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

Inspection report children’s home: SC066185 1 SC066185 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

The home is owned and run by a private organisation. It provides care and accommodation for up to five children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The manager has been registered with Ofsted since March 2015.

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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

Date of last inspection: 11 December 2018

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC066185 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/12/2018 Full Good 15/08/2017 Full Good 08/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 20/06/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC066185 3

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Recommendations

 ‘Statutory guidance on children who run away or go missing from home or care’ sets out the steps local authorities and their partners should take to prevent children from going missing and to protect them when they do go missing. Children’s homes should have regard to the relevant aspects of this guidance. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.25) In particular, attention should be given to the following paragraphs, detailing arrangements for independent return interviews: - When a child is found, they must be offered an independent return interview. Independent return interviews provide an opportunity to uncover information that can help protect children from the risk of going missing again, from risks they may have been exposed to while missing or from risk factors in their home. - The interview should be carried out within 72 hours of the child returning to

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Recommendations

their home or care setting. This should be an in-depth interview and is normally best carried out by an independent person (i.e. someone not involved in caring for the child) who is trained to carry out these interviews and is able to follow-up any actions that emerge. Children sometimes need to build up trust with a person before they will discuss in depth the reasons why they ran away. (‘Statutory guidance on children who run away or go missing from home or care’, page 14, paragraphs 31 and 32)  When establishing the home, the registered person must ensure that it is suitably located so that children are effectively safeguarded and can access services to meet needs identified in their relevant plans (see regulations 12(2)(c)). Under regulation 46, the registered person should review the appropriateness and suitability of the location and premises of the home at least once a year. The review should include the identification of any risks and opportunities presented

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Recommendations

by the home’s location and strategies for managing these. Providers should refer to the non-statutory advice about the location assessment process: ‘Children’s homes regulation amendments 2014: Advice for children’s homes providers on new duties under regulations that came in to effect in January and April 2014’. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1) In particular, include in the home’s location assessment whether there are specific areas or local trends that may increase the potential for an already vulnerable child to be a victim of crime, such as being targeted for sexual exploitation, or whether there is a likelihood of children placed in the home becoming drawn into gang crime or anti-social behaviour in the local area.  Many children placed in homes may undergo a difficult transition and what should be simple aspects of their care take on a substantial significance in this context.

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Recommendations

Staff should provide a nurturing environment that is welcoming, supportive, and Inspection report children’s home: SC066185 4 which provides appropriate boundaries in relation to their behaviour. Homes must also meet children’s basic day to day needs and physical necessities. Staff should seek to meet the child’s basic needs in the way that a good parent would, recognising that many children in residential care have experienced environments where these needs have not been consistently met – doing so is an important aspect of demonstrating that the staff care for the child and value them as an individual. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards, page 15, paragraph 3.7) In particular, keep the outside of the home maintained to an acceptable standard.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children experience warmth and responsive attention from the staff. A change of manager and new staff joining the home have contributed towards a period of instability for the children. Even so, children said that they had good relationships with the staff, who listen and respond to any concerns they may have. Staff pay particular attention to the children’s emotional health and well-being. Close monitoring ensures that staff identify the children’s specific needs. Staff support children to access appropriate health services, when required. In-house therapeutic support for children is also available. Staff help the children to develop understanding into their past histories and traumas. This helps children to make links to their feelings and how these relate to their behaviours. Children attend school, and when there is a problem the staff advocate a return to full- time education as soon as possible. Staff ensure that good routines are in place to

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

support school attendance. There is effective communication with the schools and relevant agencies. Staff make sure that children’s education is tailored to their individual needs. Staff support children to achieve academically and celebrate their successes. Staff work supportively with the children’s families to promote and maintain positive relationships. Children live at considerable distance from their families; however, staff ensure that distance isn’t a barrier and that the children can see their families, in line with their care plans. Children have access to a range of recreational pursuits. Staff encourage the children to follow their individual interests and extend their social experiences. This has helped to improve children’s social skills and increase their confidence.

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

There has been a significant increase in children going missing from the home. Many incidents have involved two of the children absconding together. One child has now moved from the home because of concerns about her safety. Safeguarding procedures have been consistently applied by the staff. This includes regular contact and planning with the children’s social workers, parents and outside agencies. Inspection report children’s home: SC066185 5 The manager and the staff respond proactively when children go missing. Staff search for the children, as well as staying close and following them. However, independent return home interviews have not been reliably undertaken, or always within timescales. This means that staff may not know of potential information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect the children. Staff undertake individual direct work with the children to address high-risk behaviour.

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

Staff use a range of tools to engage the children’s interest, such as games, quizzes, work sheets and online resources. This targeted work helps the children to develop an awareness of risks and acquire alternative ways of thinking about difficult issues. Risk assessments identify the children’s individual vulnerabilities, with detailed strategies to minimise the risks. The home’s location assessment sets out local opportunities and hazards. This could be further strengthened by identifying specific hotspot areas for anti- social behaviour, and areas where children may be targeted for sexual exploitation. This would enable the manager and the staff to evaluate potential risks beyond the home. Care plans and behaviour management plans are of a very good standard. Children are involved in their care planning, with their views and wishes recorded. Staff consult with children on their views about the home, and consider their requests. For example, at a

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

recent children’s meeting the children asked for a subscription television service. This has been agreed and plans are currently in place to install this in the home. Consequently, children feel listened to and heard.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is in the process of registering with Ofsted. The change of management style and focus, to move the staff to a more therapeutic attachment-based approach, has led to some instability for the children. While this has been an unsettled period in the home, the manager has made incisive decisions to guide the staff based on a clear understanding of the children’s individual needs. The manager is supported particularly well by an experienced and hands-on area manager. Detailed monthly reports by an independent visitor identify shortfalls and are an essential part of the quality assurance process. The manager closely monitors the progress of the children, and all aspects of the home. The manager is committed to developing the staff team to ensure high-quality and consistent care. Staff receive a range of mandatory and child-specific training to ensure that they are equipped with the right skills to meet the needs of the children. Staff receive regular,

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

reflective and child-centred supervision. There is good management oversight, clear expectations and actions carried forward. As a result, staff feel well supported to fulfil their roles. Regular group supervision is led by a therapist who supports the staff in their implementation of the home’s therapeutic approach. Reflective debriefs are valued by the staff and are helping to create a learning culture within the team. The home is appropriately staffed, and recruitment adheres to safer recruitment processes. Staff induction is good, as are timely probation reviews which include the children’s views. Good staff-employment practice safeguards children and minimises Inspection report children’s home: SC066185 6 potential risks to children. The home is generally well furnished, with books and games available to the children. Children’s bedrooms are well personalised, reflecting the children tastes. There is some

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

damage to the kitchen ceiling from a flood, which will be rectified once it has dried out. The front of the home presents as tired-looking, with flaking paintwork. This lets down the appearance of the home and may provide an impression to the children and visitors of a home that is uncared for.

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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: SC066185 7

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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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Inspectors

Anne-Marie Davies, social care inspector Janet Fraser, Senior Her Majesty’s Inspector, social care Inspection report children’s home: SC066185 8 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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