Testimonials
Testimonials for Cecil House
I can honestly say in my career as a social worker I have never worked with such a committed team in a delightful ‘homely’ home. The staff have taken a young-person centred approach and kept in touch with both myself and the young person’s family. When the young person has been ‘at risk’ staff have acted calmly and appropriately with a nurturing touch. Thank you all!
I am extremely impressed with all the staff I have worked with at Cecil House. The young person I work with is so supported by his carers. I wish all placements were as supportive.
The quality of care and support to my young person is outstanding. Staff are very creative in their approach and encourage positive behaviours and a positive attitude. Thank you for all your support.
My experience of Positive Pathways staff at Cecil House being the most professional and brilliant and support to young people in placement and brilliant support to other agencies. Really impressed well done!
All staff are very supportive, especially to family at a very difficult time. Staff work with the young people and family as a whole. The atmosphere is warm and friendly, the house is immaculate. I have every confidence that my child is safe and nurtured. I always feel welcome when I visit and I’m looking forward to spending Christmas day here. Cecil House is home from home. Thank you for everything you are doing for us.
I continue to be impressed by this organisation, the level of commitment and communication from the staff has always been very good. I feel if needed, which wouldn’t be very often, any suggestions about a young person residing here would be listened to and acted on.
My young person has been here now for four months and has settled in really well. The staff members who support the young people here are caring, funny, supportive and professional. I have had the pleasure of working with Tracy (Registered Manager) quite closely. Her passion for working at Cecil House is so clearly apparent, especially supporting the young people currently residing here. As a professional Tracy keeps me up to speed with any developments or challenges so that I can work as effectively as I can with my allocated young person. The approach appears to be “firm and fair” and issues have been dealt with in a respectful, dignified and calm manner. I look forward to seeing (as I already have) my young person’s confidence grow so that she becomes an independent individual who can make the right choices.
Testimonials for Hillaries House
I have been thoroughly impressed and inspired by the staff at Hillaries House. I have not always received such a high quality of partnership working, advocating of the child’s needs and wishes, and understanding of self-harm and keeping children safe, but Hillaries House have a high level of expertise across their staff team. My child has settled for the first time in a placement and is now attending school regularly, has reduced her self-harming episodes, is completing key work about her mental health, and writing her feelings down and informing staff. Her wellbeing has drastically improved as a result of her placement at Hillaries House. I am confident that she is protected and kept safe at her placement. Staff ensure that they monitor her on all devices and have supported her when she feels a drop in mood. All incidents are shared in a timely manner with actions made being appropriate. I have worked incredibly well with the Registered Manager (Shanice Thomas) who has been a joy to work with. Shanice does not come to me with questions; rather, she already has solutions and runs these by me. I wish all placements had this same approach. I have met the staff team at Hillaries and all of them are genuine, caring and realistic in their approaches and they keep it real with the young people they look after. I like this approach as it allows the young people to recognise that they do not call the shots but are treated respectfully and not with any form of oppression. I have no issues to report with Hillaries House and I hope to continue working with them in the future. (Feb 2021)
Placement plan completed for young person along with David. Excellent nurturing meeting for the young person.
The young person is lucky to have a caring and reliable placement at Hillaries House. Always able to contact them if any issues and a huge amount of support.
I arrived at the home and was greeted by lovely staff who were helpful, explained the fire procedures and offered me a drink. I love the living room, very calm and relaxing. Thank you for all you do for the young person and see you soon.
Throughout my visit I was made to feel very welcome. Staff were very helpful and I was provided with plenty of tea and coffee. Both young people appear really happy, great to hear so much laughing. Thanks for your hospitality.
As the IRO for this young person I am very impressed with the relationships he has built at Hillaries House. The written and verbal reports for the review show a very good understanding of his needs.
My young person has been residing at Hillaries House since August now and I have visited the home on two separate occasions to date. I have been welcomed into the home on both these visits and staff have been very friendly and accommodating. My young person appears to be settling in very well and staff are responding to his needs. I am very happy with the placement so far and David in particular has been brilliant with my young man. I would like to say a massive thank you for everything.
Testimonials for Kingsbury House
I chaired a review meeting in respect of a young person on 13th January 2021. He has been placed at Kingsbury House since June 2018 after a number of disrupted placements. I have been his IRO for the four years he has been looked after. He is on the autistic spectrum and hitherto has always been unhappy about being looked after and has presented with many difficult behaviours. However, although it took some time, he settled and is still settled at Kingsbury House (Positive Pathways). At each successive review that I chair he participates ever more fully and presents as ever more relaxed and happy. At present I would say he is the happiest he’s ever been in his care career. So much so that any post-18 placement that is being considered for him needs to mirror the circumstances at Kingsbury House to give it the best chance of success. This is testament to the skill, care, and consistency of the staff group and in particular the unit manager. This has been a really positive placement for him. He is almost unrecognisable from the boy who arrived and I’m now optimistic about his future. (Jan 2021)
Very welcoming staff, nice atmosphere. My young person was very relaxed and confirmed he was happy. Thank you for the coffee!
I have visited Kingsbury House on three separate occasions. All the staff are always friendly, helpful and always offer me a drink. The home feels like a home, it is well furnished, pictures on the wall and soft furnishings throughout. There is a calm welcoming atmosphere and the young people have a good relationship with each other. Prior to the young person coming here he was spoken to and an assessment was made as to which home would suit him and which other young people he would be suited to be with. He has nothing negative to say other than ‘I don’t like the doors, they feel like school’. He likes everything else, he commented that the people who run the place and the staff are really nice and he gets on well with everyone.
I am the social worker for a young person at this home. He has only been here for four weeks but has settled remarkably well. Staff appear to be able to connect with him and meet his needs. Staff are receptive and polite ad available to contact.
My first impression from Kingsbury House has been excellent, very welcoming, cosy and friendly atmosphere. It is such a pleasure to contribute and co-work with your team and the amazing children that live in your house.
I have visited the home on a number of occasions in relation to the young people I represent. I have always found the home welcoming with a real sense of understanding about the children they are caring for. All of the young people seem to have a good relationship with the staff and are content living in the home.
My young person just experienced one of the best welcomes and introductions to a new placement I have ever seen in over 25 years of placing children and young people. She really enjoyed the two visits and felt happy with the staff response towards her. Well done everyone.
I have visited the placement a number of times as his social worker and it is clear that staff and other young people have a positive relationship with my young person. It is clear that he is happy and comfortable here and his needs are being met. The staff are welcoming and helpful.
I’m writing to detail my thoughts regarding the quality of provision at Kingsbury House in Erdington, Birmingham. Kingsbury House is a Children’s Home that accommodates one of our students who is a particularly complex and potentially difficult young man who has a history of poor educational and social care. The young person in question has been a student here at Norton College for the past four and a half years and began living at Kingsbury House in March 2016 after a period in a secure Children’s Home. He has a history of seriously anti-social behaviours and upon his arrival at Kingsbury House he immediately presented challenging behaviours both there and here at Norton College. Consequently the staff at Kingsbury House and I met on several occasions to formulate a plan that would allow the young person to move forward positively in a purposeful manner. I was particularly impressed with their genuine desire to understand the philosophy and to do the right thing for the student, clearly being willing to ‘go the extra mile’ in order to meet the complex needs presented. On each occasion I have found the staff to be very supportive of any issues I have raised, they are warm, open and understanding of the complex needs of the young person in question and were certainly keen to develop good communication routes and to develop purposeful partnerships. The staff always present as child-focussed, readily provide solutions to the many concerns that the student presents and clearly have the welfare and best interests of the young person at the forefront of their minds. Over a very short period we have developed a close working relationship that has ensured shared responsibility and trust has developed. The very good care he receives at Kingsbury House is enabling him to build a firm foundation from which to move into adulthood. Consequently, due to the commitment and continued support offered by staff at Kingsbury House I am confident that the young person in question will progress in a purposeful way through his teenage years and move into adulthood as a confident and successful young man. Finally, I have worked with many Children’s Homes in my career and find it refreshing and heartening to see the quality of care and dedication shown by staff at Kingsbury House and as a consequence feel the provision they have created would be placed in the top 5% of homes I have worked with.
I have worked with staff at Kingsbury House since September 2018 and throughout this period they have always acted in a professional and appropriate way. They developed a positive rapport with the young person and meet his needs well. The staff, deputy manager and manager advocated for the young person and made various attempts to engage him a variety of different activities and education provisions. Kingsbury House staff kept me updated when there were issues, attended meetings about the young person, and provided reports. I have had no concerns regarding the care that Kingsbury House has provided my young person and feel that they have gone above and beyond to ensure that the young person is safe. It is has been a pleasure working with staff at Kingsbury and I would definitely consider them in the future for other young people.
Testimonials for Stoney House
Staff here have always been helpful and informative. Stoney House is a welcoming environment for professionals and young people.
Stoney House is a very welcoming place. The staff are very attentive and happy to accommodate the team when we arrange visits for the young person. The support they offer our young person is extremely professional and meets the needs of the young person.
I just wanted to tell everyone that I really appreciate everything you do for me. I also want to say I am really happy with Maria and the new staff have settled in, and a massive thanks to Sally, Sue W and Ritchie for always being there for me when I need to talk! I love you all dearly.
My young person has been living at Stoney House for a while now and I can see the staff have developed a strong understanding of her needs and how best to support her. The home is welcoming, relaxed but professional and I am thrilled she has found accommodation here.
Extremely positive. Staff are always friendly and welcoming. Looking at my young person’s history I think there is a significant improvement in her behaviour. Support around mental health is superb and it is clear that she feels supported and settled. Family contact is well supported. She has accessed education. It is clear that Safeguarding is prioritised. Communication is excellent and weekly reports are always detailed and informative.
School are really pleased with the level of communication that has been established with Stoney House and with mom and the Social Worker and we feel this has been key in helping her to make the progress seen to date with regards to her education. This has far exceeded our expectations this academic year. It is very helpful to be kept up to date in the way that we are about any issues/concerns/appointments etc. This helps us all to be consistent in our dealings with her, especially when there are issues that need to be addressed.
I think this is an amazing home because I have learnt a lot in here. Also I am having the right care. But overall I love it, it’s my home where I can trust people. I like how the staff listen to me when I am sad or I have a problem that needs solving. All the staff have helped me through the worst days and the most horrible days. I like the food that they give me and the options we have. I feel like they make me feel good about myself and I know they are always here for me. There is nothing I dislike or am not happy with. I am really happy with my care and I am very happy with the home that I love.
Stoney House makes me feel at home. I’m glad I was placed here as I have progressed. Staff help me when I’m down and will sit there with me until I’m okay. They helped me with cooking and taught me many new skills. I have built such strong bonds and I feel as though I can trust staff and I can open up to them. Ever since I came here I have come out of my shell and I’m much more confident. I’m much more happier and optimistic about my future.
I moved into care in July 2017. Since moving here I’ve been given the time, privacy and support necessary to help me recover and become more stable and happier. Before moving in I was constantly in and out of hospital and struggling to go to school because of this and continue my education. Home life was incredibly difficult due to the dynamics of the house and my family not being trained or aware of how to cope with me. Stoney House has encouraged me to go to school, supported me with attendance and gave me the space to focus on myself and making myself well and showed me how to cope with home. I can now have positive visits home without having to return. I feel safe and understood in this environment and I don’t think my life would be as good as it is right now without the opportunities I’ve had in this house and for that I‘m incredibly grateful and lucky to have another chance at a happy, average life. I know I can always rely on staff not to judge me or treat me unwell.
I am very satisfied with the level of care given to my young person. The staff turnover appears low and the manager knows her and understands her needs very well. The staff are supported by the clinical psychologist. They are firm, fair and consistent with the young people. The different colours on the progression plan help you to see the young person’s journey in the placement. There is also regular communication on how she is progressing and staff quickly respond to any enquiries. Staff are very good at promoting family contact and her education. There is nothing I can think of that would improve the level of care. My young person has made very good progress whilst in Positive Pathways care at Stoney House, the staff have always been professional, caring, consistent and liaised with her family.
Testimonials for Wood End House
Our patient has made good progress under the care of Positive Pathways and this is the best progress she has made after numerous failed hospital discharges, which is to the credit of the manager and staff at the home. They have worked well with all professionals involved in the young person’s care, and also been pro-active in addressing any problems – in particular the absence of education.
Walking through the door is like walking into a different world. The manager and staff team are caring committed and professional, and treat the young people and visitors with respect.
Very pleased and feel reassured that our daughter is in a good place. The staff team seems friendly and she has made progress.
Welcoming and warm environment to come into for all. The staff team have been very professional and supportive of the local authority plans. The manager is very knowledgeable and professional. The young person has made exceptional progress in a short space of time which is really positive.
My colleague and I have worked with Wood End House for the past four months whilst a young person we were working with transitioned over from a Child in Need to a Child in Care. Staff at Wood End House have been consistently excellent since they became involved. They made the young person’s transition from his long-term hospital stay into his new home as smooth as possible, making sure he was informed at all stages, including giving him the opportunity to visit the home prior to his move. This made an enormous difference to the young person’s experience and in minimising his fear over periods of transition and being away from home. Staff have been constant in their communication and provision of information between professionals. They have provided thorough and informative weekly updates of the young person that have greatly aided in our own assessments and understanding. They have shown to have a profound understanding of the young person, attuned to his specific needs and how to support him as best they can. Staff have also accommodated for the young person’s mother, keeping her informed as well as facilitating visits for her and the young person’s brother that have enabled the maintenance of strong familial relationships. We have seen a huge amount of improvement in the young person. His health has improved significantly and he has shown to have better mental health than previously. Staff have also been very helpful in supporting the young person’s return to education, facilitating visits and speaking with the young person about what will be involved.
Overall, we have had a very positive experience working with Wood End House and would be happy to work with them again in the future. Thank you for all your hard work!