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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC023739 1 SC023739

p.1

Ethelbert Specialist Homes Limited

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is privately operated and provides care for up to three children. In line with the home’s statement of purpose, it is currently being used exclusively for girls with a history of difficult attachments and require intensive support. There was one child living in the home at the time of this inspection.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in February 2023 and is not yet suitably qualified.

p.1

This monitoring visit

There is currently a serious safeguarding allegation under review by the police. Concerns about staff practice were known and escalated by the registered manager to senior leaders. Despite this, there were no formal risk or performance management plans put into place. This was raised at the last inspection and remains under investigation.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Senior leaders have not given a satisfactory response to a complaint that was raised to Ofsted. However, they have reflected on some incidents. This has led to a positive change in practice, development for staff around safeguarding children, and ensuring that staff have the skills needed to care for children.

p.1

This monitoring visit

There have been some changes within the staffing structure and recruitment is ongoing. Managers and leaders have taken action to provide additional staffing for a child who needs this at present.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Procedures in place for staff to contact an on-call manager have been reviewed with staff to ensure that they are confident about when to seek advice and guidance. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC023739 2 Concerns for children’s safety have been escalated by managers to the local authority. Arrangements have been made for multi-professionals meetings, which have taken place with senior leaders in attendance.

p.1

This monitoring visit

There are shortfalls in records made following children being restrained by staff; some records are incomplete and many lack the views of children. This is a missed opportunity for children to reflect on this difficult time, and for this practice to have appropriate management oversight.

p.2

This monitoring visit

There is inconsistent advice given to staff by on call managers when children go missing from home. This advice does not always follow children’s risk plans. Plans are not always reviewed to ensure that they reflect agreed decisions for children in consultation with their social workers.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The requirements from the previous inspection are restated.

p.2

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 22/06/2023 Full Inadequate 28/02/2023 Full Good 16/03/2022 Full Outstanding 27/09/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC023739 3

p.2

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 with the given timescales.

p.3

Requirement Due date

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

p.3

Requirement Due date

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

p.3

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;

p.3

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.3

Requirement Due date

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

p.3

Requirement Due date

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

p.3

Requirement Due date

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

p.3

Requirement Due date

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

p.3

Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies and—

p.3

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)) 10 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC023739 4 The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

p.3

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

p.4

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

p.4

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

p.4

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(c)(d)(e)) 10 August 2023

p.4

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority;

p.4

Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(c)) 10 August 2023

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. 10 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC023739 5 The registered person may only—

p.4

Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

p.5

Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

p.5

Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c))

p.5

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—

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

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;

p.5

Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and 10 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC023739 6 a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

p.5

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”)—

p.6

Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

p.6

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))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that a record is made following incidents of a child being restrained, and ensure that children are spoken to following any incident of being restrained and a record of this is made.

p.6

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.

p.6

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC023739 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Ethelbert Specialist Homes Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

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

p.7

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Leslie Davenport

p.7

Inspector

Sara Stoker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC023739 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.

p.7

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

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

p.8