Children's Home run by Homecare Unique Limited in Kent

Inspection report for children’s home: 2821645 1 Registered provider: Homecare Unique Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private provider. It provides care for up to three children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

This was the home’s first inspection since registration on 24 April 2025. The registered manager also registered at this time.

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Information about this children’s home

There was one child living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2821645 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures in safeguarding practice and in the leadership and management of the home. These failures significantly compromise the child’s safety, experiences and progress. Staff are also not providing the child with care in line with the home’s statement of purpose.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Professionals have mixed views about the child’s progress. The child has complex health needs and a diagnosis of neurodivergence. While some professionals report progress, others raise concerns about unmet emotional and social needs. A specialist nurse stated, ‘Observations suggest that the child’s emotional and social needs may not be fully met.’ They additionally said that staff could have more training to improve the effectiveness in promoting the child’s physical health. A social care professional said that ‘the child is making progress in the right direction’. Despite evidence of the manager working in collaboration with health professionals, there are clear gaps in staff’s knowledge, which is limiting the staff’s effectiveness in meeting the child’s health needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child’s bedroom is not personalised and is in a messy and chaotic state. Staff have not supported the child in managing this environment with broken furniture remaining in the room at the child’s request. Graffiti containing racist and discriminatory language and symbols has not been appropriately addressed with the child or removed from the walls. The condition of the rest of the home reflects a wider failure to provide a safe, nurturing and homely environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Consultation with the child is weak. Managers and staff do not fully understand the child’s experiences and how they feel living at the home. This does not help the child to feel listened to or know that their views are important or are taken seriously.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

While the manager has developed a positive relationship with the child, staff’s relationships with the child are underdeveloped. The manager’s constant availability inadvertently undermines staff’s efforts to build trust and rapport. Boundaries within the home are unclear, and the child is aware of personal information about staff that is not appropriate, which compromises professional boundaries.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child is currently out of formal education. The manager and staff are supporting the child to engage in interests and to have educational aspirations for the future, exploring options. Staff have successfully supported attendance at an interview with a local college.

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

The child’s safety and welfare are neither assured nor promoted adequately at this home. Managers and staff do not understand their roles and responsibilities in Inspection report for children’s home: 2821645 3 safeguarding the child. The manager has failed to share concerns with the relevant professionals from safeguarding partner agencies, which increases the risk of harm and contributes to the development of a closed culture. Opportunities for learning and improvement following safeguarding incidents have been missed.

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

Allegations made by the child have not been identified or responded to. The provider has not consulted with the local authority designated officer (LADO) following these allegations. The manager has also not notified all serious incidents to the regulator.

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

Records of physical interventions are incomplete and lack critical information. Debriefs are not routinely completed or followed up. Senior leaders currently lack mechanisms to assess whether staff’s practice is safe or effective, and there is no external scrutiny of staff’s responses to incidents.

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

The staff’s assessment and planning regarding the c child’s risks are poor. Risk assessments lack sufficient detail to guide staff in responding to risk or supporting the child to make safer choices. These assessments are not routinely reviewed following incidents, which undermines their effectiveness.

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

The provider has failed to gain the full information from a fire assessment, meaning they are unable to fully identify what they need to do to prevent fire and keep people safe. Portable firefighting equipment has been relocated without consultation with a fire safety professional, which has left it less accessible for staff.

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

Safer recruitment processes are in place. However, recruitment files are not maintained. On one occasion, the manager did not access to or oversight of a hardcopy Disclosure and Barring Service certificate.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager and responsible individual lack a clear and comprehensive understanding of The Children’s Homes Regulations. This has had a significant negative impact on their ability to manage the home effectively and in compliance with statutory requirements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The arrangements for monitoring the quality of care and safeguarding the child receives are poor. The registered manager has no regular monitoring systems in place. Senior leaders have not maintained sufficient or effective oversight of the home. Consequently, a significant number of shortfalls have been identified by the inspection that the manager was unaware of or was yet to address.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The staff team is inexperienced and lacks the required skills and knowledge. Effective structures for staff support are not in place. Staff do not have access to regular supervision, team meetings do not take place consistently and there is no ability for managers to review the impact on staff of putting learning into practice. Inspection report for children’s home: 2821645 4 Although staff report feeling supported and describe training as effective, there remain significant gaps in the knowledge that staff should have to be able to provide good enough care and safeguarding for children. Staff are unfamiliar with the home’s model of care, the safeguarding procedures and the responsibilities associated with additional roles. Despite positive feedback from staff about their management, they are unclear about how often they should be having supervision.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The lack of diversity across the workforce is something that the child has identified as negatively affecting their sense of identity. This was not sufficiently considered when initially moving the child into the home. The home’s workforce development plan is not complete, and the information contained does not reflect the current workforce, their skills or areas for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The use of internal CCTV is intrusive and has not been properly considered by leaders. It is not detailed in the child’s care plan or risk assessment. Consent has not been obtained and there is no structured way to review this practice. The home’s policy does not reflect current good practice in the use of CCTV. This has a negative impact on the child’s privacy.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home is currently transitioning from paper-based records to an electronic recording system. The manager and staff are yet to receive training in this system. There are several gaps in the child’s records, and the manager is unable to fully evidence the day- to-day experiences of the child at the home. These records would not be helpful to the child should they wish to view them later in their life.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Reports from the independent visitor have identified shortfalls, but consent to access the child’s records has not been obtained, limiting the scope of their review. Inspection report for children’s home: 2821645 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

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

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(j)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(d)) 5 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2821645 6 In particular, managers must ensure there are clear strategies for staff to follow on how to keep children safe and support them to manage and reduce any risks.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that any allegations of harm or abuse are addressed in line with the home’s child protection policy and processes, ensuring that any allegations against staff are shared with the LADO.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, managers must take opportunities to check staff’s understanding of their responsibilities to safeguard children.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, managers must ensure oversight of any use of physical intervention, including recording practices while ensuring that children and staff are given appropriate access to debriefs following any incidents.

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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— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose; ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; 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; 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 5 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2821645 7 feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, managers must ensure they understand The Children’s Home Regulations and the home is run in line with regulatory requirements.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, managers must monitor and support staff to develop the required knowledge and skills through access to good quality training and supervision.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, staff must be provided with detailed and clear plans to meet the children’s needs and reduce risks for the children.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager must ensure there is a workforce plan in place that fulfils the workforce-related requirements of regulation 16.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, managers must learn from serious incidents and use this to inform future planning and risk assessments.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager must capture the children’s voice and use feedback to improve the quality of care provided.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, managers must use monitoring systems to identify and address poor recording by staff.

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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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff— 5 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2821645 8 understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children;

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Requirement Due date

the child’s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance;

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(b)(d)) 5 September 2025

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

ensure, by means of fire drills and practices at suitable intervals, that persons working at the home and, so far as reasonably practicable, children are aware of the procedure to be followed in case of fire. (Regulation 25 (1)(a)(d)) 5 September 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

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure; 5 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2821645 9 the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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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

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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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)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter;

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Requirement Due date

must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)(e) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b)) 5 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2821645 10 The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(b)) 5 September 2025

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: 2821645 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Homecare Unique Limited

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Olumide Akinfaderin

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Inspector

Cassie Martin, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2821645 12 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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