Children's Home run by Heartwood Seabrook Limited in Kent

Inspection report for children’s home: 2778288 1 Registered provider: Heartwood Seabrook 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

This home is privately run and is registered to provide care for up to five children who experience social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, there were four children living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since May 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

Date of last inspection: 26 November 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: 2778288 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/11/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2778288 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children say that they like living at home. Children develop a sense of belonging because staff understand the importance of stability for children. Children make good progress because they receive individualised care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have ambitious visions for children’s futures. Staff build positive and trusting relationships with children and help them to develop the skills that they need to succeed, for example in relation to children’s social skills and learning how to live more independently.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are free to express their wishes and feelings and tell staff when they think something needs to change. One child said that they ‘feel confident to challenge’ decisions made by staff. Children’s views are listened to and acted on appropriately.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to attend and engage in education, and they make good progress from their starting points. Managers and staff work collaboratively with education professionals. This ensures a consistent approach that supports positive outcomes for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand and promote the importance of family time for children. Staff advocate for children to spend more time with their families when this is in children’s best interests. The overall approach allows children to maintain their relationships with the people important to children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children are ready to leave, staff help to ensure that moves are positive. The children who have most recently left the home have settled well into their new placements. This is because their moves took place at a pace suited to their needs. The registered manager challenged and escalated their concerns when new living arrangements were not appropriate for one child. Furthermore, staff have ensured that the child receives the ongoing support that they need.

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

The registered manager and leaders ensure that any safeguarding concerns are responded to without delay. Staff and managers liaise effectively with external safeguarding professionals to make sure that safety plans for children are appropriate.

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

On occasions when children go missing from the home, staff respond immediately to ensure that children are safely returned at the earliest opportunity. As a result, no children have been missing overnight.

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

Recruitment practice is sound. Thorough checks of staff suitability are carried out before staff start working in the home. Furthermore, the registered manager ensures that Inspection report for children’s home: 2778288 4 agency staff are safely recruited. This reduces the risk of unsafe adults being employed to work with children.

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

When children’s behaviour indicates that they are struggling to manage their emotions, staff respond with empathy. They follow clear guidelines that help to ensure that children remain safe. However, children do not receive sufficient support that would help them to understand their own risks and vulnerabilities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has effective systems for monitoring children’s progress and the quality of care that children receive. This provides the manager with a well-rounded understanding of the impact that children’s care is having on their outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has a good understanding of the strengths and areas for development. There is a focus on reflecting on day-day-to day practice, and where needed, making changes to ensure continuous improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive good-quality training and attend regular team meetings. Staff are also individually supported by the registered manager, who is present and available to role model good childcare practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff supervision sessions are of good quality and demonstrate effective support that helps staff to reflect on safeguarding matters and respond to children therapeutically. However, the registered manager does not ensure that the frequency of supervision and appraisals is in line with the organisation’s policy. This a missed opportunity to review staff development regularly. Inspection report for children’s home: 2778288 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

help each child to understand how to keep safe.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(ii)) 12 September 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 33 (4)(b)(c)) 12 September 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: 2778288 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Heartwood Seabrook Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 416 Green Lane, Ilford, Essex IG3 9JX

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Inspector

Sonata Brisley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2778288 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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