Children's home run by EJ Childcare Services Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2638783 1 Registered provider: EJ Childcare Services LTD

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private provider. It offers care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this visit, one child was living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The post for a registered manager has been vacant since April 2025.

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This monitoring visit

This home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 6 August 2025, and two compliance notices were issued under regulations 12 and 13. This visit took place to evaluate the provider’s response to the steps outlined in the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

The risk assessment now reflects the child’s needs and the actions staff should take to ensure that the child is safeguarded effectively. Staff respond to incidents in a safe and appropriate manner, demonstrating that they are acting in line with the child’s risk assessment.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have updated the safeguarding policies and procedures. Staff have received additional training, which has included reviewing the new documents so that safeguarding concerns are responded to appropriately. Furthermore, leaders and managers are planning for the local authority designated officer to provide training to staff to broaden their knowledge of how to report allegations.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have implemented processes that support them in addressing shortfalls in staff practice. Disciplinary processes are now followed, and although this has led to staff shortages, leaders have a contingency plan in place while recruitment is ongoing. As a result, the team culture is improving, and staff are working well together. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2638783 2 Learning resources are now available to help staff who are subject to a performance improvement plan to enhance their practice. All staff have completed a new induction programme, along with training to refresh their skills. For example, all staff have received safeguarding training. As a result, staff’s ability to respond to the child’s risks has improved.

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This monitoring visit

The manager is receiving additional support for his development and reflects on staff management of incidents and events involving the child. There has been an improvement in the manager’s oversight of the home.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have met all the steps outlined in the compliance notices. The requirements and recommendations from the previous inspection were not reviewed at this visit and have therefore been restated. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2638783 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/08/2025 Full Inadequate 20/08/2024 Full Good 23/01/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2638783 4

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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 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

ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care. (Regulation 7 (1)(c) (2)(a)(i)(iv)) 30 September

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction.

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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;

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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. (Regulation 33 (1)(a) (4)(b)(c)) 30 September

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. 30 September Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2638783 5 The registered person may only—

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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 the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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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

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) (3)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs; and

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c)) 31 October 2025

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust; and 30 September Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2638783 6 understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(c) (2)(a)(viii)(ix))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets children’s needs. This includes ensuring that the home is clean and well maintained. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that children do not face charges for behaviour in the home if such behaviour would not result in police involvement in a typical family home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 47, paragraph 9.40)

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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: 2638783 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: EJ Childcare Services LTD

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Foxhaven, Easington Road, Hartlepool TS24 9RE

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Inspector

Laura Roberts, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2638783 8 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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