Children's home run by Acorn Homes (UK) Ltd in Thanet

Inspection report for children's home: SC023646 1 SC023646 Registered provider: Acorn Homes (UK) Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home provides care for up to seven children. According to the provider’s statement of purpose, it aims to provide children with warmth and nurture and an environment where children can grow and develop. There were six children living in the home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since March 2007.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC023646 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/03/2024 Full Outstanding 14/02/2023 Full Outstanding 06/12/2021 Full Outstanding 28/01/2020 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home: SC023646 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

A remarkably stable and consistent staff team provide a safe, nurturing space for children to flourish. Staff demonstrate exceptional levels of care, love and commitment to the children. Children say that staff are ‘amazing’ and that they are incredibly happy living at the home. Despite particularly challenging starting points in life, children have been able to find a solid foundation from which to achieve huge personal and emotional growth. Staff recognise each child’s individual needs and create highly personal and tailored plans which are ambitious and realistic.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

One child has had a successful move out of the home this year. Staff worked in close partnership with the placing authority and others to find the best possible destination for this child and he continues to make good progress in his new home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children have a rich and full life experience. They are given opportunities and experiences that they will cherish, including travelling abroad and tailored activities and events that are linked to their personal interests and wishes. Staff capture this journey in beautiful bound memory books. Children can take these with them when they leave and look back on everything that they achieved while living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff recognise the deep emotional trauma that children may have experienced. They work in an informed way to get underneath each child’s life history and find the best care and support network possible to help them to move past any obstacles to their growth. Staff use strong connections with external partner agencies such as schools and placing social workers to create shared goals and targets that are consistent for each child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

External professionals speak highly of the home. A social worker said, ‘The staff team clearly love the children they work with. They demonstrate understanding and respond to needs with care, compassion and consistency.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff listen carefully to children’s views and will always try to champion their wishes. One child said, ‘The manager and staff always listen to our views because they care for us.’

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

Staff are confident in their knowledge and understand their safeguarding obligations well. Managers support this by keeping safeguarding top of the agenda in meetings, supervision and regular training events. Staff have used this understanding well to create a very safe environment where children do not go missing, incidents of negative behaviour are negligible and children live happy and secure lives. Inspection report for children's home: SC023646 4 Staff do not use physical intervention except as an absolute last resort to safeguard children or those around children. Staff report on incidents well and ensure that they speak with children to support them after any incidents, which are recorded in meticulous detail.

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

Staff focus on the positive behaviour of children and encourage them to recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, others and the community. Children say that staff manage behaviour well and that any consequences for poor behaviour are fair and clearly explained by staff.

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

Staff work with children to help them to understand the risks that they face online. Children spoke openly about everything they have learned about internet safety. Staff ensure that they keep on top of new and emerging concerns so that they can share this knowledge with children and their families.

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

Children have a well-developed understanding of their place in the home and community. They are proud of the community they live in and, consequently, they work hard to make it an accepting and positive place to live for them and their peers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers lead by example and have high expectations for standards of care and support from the team. Leaders have created a team that works tirelessly to champion the rights of children in their care. In so doing, they support children to achieve and exceed the targets in their plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The deputy manager demonstrates an exceptional level of commitment to children in her care. She knows everything there is to know about them and uses this deep insight to create tailored support that aims to achieve the best outcomes possible for every child who comes to the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders know that they need to continually push forward and improve practice to sustain the quality of the experience for children. While leaders are confident in the quality of the service that children receive at the home, they are not complacent. Managers and staff are always looking for ways to enhance children’s experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders recognise the importance of supporting their staff with the emotional and practical challenges of their work. Staff are effusive in their praise for leaders and say that they feel invested in and valued. As a result, leaders have created a team that is stable and there is minimal turnover of staff. Children benefit from this reliability and security.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff have created a safe space where each child’s individuality is championed and difference is celebrated. One child said, ‘Everybody here respects each other.’ Children value this highly and work hard to maintain this culture. Inspection report for children's home: SC023646 5 The manager and deputy use effective systems for monitoring the quality of care and support delivered by staff. Their oversight is comprehensive, and they use this to continue to improve standards of care and set ambitious targets for their staff. They can identify strengths and areas for development, and they are currently enhancing practice to improve service development plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers encourage a culture where staff advocate tirelessly for children. Whether in plans for their future, education arrangements or family contact, staff will always go the extra mile to ensure that children achieve the outcomes that they both want and deserve.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The responsible individual collaborates closely with the whole team. This support has been influential in improving the confidence and quality of leadership across the organisation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

No requirements or recommendations were made at this inspection.

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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: SC023646 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Acorn Homes (UK) Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 73 and 74 Maple Leaf Business Park, Manston, Ramsgate CT12 5GD

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Inspector

Peter Jackson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC023646 7 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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