Children's Home run by Benecare Limited in Kent

Inspection report for children’s home: SC438648 1 SC438648 Registered provider: Benecare 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 registered to provide care for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties. The home is operated by a private organisation. At the time of this inspection, two children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 26 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: SC438648 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/07/2023 Full Good 16/08/2022 Full Good 09/05/2022 Full Inadequate 01/09/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC438648 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive personalised care from staff and generally have good relationships with them. Children’s social workers are complimentary about the care provided to children. One family member was positive about the staff and the registered manager and stated that the staff have ‘a good understanding of what good care is’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Not all children are enrolled in full-time education. However, the registered manager advocates for children and escalates their concerns to the appropriate professionals. They also ensure that children receive alternative learning while education placements are found. Appointed tutors are supported by staff to ensure that children continue to participate in learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views and feelings are captured during key-working sessions. Children are listened and responded to. When their requests cannot be met, staff explain the reasons for this clearly. Children are helped to understand what they must do to achieve the things that they request. Children understand the complaints process and how to raise concerns. One child said that they made a complaint in the past and felt this was resolved appropriately.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have an excellent understanding of the importance of family time. Staff work closely with children and their families to gain their views and ensure that family time arrangements are well planned.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is a thorough process in place when children move into the home. This involves meeting with a range of professionals. Children visit the home prior to moving in and meet staff who will be supporting them. Children also receive good support after they leave the home.

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

All children have in-depth risk assessments that staff understand and adhered to. Children become safer because staff identify and understand their individual risks. Children’s relationships with staff are key to their welfare and progress. Children are educated about the risks in the community and are helped to remain safe.

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

The registered manager works closely with children’s social workers and safeguarding professionals when risks increase. Communication is effective and the registered manager proactively requests professionals’ meetings to ensure good joint working.

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

When children leave the home without permission, staff immediately follow them and work with children to encourage them to return quickly. If children do go missing from home, staff take appropriate action and follow clear procedures. Inspection report for children’s home: SC438648 4 When children struggle to live together, staff work relentlessly to ensure their safety. Despite this, some children have had to leave the home in an unplanned way. Staff offered them good support at these times. However, there is not always evidence of leaders identifying learning from these occurrences or analysing the reasons that children’s placements ended prematurely.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The organisation has recently been taken over by another provider. Senior leaders worked well to ensure that there was a minimal impact on staff and children during this changeover. The registered manager and responsible individual sees this as a positive change that allows better resources and opportunities for children and staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The new registered manager is ambitious and passionate about children. They are instrumental in ensuring that staff understand children’s needs and take effective action. The registered manager understands the home’s strengths and weaknesses and has good plans to further develop the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Overall, the registered manager has good oversight. Children and staff are debriefed after any incidents. During challenging times, the registered manager leads from the front and role models therapeutic working practices to newer staff. The responsible individual reviews any incidents that involve the manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager provides a supportive environment for staff to develop and grow. Staff receive regular and good quality supervisions. Staff have developmental goals set.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have clear expectations about what training staff should complete. However, not all staff have completed the training within the required timescales, and this includes some aspects of mandatory safeguarding training. Although the impact of this has been limited, it could have the potential to impact on staff awareness.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The recruitment of permanent staff is thorough, and checks are carried out to prevent inappropriate people working at the home. However, there is no evidence that the registered manager satisfies themselves that staff employed by external agencies are always safely vetted. Inspection report for children’s home: SC438648 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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 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; ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a) (2)(a)(c)(e)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that staff complete all mandatory training. The registered person should also ensure that they review any unplanned endings to children’s placements to identify learning. 20 March 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the 20 March 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC438648 6 individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager should implement consistent checks to satisfy themselves that agency staff are safely recruited.

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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: SC438648 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 212 Ballards Lane, London N3 2LX

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Inspector

Sonata Brisley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC438648 8 regulates 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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