Children's Home run by Heartwood Seabrook Limited in Kent

Inspection report for children’s home: 2778288 1 Registered provider: Heartwood Seabrook Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately run and is registered to provide care for up to five children who experience social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, there were two children living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and the manager have been registered with Ofsted since May 2024. This was the home’s first inspection after registration.

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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: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2778288 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress because they are looked after by staff who understand their needs and are committed to improving outcomes for children. Children appreciate the support they receive from staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Three children have moved into the home since it opened, and one of them has moved out. This was a well-planned and positive ending for the child. Staff are passionate about building and maintaining positive relationships with children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child is in full-time education, and there has been a significant improvement in their attendance since living at the home. Another child is in the process of being enrolled in a local education provision and eagerly engages in home learning in the meantime. The staff have a range of skills, and the child said that they learn a lot from them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views are central to decisions about the way they are looked after. Before children move into the home, those children already living there are asked their view on whether they think they will be compatible. Children are also involved in creating and updating their care and support plans. This transparent culture gives children confidence that their views are important and that their voices are heard.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to learn the skills they will need to live more independently in the future. Examples include learning how to cook meals, manage finances, write a CV and apply for jobs. One child said that they are already very independent so do not need help, but that they like it when staff fold their laundry nicely for them if they fall asleep before doing it themselves. When staff completed first-aid training in the house, they invited children to join in. Children were very pleased to have this opportunity and learned essential life skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand and promote the importance of children spending time with their families. Staff work closely with external professionals and children’s family members to maximise opportunities for family time. One child said that staff make a lot of effort to ensure that time with their family is positive for them.

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

Children’s individual risks and vulnerabilities are understood by staff. The positive relationships enjoyed between children and staff have helped to reduce the frequency of children’s risk-taking behaviours.

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

Staff knowledge of children’s risks is backed up with thorough risk assessments that are kept under regular review. As a result, staff are aware of the actions they need to take to keep children safe. Children are asked their view on any changes to their Inspection report for children’s home: 2778288 3 risk assessments. Empowering children to have a view about how their own risks are managed contributes to their protection and sense of security.

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

Children rarely go missing from the home. When they do, there is a robust response from staff to ensure that children return safely. When any concerns arise about children’s safety and well-being, managers proactively involve external professionals. However, there are missed opportunities for preventative work with children to help them understand how to keep themselves safe.

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

As a result of the positive relationships enjoyed between children and staff, and a sound understanding of how to use de-escalation techniques, the need for physical restraint is rare. There has only been one incident that has required physical restraint since the home opened.

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

Managers promote an effective safeguarding culture by making sure that staff fully understand their safeguarding responsibilities. For example, part of the induction for new staff involves careful explanation of whistle-blowing and safeguarding procedures. Furthermore, meaningful reflection in staff supervision and team meetings helps staff to develop their skills in being professionally curious. This contributes positively to children’s safety.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by an experienced registered manager who is passionate about providing good-quality care to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers support this newly formed staff team to develop its skills and confidence to carry out its roles. Managers make sure that they are available to provide guidance to staff while learning is being embedded into practice. Staff say that they feel valued and supported.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Most, but not all, staff have completed all the training deemed mandatory by the organisation. This means that the staff team does not have consistently up-to-date knowledge. Recently, new training about working therapeutically with children has been introduced. This is with the intention of enhancing staff skills to work with children who have had difficult early life experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff supervision is used to good effect to ensure that staff have opportunities to explore their developmental goals and have a sound understanding of children’s needs. Despite this, supervision does not always take place at the intervals set by the organisation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

After any near miss or serious incident, managers facilitate a meeting with all staff so that learning can be shared. Staff say that they find this beneficial to help them to understand how to reduce the risk of a recurrence. Inspection report for children’s home: 2778288 4 As a result of effective management monitoring and oversight of records, managers have a sound understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home and the impact the quality of care is having on children’s outcomes. Inspection report for children’s home: 2778288 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

help each child to understand how to keep safe. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(ii)) 10 January 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development. (Regulation 33 (4)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that all staff complete the training that is deemed mandatory by the organisation. 10 January 2025

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that all staff receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2) Inspection report for children’s home: 2778288 6

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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: 2778288 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Heartwood Seabrook Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 416 Green Lane, Ilford, Essex IG3 9JX

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Inspector

Sonata Brisley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2778288 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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