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

Inspection report children’s home: SC023740 1 SC023740 Registered provider: Ethelbert Specialist Homes Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. In accordance with its statement of purpose, the home specifically accommodates boys.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted on 25 July 2018.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, Ofsted suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

Ofsted last visited this setting on 16 December 2020 to carry out an assurance visit. The report is published on our website.

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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 full inspection: 4 March 2020

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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: SC023740 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/03/2020 Full Good 05/12/2018 Full Good 13/03/2018 Full Good 06/12/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC023740 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The quality of care of the children is continuing to improve. Clearly written and meaningful records show that the children continue to make good progress in all areas despite the pandemic. Children also make good progress in school. They spoke positively to the inspector about their home and the staff who care for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children speak to the staff about difficult things and can reflect on their behaviour and consider different ways to manage their fears and frustrations. They become increasingly involved in decisions about their own care and their futures, as their trust and respect for the staff who care for them continue to develop.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are ambitious about what the children can achieve. They enthusiastically stimulate the children’s interests and engagement in activities that expand their experiences of the world and create positive and lasting memories.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Collaborative work with placing authorities, parents and carers helps staff to support the best possible outcomes for children. Staff challenge and question decisions deemed not to be in children’s best interests and advocate strongly for them when this is required.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from staff who respond well to their wishes and feelings and who are sensitive to their moods, anxieties and changes in behaviour. This contributes to individualised care for the children and helps to build trust and feelings of being valued.

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

A confident staff team routinely maintains clear and consistent boundaries for the children, and basic routines in the home are established. This structure provides stability for the children, which, although not always welcomed, helps them to feel cared for and secure.

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

Changing risks and vulnerabilities associated with the children are clearly identified and described in assessments. Tailored plans for each child provide effective guidance for staff to manage these vulnerabilities and to work with children to reduce levels of risk.

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

Children are encouraged and supported to take on responsibilities and make decisions in accordance with their growing self-awareness and abilities. This helps to build their confidence and ability to keep themselves safe.

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

It is rare for a child to go missing, and there has only been one such incident during this inspection period. The feelings of belonging and attachment that children develop reduce the impulse to run away. Despite the currently low probability of Inspection report children’s home: SC023740 4 children going missing, the staff remain vigilant and alert to this possibility. Clear protocols are in place for each child, should this occur.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A more experienced staff team, together with increased capacity and stability, has contributed to an increase in the quality and continuity of the children’s care. These improvements in staffing enable the manager to focus more on the leadership and development of the service and providing support to the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a good knowledge of all aspects of the children’s progress and their well-being as well as the running of the home. However, the home does not currently have a clearly stated ethos and approach to the provision of care. This makes it difficult for the manager to lead and inspire the staff team members to work together with a clear and shared sense of purpose. The home’s statement of purpose requires revision and updating to address this shortfall.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Quality of care reviews for the home continue to lack analysis and do not contribute to the planning and development of the home. The previous recommendation for this to be improved is repeated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff supervision is regular, of good quality and well recorded. This includes the supervision of the manager. Annual appraisals take place, and these are collaborative and include contributions from the children. They confirm the good performance of staff and identify key areas for improvement and development. However, the current disciplinary procedures are too generic and do not specifically relate to the safe care of children. This leaves the expectations for staff unclear and could undermine decisive action being taken to safeguard children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The two requirements set at the assurance visit regarding sufficiency of staff and improvements to the physical environment of the home have been met. Inspection report children’s home: SC023740 5

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must— keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b)) 9 September 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must operate a disciplinary procedure which, in particular— provides for the suspension from work of an employee if necessary, in the interests of the safety or welfare of children; and provides that the failure on the part of an employee to report an incident of abuse, or suspected abuse, whether past or present, in relation to a child to the appropriate person is a ground on which disciplinary proceedings may be instituted. For the purposes of this regulation, “the appropriate person” is the registered person, an officer of HMCI, an officer of the local authority in whose area the home is located or a police officer. (Regulation 33 (2)(a)(b) (3)) 9 September 2021

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Recommendations

 The registered person is responsible for deciding what each (regulation 45) review should focus on, based on the specific circumstances of the home at that time. Using their professional judgement, they will decide on what factors to focus on. They will also consider what information or data recorded in the home will form part of the evidence base for their analysis and conclusions. The written report will focus on where and how the quality of care can be improved and/or good standards maintained, and the actions required in the next 6 months to achieve this. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.4) Inspection report children’s home: SC023740 6

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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: SC023740 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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Inspector:

John Pledger, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC023740 8 to 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector:

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Inspector:

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Inspector:

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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