Children's Home run by Benecare Limited in Kent

Inspection report for children's home: SC401927 1 SC401927 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 owned and operated by a limited company. It provides care for up to four children who experience social and emotional difficulties. There were two children living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children's home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since February 2025.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children's home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC401927 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/07/2024 Full Good 20/06/2023 Full Good 27/02/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 01/03/2022 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children's home: SC401927 3

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improvement to be good

Children’s experiences vary in quality. Children have had some settled and positive times. Some children’s relationships with staff have improved and they have enjoyed various fun activities. However, sometimes, children struggle to live together harmoniously as a group, and they say that this has a negative impact on them.

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improvement to be good

Children’s progress has also been variable. There are examples of children becoming more confident to use public transport, forming positive relationships with staff and maintaining a commitment to their hobbies. However, children’s progress is not consistent, and staff are concerned about this.

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improvement to be good

Not all children are currently enrolled in education. When children are not receiving formal learning, staff encourage them to complete educational tasks at home. One child engages well in this. Staff advocate for suitable educational placements to be identified for children, but children do not always attend.

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improvement to be good

Children have a say in the way the home is run. For example, they choose items for their bedrooms to make them personalised, and they have chosen the colours for the redecoration of communal areas. Children say that when they ask for things, these are sourced for them. When this is not possible, staff explain the reasons why.

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improvement to be good

Family time is important for children, and this is well understood by staff. Staff communicate well with children’s families and promote an increase in family time when this is in children’s best interests. Furthermore, staff are committed to travelling long distances to ensure that children have positive experiences with their families. This allows children and families to maintain their relationships.

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

The registered manager has a sound knowledge of safeguarding procedures. They ensure that there is effective joint working with external professionals, such as children’s social workers and the local authority designated officer. Any concerns or allegations about staff conduct are taken seriously and robustly investigated.

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

Physical restraint is used only as a last resort when there is a risk of harm to children or staff. Good use is made of debriefs with children after incidents to help them to understand what went wrong and how they can be supported differently to reduce the risk of incidents requiring physical restraint in the future. This approach has effectively reduced the frequency of incidents requiring physical restraints for one child.

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

Staff understand and implement children’s care and support plans, which clearly describe the support that children need to keep them safe. For example, when a child attempts to Inspection report for children's home: SC401927 4 leave the home unaccompanied or is missing from home, staff take appropriate action to ensure children’s safety. However, sometimes, when children are struggling to manage their emotions and are displaying this through their behaviour, staff feel overwhelmed and not experienced or resilient enough to thoroughly help them. This has a negative impact on children’s sense of security.

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

The recruitment process is not sufficiently robust. Not all records of recruitment demonstrate sufficient exploration about gaps in applicants’ employment history. This risks unsuitable adults being employed to work at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager is passionate about maintaining children’s safety and well-being. However, when the registered manager had a period of absence, suitable arrangements were not put in place to ensure that there was effective management monitoring and oversight of the service. Some staff said that they did not receive enough support during difficult times, but they are positive about the support that they receive from the registered manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager’s oversight of incidents is sound and demonstrates that, when appropriate, learning is identified that improves staff practice. However, there were some shortfalls in this area during the manager’s absence. Additionally, monitoring systems are not robust enough to ensure that there is continuous improvement in all areas that affect the quality of care being provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager does not regularly review the quality of care being provided to children. This means that they have not demonstrated that they have a well-rounded view of the experiences of the children and the impact that the care is having on their outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff have defined developmental goals. However, they do not regularly receive supervision. This is a missed opportunity to ensure that staff feel supported and to help them to reflect on their practice and develop in their roles. Inspection report for children's home: SC401927 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 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 individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, 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 has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d)) 3 July 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

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 3 July 2025 Inspection report for children's home: SC401927 6 ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; 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)(b)(c)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(iii)(ix)) 3 July 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; 3 July 2025 Inspection report for children's home: SC401927 7 receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and

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Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home. (Regulation 45 (1) (4)(a)(b)) 3 July 2025

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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: SC401927 8

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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: SC401927 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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