Children's home run by Ethelbert Specialist Homes Limited in Thanet

Inspection report children’s home: SC023736 1 SC023736 Registered provider: Ethelbert Specialist Homes Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned home that offers care for up to three children who have experienced some form of loss, neglect, trauma or rejection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since May 2018.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/08/2017 Full Good 26/07/2016 Full Good 10/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 21/07/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC023736 2

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Recommendations

 Staff should understand factors that affect children’s motivation to behave in a socially acceptable way. Staff should encourage an enthusiasm for positive behaviour, using positive behaviour strategies in line with the child’s relevant plans. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.13) In particular, ensure that such strategies are clearly described in the children’s plan.  Staff skills for safeguarding should include being able to identify signs that children may be at risk, and support children in strategies to manage and reduce any risks. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.10) In particular, ensure that such strategies are clearly described in the children’s plan.  Whenever possible, staff in day-to-day contact with children should include staff from the different gender groups. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations

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Recommendations

including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.22) In particular, ensure that there are sufficient staff from all gender groups to enable continuity in this regard.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children build trusted relationships with the adults and develop feelings of belonging and attachment. This provides the bedrock for the clear progress that they are making in all areas. This includes their developing insight into understanding and regulating their feelings and behaviours. Consistency in their care and predictability in their daily routines help the children to feel safe and secure. This provides a platform for them to explore the effect of their past experiences, in therapy as well as in planned sessions with staff. The children are supported to explore and engage in an enriching range of social, sporting and recreational activities outside the home. They learn, have fun and expand their experience of the world, building positive memories. Staff are thoughtful about the transitions and adjustments that the children need to make, and events that can be difficult for them, such as reviews and contact. They plan

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

and prepare the children for these, helping them to learn, grow and develop effective ways of coping. The children enjoy the full attention of a staff team that displays affection for them and a strong interest in all aspects of their daily experiences, special events and overall well- Inspection report children’s home: SC023736 3 being and progress.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The children say that they feel safe and settled in the home and trust the staff. This is because staff are consistent and reliable and know the children well. Staff are alert to circumstances that might threaten children’s safety or well-being; they plan and take steps to keep the children safe. The risks and vulnerabilities associated with each child are well understood by the staff, who are also trained and knowledgeable about new risks that may emerge as the children get older and their independence increases. These include risks of exploitation and manipulation by others, in person or online. Plans and guidance to staff about how to manage and reduce identified risks could, however, be further developed and improved. Staff are adventurous and support the children to take necessary or reasonable risks and learn how to keep themselves safe and increase their feelings of confidence and competence. Staff are vigilant and respond quickly to situations in which the children might pose a

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

threat to each other’s safety or well-being, and are alert and proactive in dealing with the emergence of any bullying behaviour. Relationships between children are, however, generally good and clear bonds between them have developed. Standards and procedures for the safe recruitment and selection of staff are high and the children are involved in deciding on the suitability of candidates. Health and safety practice in the home, including fire safety, is undertaken to a good standard.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A committed core staff team is well led by an able manager, who is resolute in her focus on the progress and well-being of the children. The children have benefited from a staff team that has grown in cohesion and a shared sense of purpose during this inspection period. The manager displays a clear grip on all aspects of the running of the home, including the needs of the children and how staff are meeting these. She has a good understanding of the home’s strengths as well as the areas requiring further development and improvement, such as the need for increased clarity and focus in the children’s plans and in key working. The staff team is currently running to capacity and any unforeseen absence of staff, through illness or other reasons, is likely to undermine the consistency and continuity of care that has been established. Recruitment to two vacant posts is underway and will also need to address the gender imbalance that has developed in the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff supervision is regular and includes group and individual sessions. Staff meetings are regular and strongly focused on the children and maximising their progress and well- being. The manager is creative and inventive in nurturing the development of the staff Inspection report children’s home: SC023736 4 team and looks beyond the mandatory and standard areas of staff training, for example by introducing regular staff discussion around theories that underpin good practice. The leadership of the home maintains a healthy balance between nurturing and supporting the children within the home and encouraging their participation in community activities outside the home. This helps the children to have similar experiences to their non-looked-after peers and prepares them well for the future.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the children’s home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. Inspection report children’s home: SC023736 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Ethelbert Specialist Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 17 Leigh Road, Ramsgate, Kent CT12 5EU

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Leslie Davenport

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Inspector:

John Pledger, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC023736 6 achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector:

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Inspector:

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Inspector:

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