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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC065517 1 SC065517 Registered provider: Ethelbert Specialist Homes 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

This home is run by a private provider and can offer support for up to six children. According to the home’s statement of purpose, staff provide children with the consistency and structure to develop healthy and positive relationships in a warm and nurturing environment.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 24 September 2024.

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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: SC065517 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/03/2024 Full Good 13/03/2023 Full Good 23/03/2022 Full Good 10/03/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC065517 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are listened to. Their views are sought on choices of activities, menu and decoration for the home. They are encouraged to make decisions in all areas of their daily lives that are significant to them. They know how to make complaints and can identify staff they can talk to if they feel worried.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are prioritised. They benefit from clear healthcare plans which identify achievable targets that help them to maintain their health. Staff advocate for children to ensure they receive the appropriate care, assessments and support from health services. Staff respond creatively when there are challenges in getting children to attend health appointments. They have represented children’s views effectively at medical appointments to ensure they continue to get the healthcare they need.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

An educative approach is used to support children to understand the benefits of engaging with support available for their physical and mental well-being when there are difficulties engaging children with their healthcare providers. As a result, children are learning to understand the importance of attending routine appointments and maintaining their health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff prioritise children’s education. They work closely with education providers, the virtual school and other professionals to ensure that education plans are informed by accurate assessments and reflect children’s individual needs. Leaders and managers appropriately challenge providers to ensure that support is aligned with children’s personal education plans. This means that children are supported to achieve their full potential.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s care planning is informed by relevant statutory plans and staff regularly reviewed alongside other professionals involved in the children’s lives. However, in relation to meeting children’s identified need to support their independence, there is not regular or consistent support for children to begin acquiring the practical, emotional and social skills needed to transition into adulthood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have had opportunities to take part in activities related to their own specific interests, which have included trips to the theatre, concerts and conventions, and to London landmarks. However, when preferred options are unavailable, children are not consistently encouraged to try new things, expand their interests, develop hobbies or new skills. Activities to socialise with other children have been limited. This has impacted on children’s abilities to develop the social skills needed to build positive relationships with others outside the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are proactive in sharing information that can help to identify lifelong links for children. Managers ensure that children have clear plans in place to see family members that are important to them. They have been creative in supporting children to maintain Inspection report for children’s home: SC065517 4 relationships with family through virtual forums. However, there have been missed opportunities to support children to ensure that they can consistently visit family members and see them face to face.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is bright and well decorated. Children are supported to personalise their bedrooms, and they are encouraged to take ownership of their home. Children’s artwork is displayed throughout the home, and the decor reflects their personal taste. There are some areas of the home that would benefit from increased attention to cleanliness and hygiene.

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

Children benefit from clear and consistent boundaries. Staff practice is well informed by clear behaviour support plans. There has been a reduction in the use of physical intervention and managers ensure that this is only used when it is necessary and proportionate to keeping children safe. Children and staff receive support to talk through their experiences after incidents to promote learning.

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

Staff adopt a range of strategies to help children to find coping strategies and express their feelings appropriately. For one child, this has resulted in a reduction in both the frequency and severity of behavioural incidents. When strategies such as consequences are used, they are an appropriate response to behaviours displayed. Managers review and evaluate their effectiveness. They help children to link the consequences to the behaviours they have displayed.

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

There are rarely incidents of children going missing from the home. When children do go missing, staff are prompt in their response. They work closely with families and professionals to ensure children’s safe return to the home. Following incidents of going missing, children are encouraged and supported to speak to an independent person.

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

Children are supported to learn the skills to keep safe online. One-to-one discussions, agreements and online courses help children to understand risks in relation to grooming, exploitation and radicalisation. Systems are in place to monitor the progress children make in all areas of identified risk.

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

Appropriate processes are followed to ensure that pre-employment checks are completed, and staff are suitably checked before they work with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are committed to providing a good quality of care. The registered manager has a good understanding of children’s vulnerabilities, their individual needs and the progress children have made. They are visible and accessible to children and staff in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC065517 5 There are good management systems in place to monitor the quality of care provided to children. The registered manager keeps a close eye on practice and takes steps to address any areas of concern or to identify any areas for improvement. This promotes a good safeguarding culture in the home and ensures that children get the help they need to make progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers work effectively in partnership with the professional network and advocate strongly on behalf of children. This helps ensure that plans for children are well informed and the support provided is aimed at helping children reach their potential.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision sessions are frequent and effective. They are used to discuss topics that are relevant to children. They are an effective tool for supporting staff development and positive practice in the home. Staff feel valued and supported by leaders and managers in the home and the wider organisation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive a mixture of mandatory and specialist training that is relevant to their role and the children’s needs. New staff members benefit from a comprehensive induction package that helps them to settle into their role and learn new skills. Inspection report for children’s home: SC065517 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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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 each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(b)) 19 May 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are offered a wide range of activities both inside and outside the home (where appropriate) and are encouraged to participate in those activities. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 31, paragraph 6.5)  The registered person should work with the placing authority to ensure that each child’s transition is planned and help each child to prepare for leaving, both practically and emotionally. This specifically relates to ensuring that children receive regular opportunities to develop independence skills needed to transition to adulthood. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 57, paragraph 11.9)  The registered person should ensure that the home provides a nurturing, supportive and homely environment that meets children’s needs. This specifically relates to ensuring that the home is maintained to an acceptable state of cleanliness. (‘Guide to

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Recommendations

the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) Inspection report for children’s home: SC065517 7

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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: SC065517 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: 17 Leigh Road, Ramsgate, Kent CT12 5EU

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Leslie Davenport

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Inspector

Georgia Carty, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC065517 9 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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