Secure Services

Kibble's Secure Unit serves the community by looking after those children and young people who need a safe and controlled environment in order to prevent harm to themselves or to others. We provide safe and secure accommodation only after all other options have been considered. Young people are received into Kibble either through the Children's Hearing system or through the courts.

We recognise that those who arrive at Kibble are at a point of crisis in their lives. Our duty is to care for them with humanity and to respect their rights, including their individual and diverse backgrounds. We work in a collaborative manner that will allow us to address the problems that have contributed to their situation, and we work with other agencies to achieve the highest standards in childcare planning, and provide for their long-term development. It is hoped that, by positive intervention, real progress can be made towards gaining a sense of purpose and achievement that will give a solid base for the future.

Every aspect of the building, from perimeter walls to landscaping to sightlines both indoors and out has been evaluated and agreed on the basis that Kibble is safe and secure. It also allows young people to have freedom within bounds. The secure unit will follow ten key statements set out below:

1. All work with children is informed by initial and ongoing assessment of need. All staff are committed to maintaining the highest standards of care, ensuring the safety of children in all areas of Kibble and meeting the physical and emotional needs of children in every situation in which they arise, with the best interests of children being paramount.

2. Kibble views the role of families and carers as vital in providing positive support for children while in residence. Staff engage with families and carers in planning and implementing care plans. Planning and review meetings are held to co-ordinate all work with children. Children, families or carers, and relevant agencies are invited to all meetings. Staff work closely with other organisations to ensure that children and their families or carers have appropriate resources and supports in place on leaving Kibble.

3. Kibble respects, promotes and protects the rights of all children in its care. All staff relate to children with honesty, integrity, sensitivity and consistency, showing due regard for issues related to gender, ethnicity, creed, culture and sexuality. Kibble acts to protect personal information about children in their care.

4. Kibble is committed to operating comprehensive, transparent and accessible complaints and representation procedures. All complaints are taken seriously and responded to within agreed timescales.

5. Kibble acts proactively to protect children. The Centre minimises the opportunities for self-harming behaviour by children and where self-harming behaviour is exhibited there is effective and responsible intervention.

6. Kibble provides high quality standards of care, accommodation and privacy whilst ensuring the young person's safety is maintained at all times. The young people are treated with dignity and afforded learning, development, recreational opportunities and healthcare.

7. All staff are responsible for and play a vital role in supporting children in a nurturing environment and promoting learning, development and positive change. All children are actively engaged in recognised, accredited programmes of study, conferencing, access to opportunities appropriate to learning needs and relevant to personal circumstances.

8. Kibble contributes to the aim of reducing offending behaviour by delivering a co-ordinated and consistent programme of intervention aimed at challenging children about their attitudes, thinking and consequences of offending behaviour.

9. Kibble is committed to having adequately trained staff to achieve its goals and ensure that all aspects of service are delivered to specified standards. All staff are committed to the continuous improvement in the quality of services provided for children and their families or carers. Kibble is committed to Investing in People and supporting staff development through Performance Management.

10. Kibble Safe Centre is a Health Promoting Centre. All young people have a full health assessment on admission carried out by the LAAC nurse; if any health needs are identified the nurse will arrange follow up appointments with GP, Dentistry and Primary Care Services to ensure health needs are met. Good health and wellbeing is promoted in every aspect of the stay.