Children's Home run by St Elizabeth’s Centre in Hertfordshire

Inspection report for children's home: 2842251 1 Registered provider: St. Elizabeth's Centre

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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 run by a large charitable organisation. It provides care for up to 6 children with autism and learning disabilities. Children attend the on-site school. The inspector only inspected the social care provision at this school.

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Information about this children's home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2025 at the same time as the home.

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Information about this children's home

The inspector was aware during this inspection that a serious incident that occurred at the home since the last inspection is under investigation by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate incidents of this kind, actions taken by the home in response to the incident were considered (where appropriate) alongside other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform the inspector's judgements.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children's home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children's home: 2842251 2

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improvement to be good

At the time of the inspection, 4 children were living at the home. Although this was the home's first inspection, all the children have lived there for several years, from when the home was previously part of a larger registered setting. The inspector spent time with 2 of the 4 children.

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improvement to be good

There are significant shortfalls in the help and protection of children and the leadership and management of the home. These shortfalls have undermined the overall quality of care provided. Despite this, children do receive appropriate care and enjoy some positive experiences.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not consistently engage effectively with children to support their communication skills. There is a lack of functional communication aids used in the home. Staff do not consistently follow communication approaches identified in children's plans. These shortfalls limit children's ability to make choices and express their needs.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers had been using closed-circuit television (CCTV) as a safeguarding measure. However, this was implemented without obtaining the necessary written consent from placing authorities and parents. The assessment for using CCTV did not demonstrate that this was a proportionate or last-resort intervention. This monitoring was discontinued during the inspection.

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improvement to be good

Staff celebrate children's milestones and recognise children's achievements. Children have opportunities to build their independence. However, the system for capturing and monitoring the steps to help children increase their skills in these areas needs some improvement. Although children do make progress, the pace of this progress for children is slow.

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improvement to be good

Children have high attendance at school and engage well in their education. Staff ensure that children are prepared for their school day through supporting consistent and established morning routines.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children with their health. They work closely with on-site nurses and specialist therapists to ensure that children's individual health needs are met.

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improvement to be good

Staff maintain positive relationships with children and provide a varied range of activities that meet children's interests and support their wellbeing.

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improvement to be good

Since the home's registration, one child has successfully moved on to adult living. This move was well supported by staff. Inspection report for children's home: 2842251 3

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improvement to be good

On one occasion, the manager failed to follow the safeguarding procedures when a concern was raised about staff. There was a significant delay in referring an allegation of harm to the local authority designated officer (LADO). This meant protective safeguards were not considered during this time, and external oversight was not in place when it should have been. Once senior leaders became aware of the concern, they took appropriate action. However, the delay has undermined the reliability of the subsequent investigation.

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improvement to be good

On another occasion, leaders and managers responded appropriately to address alleged poor staff practice involving night staff. However, consultation with the LADO was not completed in accordance with the home's safeguarding policy. This can potentially hinder the effectiveness of multi-agency responses to safeguarding concerns.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers compile and regularly review risk assessments for children. These are detailed, are followed by staff and consider children's individual needs and abilities. This ensures that all children can navigate new experiences safely and that any known risks are reduced.

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improvement to be good

There are instances when staff act appropriately to support children who self-harm or who are in emotional distress.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand their roles and responsibilities to safeguard children and have a well ‑ developed awareness of the children's additional vulnerabilities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager was absent at the time of the inspection. The manager also oversees care in another home within the organisation. Senior leaders and the head of care are currently leading the support in this home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Senior leaders are aware of the shortfalls in both the management of the home and the quality of care provided. They have plans in place to address these shortfalls.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Monitoring by leaders and managers has been inconsistent and lacks sufficient rigour. This includes gaps in oversight of some incident records and unclear staff recording that does not always outline the extent of de ‑ escalation strategies used when responding to children's emotions. The manager has failed to respond to a staff member's grievance and a safeguarding concern involving a child. Ineffective monitoring and a lack of timely action significantly reduce the support available to both children and staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

On one occasion, leaders and managers failed to notify Ofsted of a safeguarding concern. As a result, Ofsted's ability to maintain effective oversight of safeguarding arrangements was reduced. Inspection report for children's home: 2842251 4 External monitoring by an independent person provides an appropriate level of scrutiny. However, the independent person does not explore children's views thoroughly and does not routinely seek feedback from parents during visits. Therefore, the additional safeguards intended through these visits are not fully realised.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff have not always received supervision in line with the frequency specified in the home's policy. Senior leaders have identified this shortfall and have recently implemented arrangements that ensure that staff receive good ‑ quality supervision and developmental opportunities to reflect on their practice. Staff say that they feel supported by these arrangements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The majority of feedback from families and professionals is positive. Social workers report effective collaborative working and good levels of communication with staff. Two families are positive about children's experiences. One family has raised concerns, which are being addressed through the home's complaints procedure.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Regular staff meetings are well attended and support a unified approach to care. Staff receive suitably planned training that equips them with the skills they need to meet the children's individual needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders and managers ensure that staffing levels consistently meet agreed supervision ratios and children's needs. They have a clear understanding of staffing trends and respond proactively to staff sickness to maintain continuity of care for children. Inspection report for children's home: 2842251 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

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that protective measures for both children and staff are fully implemented following allegations against staff, including making referrals to the LADO without delay. 6 February 2026

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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

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate; and 6 February 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2842251 6 use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(h))

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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

develop positive relationships with them;

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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

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, staff must consistently implement the strategies outlined in children's plans to support the development of their communication skills. 6 February 2026

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

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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)(b)(d)) 6 February2026

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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. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)) 6 February 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2842251 7

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children's progress in building their independence is systematically monitored. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 52, paragraph 10.4)  The registered person should make the best use of information from independent monitoring to ensure continuous improvement. The independent person's consultations with children should be more inclusive, and parent discussions should be more frequent. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 55, paragraph 10.24)  The registered person should ensure that staff supervision is consistently provided in accordance with the home's policy. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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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: 2842251 8

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Children's home details

Registered provider: St. Elizabeth's Centre

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: St Elizabeth's Centre, South End, Much Hadham SG10 6EW

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Inspector

Mark Anderton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2842251 9 regulates and inspects 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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Inspector

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