Children's home run by The Kennedy and Elliott Partnership LLP

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2517054 1 Registered provider: Kennedy and Elliott Partnership LLP

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home registered with Ofsted in February 2020 and is privately owned. It offers care for up to six children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since 3 December 2024. The deputy manager is now the acting manager. They are supported by a home manager from a third home in the organisation, which is yet to be registered by Ofsted. The deputy manager has not yet submitted an application to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, three children were living at the home. The inspector spoke to all three children.

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Inspection date: 24 February 2025

Date of last inspection: 8 and 9 October 2024

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Inspection date: 24 February 2025

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2517054 2

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Findings from the inspection

This inspection was carried out to address specific concerns received by Ofsted.

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Findings from the inspection

We identified the following serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection:

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Findings from the inspection

 There were shortfalls identified in staff practice that place children at risk of inadequate protection and lead to children’s welfare not being effectively safeguarded and promoted.  There were shortfalls in the leadership and management of the home, in particular the oversight and monitoring, including the assessment and review of risk for children.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff do not carry out effective checks of the home, which impacts on how well children are safeguarded. On one occasion, staff were unaware that a non-resident child was in the home and had stayed for at least one night. This left children at risk. The registered provider has carried out an internal investigation and acknowledges the failings in practice and has implemented strategies to prevent reoccurrence.

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Findings from the inspection

The responsible individual reviewed the incident. Additional safeguards are in place, and steps have been taken to address staff practice. The review, however, lacks thoroughness, as longer-term arrangements to ensure the home is adequately checked are not agreed. Leaders and managers have not informed all partner agencies about these serious concerns. Not all children’s social workers were aware of the incident, and the local authority designated officer and Ofsted had not been informed. This impinges on the oversight of safeguarding practice in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

One child does not feel well cared for. They went to hospital in an ambulance, and staff did not go with them as support at the earliest opportunity. The child was accompanied by another younger child who lives at the home, who had called the ambulance. Staff did not use the on-call manager system effectively for advice on how to address this concern. Leaders and managers oversight of this incident was poor. They were not clear how staff should manage such a situation if it were to happen again.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff are not proactive in looking for a child who is often missing from the home. They do not actively search for the child or attempt to contact people who the child knows to help locate them. Leaders and managers, while concerned about the risks for the child, do not ensure that staff have the guidance or direction to promote this good practice. They have failed to challenge the delays for a formal strategy discussion to take place as agreed with the child’s social worker for a period of two weeks. As a result, strategies to reduce the risks for the child are not agreed, shared or understood. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2517054 3 Children receive support to spend time with people in their family and friend network. Staff contact children during their visits to family to check on their wellbeing, although these arrangements are not written into children’s risk assessments.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers do not have effective monitoring systems in place. They do not ensure that they have sufficient scrutiny and oversight of incidents in which children are placed at risk of harm. They do not ensure that all children’s risk assessments are accessible to staff on electronic systems. They have persistently failed to meet regulatory requirements and ensure that all children have up-to-date risk assessments with clear strategies in place that are kept under review. This does not demonstrate good leadership.

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Findings from the inspection

Children are relaxed living at the home. They have staff they like and are confident to express their views. Children know how to make a complaint and have the regular opportunity to make suggestions about living at the home, which staff usually respond well to. Although children generally speak positively about living in the home, some did not have a clear understanding about their future plans. This caused the children additional uncertainty.

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Findings from the inspection

Children and staff say that there are times when children’s finances and personal activities are delayed because of incidents in the home. Staff do not record consequences that are put in place to help children learn.

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Findings from the inspection

The previous manager’s registration with Ofsted ended on 3 December 2024. The current manager has not yet applied to register with Ofsted. Ofsted has not therefore been able to assess the registrable suitability of the current manager.

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Findings from the inspection

The responsible individual acknowledged the shortfalls identified and has started to take steps to improve practice.

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Findings from the inspection

The recommendation made at the previous inspection was not reviewed at this inspection and has been restated. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2517054 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/10/2024 Full Good 22/08/2023 Full Good 15/11/2022 Full Good 05/10/2021 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2517054 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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; and

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)) 13 April 2025

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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

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Requirement Due date

promotes their welfare. 13 April 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2517054 6 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; 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)(c)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must implement a monitoring system to ensure effective oversight and review of children’s records, time scrutiny and evaluation of incidents and the sharing of required information with partner agencies.

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Requirement Due date

The manager must submit a complete application to register with Ofsted.

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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—

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Requirement Due date

that the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

the child is, or has been, persistently absent from the home without permission; and

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Requirement Due date

the child requests a review of the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(e)(i)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that they follow up with the placing authority on the need for strategy meetings and escalate any delays with these in a timely way.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that children are clear about their care plans, including their plans for transitions from the home. 13 April 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2517054 7 *These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that consequences are restorative and supportive of the child to help them understand the impact of their actions and choices on themselves and others. The consequences should be recorded and evaluated. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38)  The registered person should have a workforce plan that details the necessary management and staffing structure, the experience and qualifications of staff currently working in the staffing structure and any further training required for those staff to enable the delivery of the home’s statement of purpose. The plan should detail the processes and agreed timescales for staff to achieve induction, probation and any core training, such as safeguarding, health and safety and mandatory qualifications. The plan should be updated to include any new training and qualifications completed by staff while working at the home and be used to

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Recommendations

record the ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of staff, including the home’s manager and deputy manager. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2517054 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Kennedy and Elliott Partnership LLP

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Beckwith Barn Warren Estate, Lordship Road, Writtle, Essex CM1 3WT

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Inspector

Matilda Clode, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2517054 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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