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

Inspection report for children's home: SC066185 1 SC066185 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 five children with social and emotional difficulties. Five children were living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was closed between April and September 2023 and has reopened with a new manager, staff team and children.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a registered manager since April 2023. The manager has applied to register 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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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC066185 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/07/2022 Full Good 27/07/2021 Full Good 30/05/2019 Full Good 11/12/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC066185 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have positive relationships with staff who know them well. Children’s progress is regularly reviewed to ensure the care is meeting their needs, and to celebrate their successes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children talk positively about the home and are animated when playing games and spending time with the staff. They laugh and joke with each other at mealtimes. Children congratulated a younger child on how well they had cut up their food.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are listened to regarding all aspects of their care. Their views feed into their plans and how the house is run, and they are helped to make their views known to their social workers.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children all attend education as planned. Joint working with school staff means that there is a consistent approach to supporting children’s needs. In addition, children engage in a range of activities, including going to sea cadets and Scouts and playing football. These activities boost children’s confidence and help them to form friendships outside of the home. Children also enjoy activities together and have a sense of belonging to the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from planned moves into the home. They visit the home and meet the staff and children. Staff have time to learn about the children’s needs before they move in. The move for three children from another of the organisation’s homes to this one was well managed. Children were supported well throughout the process.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to maintain relationships with friends and family. Staff know how important it is for children to see their friends and loved ones. Staff support visits and travel, no matter what the distance.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children learn new skills such as self-care and living with others and social skills such as turn-taking in discussions or games. They are supported in an age- appropriate manner to understand healthy food choices. Children’s emotional well- being is supported through individual therapy. However, one child’s medical condition was not included in all their plans, meaning staff may miss this vital information. This has not impacted on the child.

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

Children are confident in their surroundings. Their actions in their home and interactions with staff show they feel safe. Staff know each child’s risks and vulnerabilities and do all they can to keep them safe.

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

Children learn about online safety. They are protected through regular checks on their devices and discussions with staff on how to continue to protect themselves Inspection report for children's home: SC066185 4 online. One child spoke confidently about how to keep himself safe, such as turning off chat functions on games and not sharing his name or location.

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

Children do not raise bullying as a concern. Issues and arguments in the home are managed swiftly through a learning approach. Children are well supported to explore their identity, including their thoughts and feelings around who they are, and healthy friendships and relationships. An opportunity was missed for staff to further explore a child’s identity with them, relying on this being addressed in therapy that was not due for several months.

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

Staff recognise children’s behaviour as communication of how they are feeling. Staff use their relationships with children to de-escalate and defuse situations when children are worried and anxious and are displaying behaviours of distress. This means that physical interventions are very rarely used, and children learn how to respond when they are feeling upset.

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

Children are protected from avoidable risks through regular maintenance in the home and checks of the home’s firefighting equipment. In general, the home is highly individualised to meet children’s needs, with children choosing colours and soft furnishings. However, the use of waterproof mattresses for all children does not reflect this individualised approach.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are well supported by the manager and can approach him for support and guidance at any time. Staff benefit from regular and supportive supervision. Training is extensive and well organised, meaning staff have the skills they need to meet the needs of the children in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Practice in the home is reflective of the statement of purpose. Staff talk confidently about the training they have had in therapeutic support and how they practise this in their interactions with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s plans are highly detailed. Regular updates of plans mean that progress is recorded and staff can reflect with children on their development and areas where they still need support. However, the number of plans with similar detail means that information can be repetitive and could potentially led to all plans not being updated within the organisation’s set timescales. The gaps noted in two children’s plans were acknowledged by the manager, who made plans to address the shortfalls.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager consistently reviews the processes in the home. He uses reports by the independent person and regular reviews of his own monitoring to consider how best to develop the home and staff’s practice. The move from another home to this one and an increase in the number of children has had an impact on both children and staff. However, the manager is clear on the improvements made and his vision for the future of the home. Inspection report for children's home: SC066185 5 Inspection report for children's home: SC066185 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, 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 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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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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)(a)(g)(i)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that mattresses are suitable for individual children’s needs. Also, that children have the support they need to explore their feelings and behaviours. 26 April 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—

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Requirement Due date

that arrangements are in place to— 26 April 2024 Inspection report for children's home: SC066185 7 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

In particular, ensure that children’s care planning records reflect staff practice and risks identified in pre-placement information.

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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: SC066185 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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Inspector

Jennie Christopher, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC066185 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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