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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC030797 1 SC030797 Registered provider: Ethelbert Specialist Homes Limited

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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. At the time of this inspection, there were six children living in the home.

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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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This monitoring visit

This visit took place to monitor the action taken by leaders and managers following a full inspection on 23 May 2023, when the home was judged inadequate.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has ensured that children have access to food when they are hungry, and that staff are aware of their responsibilities to ensure that children are provided with a healthy and varied diet.

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This monitoring visit

A review has been undertaken of the children’s known risks and plans have been put in place to mitigate these risks. For example, there are now plans to guide staff to support children who may self-harm to reduce such risks. Staff can explain what action they should take if a child self-harms.

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This monitoring visit

Recruitment for new staff is continuing. While this takes place, the registered provider has put a hold on any new children moving into the home. New staff have been appointed to the home since the last inspection. This means that the registered manager has not worked as many hours to cover staff shortages and there has been an increase in his daily oversight of the care for children.

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This monitoring visit

Senior leaders have taken effective action when children have made allegations, to ensure that their concerns are listened to. This has included notifying the local authority safeguarding officer and the regulator. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC030797 2 The registered manager has spent time with the children talking about bullying and the signs of bullying. He has also explored the complaints process with the children and what they can do when they have concerns. One child very clearly explained this and was able to tell inspectors what they would do if they were unhappy with something. Consequently, incidents of bullying have reduced and children are being kinder to one another.

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This monitoring visit

New staff say they know the children well following their induction period. These staff are continuing their induction training and there are plans to address shortfalls in some staff’s practice.

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This monitoring visit

The staff have been supported well by the manager and senior staff, which has helped to build their confidence in meeting the needs of the children. Some staff have attended a workshop around anti-bullying and have been assigned training on other issues. However, records do not show who has attended this training and the provider’s training plan shows that only five staff out of nine have completed training in anti-bullying.

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This monitoring visit

Most of the children are attending school and continue to do well. However, one child remains out of formal education and plans to support his return are not yet clear. There is a lack of opportunities provided for this child to complete education work in the home and consequently they are missing out on vital educational opportunities.

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This monitoring visit

The staff are proactive and look for children when they go missing from home. This action is coordinated with staff from other homes in the same organisation which are closer to where they believe the child may be, so that they can locate the child as quickly as possible. However, plans to guide staff on action to take when children are missing from home are unclear and do not reflect practice.

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This monitoring visit

Action has been taken by the registered provider to ensure damage in the home identified at the previous inspection has been repaired. However, action taken to improve health and safety has not ensured that children are protected from unavoidable hazards. For example, during the inspection, the inspectors saw paint and tools that were left unattended while a child was in the home. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC030797 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/05/2023 Full Inadequate 21/03/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 28/07/2021 Full Good 19/11/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC030797 4

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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 with 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

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)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that the environment is maintained to a safe standard. 31 August 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 promotes their welfare.

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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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that there are sufficient skilled and experienced staff to support the children. 31 August 2023

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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. 31 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC030797 5 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(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, in collaboration with children’s social care professionals, to reflect their current care needs;

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Requirement Due date

health plans are updated with children’s current health needs;

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Requirement Due date

ensure risk plans to guide staff when children go missing are updated to reflect current practice.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was not tested as the date had not passed, and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(ii)(viii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered provider should ensure there is a timely plan for a child to return to formal education. There should also be a structured plan in place for the child’s education during this period so that their learning continues in the home. 31 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC030797 6 The registered person must ensure that—

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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;

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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)(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;

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Requirement Due date

a record is made of any consequences used in relation to children’s behaviour; 31 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC030797 7 children are spoken to following any incident of being restrained and a record of this is made.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was not tested as the date had not passed, and is restated.

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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))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was not tested as the date had not passed, and is restated. 31 August 2023

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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. Any modifications to the home may only be put in place 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. This specifically relates to the bedroom door alarms, the switches for turning off the television in each child’s room and ensuring children can access their bedrooms without asking staff. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.10)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC030797 8

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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 - monitoring visit: SC030797 9 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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