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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC023736 1 SC023736 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

The home is owned by a private organisation. It provides care for up to three children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since March 2021 and is suitably qualified.

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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: 21 February 2022

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC023736 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/02/2022 Full Good 08/10/2019 Full Good 21/08/2018 Full Good 31/01/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC023736 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are settled in the home and have formed positive relationships with staff. One child, who was a long-term member of the home, has recently returned to live with his family. While this was unplanned, it has ended with a positive outcome, and the family feels this was made possible because of the support from the manager and staff. The family said, ‘They have made him into the person he is today.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that care planning for children includes their known risks. Children’s views are gathered on how they wish to be cared for. Children are supported to spend time with their family. For one child, this includes trying to locate family members they have lost touch with. This means that family connections may be made before the child leaves care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from therapy that helps them to understand their identity and how this has shaped them into the person that they are. Children who take regular medication have this reviewed with their health professional. Medication records demonstrate competency, and there are sufficient records made for children’s controlled medication.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are committed to supporting children to learn new skills. For example, one child is learning to travel to school using public transport, with a plan to travel independently when ready. Another child learned to read during the COVID-19 pandemic. They have since returned to live with their family. The family is proud of his ability to read to his younger sibling. Children are attending school, and reports show they are making excellent progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that children are supported to explore their cultural needs and identity. For example, one child receives a monthly magazine based on the journeys of influential Black people and the impact they have had. The registered manager ensures that all children have access to resources linked to their identity. Each child in her care is celebrated for who they are.

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

The registered manager and staff team focus on early intervention and address issues quickly to avoid the need for physical intervention. This has led to a reduction in behavioural incidents, and children have all made progress in their emotional and behavioural development with support and guidance from staff.

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

Risk assessments are effective in supporting and guiding staff to manage children’s known risks. On the rare occasions that children go missing from the home, the staff respond swiftly. This includes following their risk plans to try and locate them quickly. Inspection report for children’s home: SC023736 4 Relationships between children can vary on occasion, and there have been some incidents of bullying. Staff are proactive in addressing this quickly and providing restorative learning for children to reflect and learn from this behaviour.

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

The children’s home is well-maintained, and children’s views are captured to ensure that they contribute to the design and furnishings. Staff also undertake regular health and safety checks to ensure the building is maintained. There is a plan to refurbish areas of the home that require updating.

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

Consequences are rarely used in the home. However, some of the records do not contain all the necessary information, such as children’s views and dates to confirm when the manager has reviewed the consequences given. On one occasion, the consequence used was not proportionate.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has built trusting and caring relationships with the children in her care. One card given to the registered manager by a child states, ‘When we needed care, you were there.’ Equally, the staff team is extremely well supported by the registered manager, and there is an investment in staff development and the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Effective processes are in place to ensure that staff are trained and inducted to meet the needs of the children. When children have specific needs, such as epilepsy, additional training is sourced and provided.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback from a range of linked professionals is overwhelmingly positive about the care and support provided by the registered manager and staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have supervision and appraisal sessions that they find to be insightful and an opportunity to reflect and learn. However, there are some shortfalls in maintaining records to demonstrate the frequency and quality of the discussions held between the registered manager and staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has plans to improve recording systems to capture all the work that staff are doing with children. The registered manager recognises this as a necessary area for improvement. However, the registered manager has not reported a serious incident to the regulator, and they reflected on this during the inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: SC023736 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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that recording systems are effective and demonstrate that work carried out with staff and children can be evidenced. 30 April 2023

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used; 30 April 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC023736 6 the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(viii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that records of consequences used meet the above requirements.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should notify Ofsted when a serious incident occurs. 30 April 2023

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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 for children’s home: SC023736 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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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Elizabeth Wynne-Franklin

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Inspectors

Sara Stoker, Social Care Inspector Tony Waite, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC023736 8 inspects 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 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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