Children's home run by Ethelbert Specialist Homes Limited in Thanet

Inspection report for children's home: SC023741 1 SC023741 Registered provider: Ethelbert Specialist Homes 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 privately owned and provides care for up to 3 children who may experience social, emotional or mental health difficulties. At the time of this inspection, one child was living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since July 2024.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 11 February 2025

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC023741 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/02/2025 Full Outstanding 05/07/2023 Full Outstanding 20/04/2022 Full Outstanding 05/05/2021 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home: SC023741 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Since the last inspection, one child has remained living in the home and is making excellent progress. The child lives in a well-maintained and child-focused home that is personalised to their tastes. Staff have creatively remodelled one of the rooms in the home to create a dedicated space for the child to play football. This demonstrates staff’s commitment to the child and the importance they place on promoting the child’s interests.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The child says they feel loved. The relationships between staff and the child are consistent and stable, ensuring excellent continuity of care. Staff make every effort to involve the child in group activities, such as youth group and football club, to help reduce social isolation. Staff also participate in a fantasy football competition with the child, who is encouraged to make presentations at monthly award ceremonies for the winners. This helps to increase the child’s confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The child has made progress in many areas of their life and staff have helped them to explore the activities that they most enjoy. For example, the child’s talent for drama is promoted at theatre school. The child takes part in regular work experience and has earned certificates in recognition of their achievements. These experiences have further built their self-esteem and helped them to develop their identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The child’s views, wishes and feelings are treated with the utmost importance by staff. Staff place emphasis on creating an open, warm and inclusive culture where the child feels listened to. Regular house meetings take place where their views are gathered in relation to holidays, trips and themed nights.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Culture is celebrated and the child takes part in monthly themed culture nights. The child is supported to create menus and cook food from different cultures. This helps them to develop a broader understanding of the world.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff are imaginative in their approach to preparing the child for adulthood. They have created a bespoke plan which includes helping the child to travel independently and do household tasks. The child has also been helped to create a CV for employment and has received help with managing finances. As a result, the child is now able to save money and recently contributed to purchasing a new phone with their savings.

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

The child is safeguarded effectively by staff who know them well. Staff have built positive, trusting relationships with the child and supported them to engage meaningfully with other professionals. Support has been carefully planned to ensure that it is individualised and risks are carefully monitored. As a result, there have been only a few Inspection report for children's home: SC023741 4 incidents. There have been no physical interventions, and the child does not go missing from home.

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

When incidents do happen, there is extensive learning and reflection to explore the meaning behind the child’s behaviour. Staff are quick to share information around changes in the child’s behaviour with the child’s network. This helps the child to receive consistent responses from adults.

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

Staff carry out extensive direct work with the child around exploring healthy relationships. The work is child focused and conversations take place in a natural way. For example, the child is encouraged to reflect on scenes from television shows to help them understand healthy relationships. Furthermore, staff seek regular consultations with specialists to help the child explore their sexuality. This has helped the child to maintain healthy and safe relationships with peers.

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

The child is supported to understand internet safety. Effective safeguards are in place to monitor the child’s online activity. These include daily phone checks and effective parental controls. The child is encouraged to engage in activities around keeping safe online. This learning is supported through open and transparent conversations between the child and staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is a force of aspiration and positivity and continuously strives for improvement. This approach has inspired the same culture among staff. She has high expectations for the staff and ensures that there is continuous progress for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff feel well supported by the registered manager. They receive regular reflective supervision that encourages their development. Leaders are attuned to the emotional demands of working in the home and offer staff regular formal and informal support. The manager has excellent oversight of the strengths and areas for development in the staff team. One staff member is keen to undertake a counselling course and the manager is seeking ways to support this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager acknowledges the difficulties that can arise with lone working. She is quick to rectify any issues, in team meetings and group supervision. There has been no staff turnover, which ensures the child is cared for by familiar and consistent staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is extremely organised and has established systems for effective oversight and monitoring of the care provided to children. She is aware that the child’s needs change quickly and therefore she reviews risk assessments on a regular basis.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Feedback from external professionals is positive. One professional said, ‘Communication is excellent.’ The child’s independent reviewing officer reflected on how staff have an excellent knowledge of the child’s needs. They said that the team is heavily involved in the planning for the child’s transition to adulthood to ensure this goes well. Inspection report for children's home: SC023741 5 No requirements or recommendations following this inspection.

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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: SC023741 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Ethelbert Specialist Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Ethelbert Specialist Homes Limited, 17 Leigh Road, Ramsgate, Kent CT12 5EU

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Leslie Davenport

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Inspector

Stephanie McDonald, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC023741 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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