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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC030797 1 SC030797 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 for up to nine children with social, emotional and mental health needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager of the home registered with Ofsted in April 2016 and is suitably qualified.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC030797 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/03/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 28/07/2021 Full Good 19/11/2019 Full Good 04/09/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC030797 3

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inadequate

Since the last inspection, two children have moved on from the home and six children remain living in the home. The registered provider currently has no plans to admit more children into the home, to allow for a period of stability.

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inadequate

The children have experienced unacceptable responses to their needs from staff. For example, a child returned from hospital and asked for food. The staff refused to provide food for this child. Similarly, another child woke up in the morning and asked staff for a piece of fruit. This was denied. Consequently, children have been left hungry.

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inadequate

Children have experienced harm from other children, and this has not been recognised as bullying. For example, children have been physically assaulted and threatened. While staff take action to intervene at the time, there is no follow-up work or preventative work undertaken with children.

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inadequate

The staff do not provide children with consistent boundaries. The registered manager recognises that this is due to insufficient staff with the skills needed to support children’s behaviour. Staff that do provide children with boundaries are sometimes assaulted as a result of inconsistent staff practice.

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inadequate

Most children are attending school and doing well. Many children have made progress in their education and enjoy going to school. For children who are temporarily not in education, the registered manager has been proactive in escalating this concern.

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inadequate

The staff seek children’s wishes and views through discussion and children’s meetings. However, some children are unsure about how to make a complaint when they are unhappy about something, and they are unaware of the children’s guide. This means that children are sometimes unable to appropriately express their feelings.

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inadequate

Some measures used in the home do not reflect positive behaviour management. For example, all children’s bedrooms have door alarms. These are used as standard practice and do not reflect children’s individual needs. Staff also override and disconnect children’s televisions at night. This practice does not provide children with routines or promote positive learning.

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inadequate

Children are generally in good health and attend regular appointments. However, there are weaknesses in plans for supporting children’s health needs. The registered manager has started work to update these plans and implement goals for children’s health. Inspection report for children’s home: SC030797 4

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

The home is currently undergoing some planned redecoration. Children’s bedrooms are locked during the day. However, the registered manager is making plans to provide children with keys so that they can freely access their rooms. During the inspection, shards of glass were hanging from an external window frame; this was dealt with immediately when raised with the senior leaders.

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

Currently, children are not being safeguarded effectively. Serious incidents are recorded by the staff. However, current risks and emerging risks are not explored with children to consider preventative measures or reduce future risks.

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

When children’s needs change, plans, including risk assessments, are not updated. Furthermore, risk assessments are not in place to guide staff to support children who may self-harm. The registered manager was unaware of some incidents of self- harming behaviour.

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

Staff do look for children when they go missing from home. However, updated missing-from-care plans are not in place, and therefore staff do not have the necessary information to respond to these incidents. On occasions, children have gone missing from the home without the staff’s knowledge.

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

Staff involved in incidents of restraint have been appropriately trained and evidence shows that restraint is used as a last resort to support children’s behaviour. However, records are not consistently completed, including whether children have been spoken to following a restraint. This is a missed opportunity to explore children’s views and identify ways to reduce restraint. Any consequences implemented for children are not recorded. Therefore, there is no reflection or oversight on whether sanctions used to manage children’s behaviour are appropriate or effective.

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

Staff personnel files demonstrate that the process for recruitment of staff is thorough. Employment gaps, previous experiences and any risk associated with employment are explored. Therefore, staff are suitably vetted to work with the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager’s monitoring and oversight of the home have been hindered by insufficient staffing, which has meant that he is regularly completing shifts. This has led to a lapse in children’s plans being updated following changes in children’s behaviours. Consequently, staff do not have sufficient guidance to care for children. Additionally monitoring systems have been ineffective in picking up shortfalls in safeguarding and care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff have not had regular supervision or an annual appraisal. Furthermore, the notes for staff supervisions could not be located during the inspection. The Inspection report for children’s home: SC030797 5 registered manager has delegated some staff supervision to senior staff, but was unclear if this had taken place.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There are insufficient plans in place for staff to follow regarding children’s care needs. The registered manager does not ensure that care plans are in place or updated to support staff to manage children’s behaviour.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

On the whole, established staff have the appropriate training and skills to care for children. However, newer staff have yet to complete mandatory training. Consequently, not all staff have the skills and experience to care for the children’s needs. This has led to inconsistent care and boundaries being provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager has taken action to report an allegation to the local authority safeguarding team and conduct an investigation. However, a notification was not made to the regulator as is required. Additionally, senior leaders have failed to notify Ofsted that a child protection enquiry has concluded. This limits Ofsted’s ability as regulator to hold accurate information regarding safeguarding matters.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There are serious shortfalls in the records and care planning for children. For example, inspectors were unable to review how decisions were reached to ensure effective planning for some children moving into the home, as the documentation was unavailable. Inspection report for children’s home: SC030797 6

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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, the 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(b)(d)) 7 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC030797 7 In particular, the registered person should ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

- staff take effective action when children are at risk; - plans are updated to reflect current risks for children, including children who self-harm; - the environment is safe for children, particularly in relation to the glass shards in one child’s bedroom window; - staff provide consistent boundaries and care for children.

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable; and

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them; and 7 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC030797 8 that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(xii)(xiii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must:

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Requirement Due date

- ensure that children are protected from bullying; - ensure that staff educate children about bullying so that they understand the impact of their behaviour; - help children to understand unacceptable behaviour aimed towards adults working in the home; - ensure that staff recognise bullying and take action to address this.

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them 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

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably. (Regulation 6 (1)(b) (2)(b)(iii)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that children are able to access food where appropriate. 7 July 2023

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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; and

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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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; 7 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC030797 9 ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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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)(b) (2)(c)(d)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should:

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Requirement Due date

- ensure that there is sufficient skilled and experienced staff to support the children; - ensure that the staff team provides children with consistent care and challenges inappropriate practice; - make changes to the quality of care for children so this does not impact on children’s experiences and progress; - establish effective monitoring systems to ensure effective oversight of children’s care.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

- children’s plans are updated to reflect their current care needs in collaboration with children’s social care professionals; - health plans are updated with children’s current health needs. 31 August 2023

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who— 31 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC030797 10 develop positive relationships with them;

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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

is enabled to provide feedback to, and raise issues with, a relevant person about the support and services that the child receives;

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Requirement Due date

has access to the home’s children’s guide, and the home’s complaints procedure, when the child’s placement in the home is agreed and throughout the child’s stay in the home (Regulation 7 (1)(a) (2)(b)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that children have a copy of the children’s guide and are aware of how they can make a complaint or action to take when they are unhappy.

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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;

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Requirement Due date

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; 31 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC030797 11 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)(vii)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

- a record is made following an incident of a child being restrained; - a record is made of any consequences used in relation to children’s behaviour; - children are spoken to following any incident of being restrained and a record of this is made.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)(c)) 31 August 2023

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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

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child —

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)(d)(ii)(e)) 31 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC030797 12

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that, just as in a family home, children should be able to access all shared areas of their home unless there are specific reasons why this would not meet a child’s needs. Bedroom door alarms, the switches for turning off the televisions in each child’s room and locked bedrooms should only be implemented to safeguard each child in the home, and should be informed by a rigorous assessment of that individual child’s needs, be properly recorded and be kept under regular review. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.10)

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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: SC030797 13

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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: Ethelbert Specialist Homes Limited, 17 Leigh Road, Ramsgate, Kent CT12 5EU

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Leslie Davenport

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Inspectors

Sara Stoker, Social Care Inspector Jane Balfe, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC030797 14 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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