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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC068803 1 SC068803 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 run by a private company that provides care for up to four children with social and emotional difficulties. At the time of this visit, there were four children living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is suitably qualified and has been in post since August 2022 and has applied to be registered with Ofsted.

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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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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Since the last full inspection, a monitoring visit was undertaken on 8 November 2022 following information Ofsted received regarding the care of children. A compliance notice was served under regulation 11, the positive relationships standard, due to incidents of bullying between children. An assurance inspection was undertaken on 28 December 2022 and the inspector found that the compliance notice had not been met and the home was judged to have widespread and serious concerns. The compliance notice was reissued. A monitoring visit was undertaken on 15 February Inspection report for children’s home: SC068803 2 2023 and the compliance notice was met as sufficient action had been taken to address the steps in the notice. Inspection report for children’s home: SC068803 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/06/2022 Full Good 11/05/2021 Full Good 18/02/2020 Full Outstanding 05/03/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC068803 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one child has moved out of the home. Two children moved into the home with one of those children staying for a short period before returning to their family.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Leaders and managers make child-centred decisions about children coming to live at the home. Planning considers the needs of the children already living in the home and how the staff skills and experience will support the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children living in the home attend education. One child who has recently moved into the home is currently being enrolled at school. The staff proudly talk about the progress children make at school. When children struggle to manage in class, there is effective partnership working to support this.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff are very proud of the children and how they have developed since living at the home. For example, one child travels independently to college and has started to socialise with friends. This is a significant milestone for this child. Another child has created a herb garden and made some garden furniture which is proudly used in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff ensure that children can express their views and that they are listened to about day-to-day life and decisions in the home. There are regular key-work discussions with all children that are linked to the children’s care planning and development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff ensure that children attend routine health appointments and are registered with local providers when they arrive. Additionally, the staff and children are supported by the internal therapy team to ensure that children’s emotional needs are met. Where children may have an identified allergy, staff have received training to administer emergency medication. However, some records do not reflect this allergy and there is no process in place to inform visitors of the children’s allergies.

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

There continues to be redevelopment in the home. For example, the bathrooms have been refurbished and new play equipment installed for the children in the garden. An issue with access to fire exits was noted during the inspection. However, the provider took immediate action to rectify and resolve this.

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

The manager ensures that new staff are recruited using safer recruitment process. The children are involved in the recruitment processes and are asked their views about potential new staff coming into the home after they have completed an observation shift. This gives children the chance to be actively involved in who works in their home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC068803 5 Consequences used to support children’s behaviour are rarely used by staff. Incidents are recorded and have appropriate management oversight and reflection with children and staff to ensure that they are proportionate and provide children with learning opportunities. However, when children are involved in incidents with other children, their views on how this may have impacted them is not always sought.

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

There are effective risk plans in place to guide staff to support children’s behaviour. Staff are proactive and look for children if they go missing from home. However, this is rare. Staff provide a warm welcome for the child’s return and ensure there is a collaborative approach between the home and school should children go missing while at school.

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

The staff have continued to work with children around anti-bullying. However, this was unsuccessful for one child and led to this child moving on from the home. Since this child has moved on, there have been no further incidents of bullying and children tell staff they feel safe and happier.

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

The manager is confident in the staff’s ability to recognise any incidents that may escalate to bullying and reflected that their training and continued development has led to a positive change in the culture and ethos of the care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The management arrangements in place provide a caring and supportive culture. Leaders advocate for children to reach their potential and ensure that staff understand children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that new staff joining the home receive a thoroughly planned induction and mentoring from experienced staff. Staff feel supported by the manager and each other. They have regular, reflective supervision and opportunities to develop their skills with continuing development and training opportunities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff say that the changes in the dynamics between the group of children have had a positive impact on the children and staff collectively. The relationships between the manager, staff and children are continually developing and staff provide children with nurture, love and boundaries.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say they feel supported by the managers and leaders. Equally, the manager feels supported by his senior leaders and has regular supervision and support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There have been some changes to the staffing team and new adults have joined the team. However, the manager has not considered that some staff do not have a relevant first-aid qualification and ensured that rotas reflect at least one member of staff who is first-aid trained. This means that there is not always a trained member of staff to deliver first aid should this be required. Inspection report for children’s home: SC068803 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, 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 ensure that the employment of any person on a temporary basis at the children’s home does not prevent children from receiving such continuity of care as is reasonable to meet their needs.

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Requirement Due date

at all times, at least one person on duty at the home has a suitable first aid qualification. (Regulation 31 (1) (2)(a)) 31 July 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that staff have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to: respond to the health needs of children and help children to manage long-term conditions and, where necessary, meet specific individual health needs. In particular, ensure that any children with allergies have sufficient care planning in place to manage this safely. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.12)  The registered person should ensure that staff have the skills and confidence to communicate easily and understand the importance of listening to, involving and responding to the children they care for. Staff should understand that they have a responsibility to observe, notice and respond to children who are expressing their views, acknowledging that it is not the sole responsibility of the child to ‘tell’. In particular, they should seek children’s views following incidents where this may

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Recommendations

impact their emotional well-being. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.10)

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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: SC068803 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: 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 Stephen Challis, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC068803 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 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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