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

Inspection report for children's home: SC023745 1 SC023745 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 by a private company that operates several other children’s homes in the area. The home provides care for up to three children who have social and emotional difficulties and associated learning difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in June 2022 and is suitably qualified.

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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

Date of last inspection: 17 October 2022

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC023745 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/10/2022 Full Outstanding 01/09/2021 Full Good 26/02/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness 20/05/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC023745 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one child has moved back to their family home. This followed a well-planned transition and work with the child and their family. One child has remained living at the home and is settled.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Another child has come to live at the home and is making great progress. The children get along well, and staff affectionately reflect on how the atmosphere feels like a ‘family’. However, some risks were not considered as part of the compatibility risk assessment undertaken at the time of the second child’s referral. While this has not had an impact on the children, this was a missed opportunity to ensure effective care planning was in place.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children are attending school. There has been mixed progress for the children, with some difficulties managed by a reduced timetable. However, with collaborative working, this is now improving, and children’s attendance is increasing. There is good communication between the staff at the home and school staff and staff are keen to support children’s learning at home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are generally healthy and are supported to attend routine appointments and annual medical reviews with the children’s nurse. Plans reflect children’s health goals and children are encouraged to make healthy choices. The registered manager makes specialist referrals when required and advocates for children to ensure that they get the support that they need.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are strong relationships between children and staff built on trust, respect, boundaries and nurture. These relationships have supported children to flourish and make progress. For example, one child will now accept hugs and comfort from staff when previously they were unable to seek this in an appropriate way.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff ensure that children’s views are at the centre of their care and support. This includes completing important life-story work with one child, so that they understand their background. Staff also ensure that children are supported and advocated for when it comes to decisions about seeing their families.

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

Senior leaders respond to any safeguarding concerns appropriately and inform relevant professionals. Staff are confident in their safeguarding responsibilities and promote children’s independence and safety, for example, by teaching children how to safely cross the road.

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

There are suitable processes in place to ensure that staff are safely recruited and vetted when they start work at the home. Inspection report for children's home: SC023745 4 Incidents involving children are well managed by staff, who support children to feel safe. When children need to be held to keep them safer during a difficult time, this is as a last resort and the child is offered the opportunity to reflect following the incident.

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

Children do not go missing from the home. They have strong relationships with staff, who are proactive and responsive to their needs.

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

The home is spacious and decorated with pictures of the children and staff making memories. However, some areas of the home, such as children’s bedrooms, have not been maintained to an acceptable standard and require improvement. For example, one child likes to collect toys and trinkets and have them set out in a certain way. Staff have failed to support the child to keep their room clean while their collection is on display.

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

Written plans that guide staff on how to support children to manage their trauma and risks are comprehensive. However, some plans have not been updated to reflect the staffing ratios to support children, as staff are occasionally redeployed to work in the provider’s other homes in the local area.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The small staff team is very strongly connected to each other and dedicated to the children. They communicate well to ensure that children receive consistent care and are positive role models for the children. The registered manager is passionate about children having positive life experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have regular opportunities to meet and discuss ideas and how they care for children. The staff feel supported by the registered manager and supervision arrangements ensure that they have a formal space for development and reflection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All the staff maintain their ongoing professional development, complete training and are suitably qualified. There are opportunities for senior staff to develop in their roles and take on additional responsibilities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Improvements have been made to the arrangements for the independent person’s visits. These ensure that a wider overview is included, and there are continued plans to develop this further. Feedback from external professionals is positive and highlights strong working relationships with staff. One social worker staff ‘caring, supportive and highly responsive to [the child’s] needs’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager carries out an overview of the quality of care for children which reflects the strengths and development plans for the home. However, this still lacks feedback from other relevant people and overall evaluation. Therefore, the requirement in relation to this made at the last inspection is repeated. Inspection report for children's home: SC023745 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 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

This specifically relates to ensuring the home environment is maintained to an acceptable standard for the children. 31 May 2024

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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 the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to staffing ratios identified in children’s plans. 31 May 2024

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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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 31 May 2024 Inspection report for children's home: SC023745 6 that arrangements are in place to—

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to compatibility risk assessments considering and recording the potential effect on children who already live in the home and the risks that arise from this.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (5))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is repeated. 31 May 2024

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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: SC023745 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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Inspector

Sara Stoker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC023745 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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