Children's Home run by Benecare Limited in Kent

Inspection report for children’s home: SC357981 1 SC357981 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 run by a private organisation. It provides care for up to four children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, four children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager post has been vacant since February 2024. The new manager has applied to register with Ofsted.

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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

Date of last inspection: 14 October 2024

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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: SC357981 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/10/2024 Full Good 03/10/2023 Full Good 19/07/2022 Full Good 10/01/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC357981 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children receive individualised care and have made good progress from their starting points. Due to children’s previous experiences, staff have faced some challenges in getting children to trust them. Children and staff have now built positive relationships because staff have placed the well-being of individual children at the centre of their practice.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive consistent support from staff. This helps children to make progress, which contributes to improving children’s confidence and self-esteem. Examples of children’s progress include a reduction in risk-taking behaviour and improved relationships between a child and their family.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views and wishes are important to staff. Children chose the furniture for their bedrooms and chose how the home should be decorated. Children participate in a wide range of activities of their choice. One child said that staff are very good at encouraging all children to go out and have fun. This makes children feel important and appreciated.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to learn skills that help them to live more independently. All children help with household tasks and do their own laundry. Most children enjoy baking and cooking. Some children have learned how to use public transport without staff support. The manager said that their aim is to help children to be confident in their daily lives when leaving this home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children leave the home, staff work closely with other professionals to make the moves go as smoothly as possible. Staff have stayed in touch with the two children who have left most recently. Staff speak with pride when they describe the progress that the children continue to make.

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

Staff understand and implement children’s individualised plans, and behaviour that makes children vulnerable reduces as a result. If there are any shortfalls in staff adhering to children’s plans, the manager takes effective action to reduce the risk of further mistakes.

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

Sometimes, children struggle to manage their emotions and show this through their behaviour. One child said that they displayed some behaviour that challenged so that they could test their relationships with staff. Staff remain resilient during difficult times and help children to make positive choices.

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

When children leave the home without permission, staff work together to locate children quickly and bring them to safety. Children say that they know that staff worry and care about them when they place themselves at risk. Staff appropriately inform professionals Inspection report for children’s home: SC357981 4 about missing-from-care incidents and ensure that children receive good care after such incidents. This allows children to feel safe and helps them to stay safe.

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

When staff report safeguarding concerns, managers take effective action without delay. They work closely with external agencies to ensure children’s safety. One social worker said that they have confidence that staff have the skills they need to keep children safe.

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

Physical restraint is used by staff only as a last resort and when someone is at serious risk of harm. Staff ensure that children are supported with individualised de-escalation techniques before they implement such restrictions. Staff’s records of such incidents are detailed. However, records do not demonstrate that the manager checks on children’s welfare or consistently seeks their views about the restraint within the required timescales. The records also lack information about the manager’s view on the effectiveness of the measure.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has been without a registered manager for over a year. Leaders have taken effective action to appoint a new manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is passionate about improving outcomes for children. The manager understands the strengths and weaknesses of the home. The manager has modelled good practice, particularly during more challenging times. Children and staff express their gratitude about the new manager’s commitment to their welfare.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervisions and appraisals are completed within agreed intervals. Supervisions are detailed and allow staff to reflect on their practice and professional development. Staff say that they enjoy their one-to-one time with the manager and that they feel heard and supported.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Records of management monitoring do not consistently capture the effective oversight that takes place in practice. For example, debriefs after incidents do not capture the ‘lessons learnt’ approach that exists to ensure continuous improvement. Inspection report for children’s home: SC357981 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—

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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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) (2)(h)) 15 August 2025

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3) (a)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 15 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC357981 6

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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: SC357981 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: SC357981 8 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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