Children's Home run by Ethelbert Specialist Homes Limited in Kent

Unique reference number SC023744 Inspector Chris Golbourn Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Ethelbert Specialist Homes Limited Registered person address Cheesemans Farmhouse Alland Grange Lane, Manston Ramsgate Kent CT12 5BZ Responsible individual Leslie Peter Davenport Registered manager Donna Gallagher Date of last inspection 25/09/2014 2 of 5 Inspection date 19/03/2015

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Previous inspection good Enforcement action since last inspection None

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This inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has sustained effectiveness .

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This inspection

At the last inspection, no requirements or recommendations were made. The home supports young people with clear structures and routines which some young people upon admission have difficulty accepting. A member of staff promotes this home as, 'a safe place with rules and boundaries'.

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This inspection

When presented with challenging behaviour, the Registered Manager and staff provide consistent responses to deal with the incidents. Young people say they have been trying hard to improve their behaviour. This is evident for the majority, as the number of incidents involving physical intervention is minimal. Young people are engaged in discussing their progress and behaviour individually and as a group. The staff team manage incidents well without involving the police and are able to avoid criminalising young people.

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This inspection

Safeguarding concerns are dealt with appropriately and reported to external agencies. Positive partnership working with placing local authorities is also clearly evident, one social worker said ' The home and the manager are good at communicating with us, we get regular updates by email, and there is good cross agency working'. Consequently, young people say they feel safe and know that the staff will sort things out.

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This inspection

Some staff have left the team and these vacancies have been recruited to from existing staff in the organisation. These arrangements maintain consistency for young people ensuring that adults that know them well care for them. The organisation delivers a comprehensive induction programme to new staff to prepare them for residential care. Staff report that they appreciate the honest delivery of the induction programme, preparing them for difficulties when young people may become abusive and aggressive in their behaviour. 3 of 5 Young people are consulted about their care and are able to have their say about things they would like to change. For example young people who requests overnight stays with family members, where it is deemed appropriate. This is particularly helpful when there is a reunification plan. As a result, young people maintain positive contact with family and friends which supports plans made by the placing

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This inspection

local authority for their successful futures. A parent of one young person says 'I have no complaints everything is good from the home as far as I am concerned. If I had any complaints I would let you know'.

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This inspection

School attendance within the organisation’s own school generally remains high. One young person has an external school placement but was not attending due to the schools concerns about the behaviour. Staff have not yet actively challenged this arrangement with the school. One young person enrolled on a mechanics course in 2014 and they continue to attend regularly and enjoy the course. Another young person works part time volunteering in a local Red Cross Shop for a couple of days a week. As a result most young people from their individual starting points continue to make positive progress.

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This inspection

Young people each have an activity planner. Young people frequently spend time with friends in the area and enjoy trips to the cinema and football. As a result young people feel part of the community in which they live and make a positive contribution to it.

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This inspection

Leaders and managers have a good grasp of the strengths of this service and areas for development. Monitoring occurs externally on a regular monthly basis and from this, an action plan is developed. The organisation’s own policy is for managers to undertake weekly quality assurance checks. These have not been completed since the last inspection. Completion of the internal quality assurance checks would improve internal monitoring arrangements. The Regulation 33 monitoring reports have been produced and submitted to Ofsted 4 of 5

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned children's home that is registered for up to three children or young people.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/09/2014 Full good 26/02/2014 Interim satisfactory progress 13/08/2013 Full good 25/03/2013 Interim good progress

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 ensure young people who have been excluded from school have access to appropriate education and training, so that they are supported and enabled to resume full time education.(NMS8.8.) (This is in relation to young people who are not attending school and a full time curriculum not being offered) Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Recommendations

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What inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspections we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the Inspection of children’s homes: framework for inspection.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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Information about this inspection

The report details the main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation, and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the framework of inspection for children's homes.

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