Children's home run by Kites Children Services Limited in Colchester

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC029560 1 SC029560 Registered provider: Kites Children Services Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is one of two children’s homes operated by a private provider. The home provides specialist therapeutic care and treatment for up to six children with complex needs.

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Information about this children’s home

There were four children living at 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 April 2023.

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This monitoring visit

The last inspection in April 2025 found serious shortfalls in respect of the care of children. As a result, the home was judged inadequate. Following that inspection, Ofsted served one compliance notice under the protection of children standard.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to establish the provider’s progress in meeting the steps set out in the compliance notice. The registered manager has been absent from the home since the last inspection. The responsible individual and deputy manager have been overseeing the home in the manager’s absence. Sufficient progress has been made for Ofsted to assess that the provider has met the steps set out in the compliance notice.

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This monitoring visit

Senior leaders have taken appropriate action to develop staff’s knowledge. Staff have undergone a programme of training and development They have received additional relevant training in safeguarding and whistle-blowing to develop their knowledge and skills. Team meetings now support practice development sessions. Regular discussions about recording and reporting incidents and allegations appropriately have taken place during these meetings. This has supported staff to refresh their knowledge and skills. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC029560 2 Senior leaders now provide staff with clear guidance on how to effectively respond to allegations of harm. Children’s individual risk management plans are now detailed, and there are clear, individualised protocols for staff to follow. Leaders and managers have appropriately agreed individualised safeguarding protocols for children with

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This monitoring visit

social workers and the local authority designated officer.

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This monitoring visit

When children have raised allegations of harm, leaders and managers have responded effectively. Appropriate referrals to relevant professionals have been made and any advice given followed. Staff have ensured that protective measures have been implemented until the child is spoken to by somebody unconnected to the allegation of harm. On each occasion, the child retracted their concern.

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This monitoring visit

Senior leaders have developed new templates for the recording of safeguarding incidents. These support staff to record more detailed information when children make an allegation of harm. Managers’ reviews of safeguarding incidents are now responsive and analytical.

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This monitoring visit

The requirements set at the last inspection were not explored as part of this monitoring visit and are therefore restated at this inspection. These will be reviewed as part of the home’s next inspection.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/04/2025 Full Inadequate 01/05/2024 Full Good 06/06/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 06/09/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC029560 3

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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 with 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

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—

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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)(h)) 10 July 2025

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children’s bathrooms are in good condition and repairs are carried out within a reasonable timescale. 10 July 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC029560 4 The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

is given appropriate advocacy support. (Regulation 7 (1)(c) (2)(b)(iii)) 10 July 2025

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (c)(iii)(iv)) 10 July 2025

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (‘the Level 3 Diploma’); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016. (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b)) 10 September Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC029560 5

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC029560 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Kites Children Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Forge, Langham, Colchester CO4 5PX

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Inspector

Syvanna Matthew, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC029560 7 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 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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