Children's Home run by Ethelbert Specialist Homes Limited in Kent

Inspection report for children’s home: SC023746 1 SC023746 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 and run by a private organisation. It provides care for up to three children with emotional and social difficulties. No children were living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager in post since April 2023.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

The home was judged as inadequate at its full inspection that was completed on 20 July 2023. Following the visit, the provider was issued with a notice restricting accommodation of the home. A monitoring inspection took place on 30 August 2023, and the restriction of accommodation remained in place. Inspection report for children’s home: SC023746 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/07/2023 Full Inadequate 27/03/2023 Full Good 02/06/2021 Full Outstanding 10/12/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC023746 3

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, the one child living in the home moved to their new home successfully. The transition was managed well, with good joint working between the two homes. A memory book for the child provides photos and reminders of the positive times they had while living in the home.

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improvement to be good

Senior managers say that the care of the child had improved, and the child was beginning to trust staff more. However, gaps in care continued due to the lack of staff available in the home. For example, individual targeted sessions regarding areas of concern for the child did not take place before they moved on from the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff focused on their relationship with the child and how they could help them to feel supported. Plans to care for the child were detailed, meaning that staff had guidance to provide consistent care and responses to the child.

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improvement to be good

Due to only one child living in the home, on occasion, staff worked with the child on a one-to-one basis. The managers had not suitably assessed whether it was appropriate for staff to support the child alone in the home, including overnight. Additionally, there was no evidence of the child’s views about this.

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improvement to be good

Some areas of the home need redecoration to ensure that the house is well maintained. At the time of the inspection, this was starting to be rectified.

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improvement to be good

Evidence suggests that the child had begun to feel more comfortable in the home, and their risks had reduced. There had been a significant reduction in incidents in the few weeks before the child moved out.

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improvement to be good

Records of physical interventions show clear responses from the managers. Discussions with the child and staff following an incident are clearly recorded, and key-work sessions are linked to these. Discussions with the child following incidents were open and honest, and they explored what actions would be effective in supporting the child.

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improvement to be good

Two concerns raised by a child who no longer lives in the home are being investigated by the senior leaders. The local authority designated officer is aware of this and directed this approach. This remains ongoing. Inspection report for children’s home: SC023746 4

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home is without a manager or staff team. There are currently no children living in the home. The plan is for a registered manager and staff team to move with children from another home in the organisation. This would mean that they already have relationships with the children and work as a team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The team that was previously working in the home was new and mostly inexperienced, leading to inconsistent practice. The home’s manager at the time was addressing these issues through supervision and team meetings. Reports show that the child had started to respond better to staff in the weeks before their move. Inspection report for children’s home: SC023746 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, 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

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are located so that children are effectively safeguarded. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the home is well maintained and decorated. 1 December 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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)) 1 December 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home. (Regulation 27(a)) 1 December 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; and 1 December 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC023746 6 have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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 children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home;

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Requirement Due date

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

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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. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

This is a repeated requirement that could not be fully reviewed as part of this inspection.

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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: SC023746 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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Inspector

Jennie Christopher, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC023746 8 and 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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