we ensure that this ethos filters down through our staff to the care they offer the children and young people in our placements. It is our mission to proactively include Children and Young People, the adults and professionals around them in improving outcomes for the young people.

We wish to make everyone involved feel welcomed, included and accepted. New beginnings and sustaining changes can be very scary, so we make sure we keep that in mind with everything we do. At Harmony House we aim to go that extra mile every day, ensuring that we offer the highest quality of care possible. 

Our aim is to be the leading agency throughout the U.K, providing quality Residential and Step-Up to Independence care to children and young people, whilst working closely alongside local authorities to make sure our children are given the best possible start to young adulthood, because everyone deserves the same opportunities in life.

Our mission is to build upon our Residential and Step-Up to Independence Homes and to remain involved with our children once they transition into adulthood. Our care at Harmony House will not stop when the children leave their placements, we offer after care support with finding accommodation, college and work placements to help our children grow into adult life. Our children will always be a part of the Harmony House family.

 We provide Children’s Guides which explain more easily what we do.

We will make sure that placements are suited from the point of referral and have the best chance of succeeding. The children will be considered each and every time another child or young person wishes to join Harmony House uses clear and simple risk assessments which we undertake with each child or young person, so that we can agree the care and behaviour management plan. This helps us know the children really well and understand what works for them, when we are trying to give support.

Harmony House ‘priority is the children’s well-being, safety and care. We will also offer opportunities for fun with days out with activities, two holidays per year, creative, nature, practical and sports pursuits; decorating of own bedroom; agreed pocket money and much more. 

Harmony House will be consistent, we will be respectful of everyone, we will keep our children safe and we will always have their back (even when they try and push us away!!).

London Borough of Havering we  will work in accordance with all guidelines set, to ensure that safeguarding issues are maintained as a top priority for the staff at the home.

A Risk Assessment will be undertaken with each young person and this will be regularly reviewed and monitored as part of the placement planning process.

The assessments will cover all aspects of behaviour and history that might cause a risk to the young person or to others. Each Risk Assessment contains a Risk Management plan; to be followed by staff at all times. Risk assessment and management plans will be updated regularly, at statutory reviews and after specific risk events.

All members of staff will have good working knowledge of Area Havering’s Safeguarding procedures. All staff members will receive access to Area Havering’s safeguarding procedures and guidance to staff.

All staff will receive training by a competent provider, to ensure that they are aware of safeguarding issues within a residential setting. This training will take place during the induction process when members of staff commence work.

All new staff will be competent in the assessment and monitoring process for young people placed within Area Havering. Relatives, friends and acquaintances of the young people who live at Area  of Havering will again be subjected to review.

Where possible, internet access will be monitored with any computers subject to staff checks. There is internet restrictions installed in the home. Staff will have knowledge of the eSafety policy and will be afforded with relevant training on this.

All young people within the home will be protected from discrimination and bullying by our anti-discrimination and anti bullying policies. Young people will be protected from physical danger within the home through thorough risk assessment as outlined in the health and safety policy. 

We believe that it is the responsibility of all staff to communicate with young people about what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviour.

It is the responsibility of staff to maintain safe and appropriate boundaries with and between staff and young people. Consistency and fairness are key ingredients to developing a safe and positive atmosphere.

The team also believes that methods of control, restraint and discipline can only have the desired impact within the context of positive relationships existing between staff and young people.

Communication, negotiation and mediation are important skills that the team will use to help young people to address unacceptable behaviour.

Within this overall context, the emphasis and aim of the team is to promote, acknowledge and reward positive behaviour. Although the emphasis at Area Havering is on safe and consistent approaches within the context of positive relationships and rewarding positive behaviour, there are times when sanctions and reparations are deemed necessary, however the home does not believe in benefit of sanctions, therefore these are rarely used, if any

We offer impartial high quality rigorous monthly Regulation 44 visits from a qualified and experienced visitor. Acting as a critical friend our aim is to keep managers challenged and drive continuous improvement. Our reports are focused and targeted on outcomes providing a detailed action plan aligned to the Regulations and Standards.

Our Regulation 44 Visitors are fully vetted, experienced and knowledgeable professionals. They have

all been trained in conducting thorough and rigorous monthly visits.

If you are committed to the continued improvement of your homes then get in touch and let us see how we can help you. Contact us.