Children's Home run by Fairport Care Services Ltd in Kent

Inspection report for children’s home: SC066129 1 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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SC066129 Registered provider: Fairport Care Services Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and provides care for up to 5 children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 3 children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2020.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC066129 2 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/04/2025 Full Good 28/08/2024 Full Good 17/10/2023 Full Outstanding 14/02/2023 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC066129 3 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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Summary of findings

Children make good progress and benefit from positive experiences. Managers and staff know them well and provide them with the necessary support when they need it. They prioritise developing meaningful and lasting relationships with children. This helps children to stay safe and secure and grow in confidence.

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Summary of findings

Leaders and managers are committed to improving children’s lives. They foster a child- centred ethos, ensuring that children have a voice and actively participate in decisions regarding their care.

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Summary of findings

Staff have a good understanding of children’s needs and risks. However, there are some minor shortfalls and inconsistencies in safeguarding and the leadership and management of the home. These have not had a direct detrimental effect on children. Leaders and managers are aware of the work needed to improve monitoring and systems underpinning the service and have promptly taken steps to address them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Relationships are central to staff practice. Children say staff are thoughtful and caring, which results in them feeling loved. Staff approach children with empathy and compassion, and natural interactions demonstrate warmth and nurture. Children approach staff for appropriate physical affection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff are helping children create core childhood memories. Staff know the children well and use this knowledge to support their experiences, focusing on their likes and interests. As a result, children have increased their engagement with the wider community and are accessing a broad range of clubs and activities. Children have also been encouraged to attend festivals, concerts and holidays. One child described their experience of Christmas in the home as being their ‘best yet’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported in developing skills for adulthood at a pace they can manage and achieve. They are encouraged to live as a group and take responsibility for their home and surroundings in an age- and stage-appropriate way. Children are proud of their achievements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children understand the importance of education. Staff advocate for children to attend school. When there are delays in being able to attend school, staff create alternative timetables that prepare children to be ready for school. One child has received support to secure a place at a local college in the next academic year in their course of choice. Another child, who has been out of education for some time, is preparing to start at a local educational provision full time. Inspection report for children’s home: SC066129 4 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Leaders and managers promote children having time with those important to them. They are creative in ensuring that children maintain links with their families wherever possible. The responsible individual supports positive relationship-building with children’s family members. One family member said their child is in ‘the best possible place’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to be themselves, and diversity is celebrated. Staff are sensitive to difference. They recognise and respect how children understand themselves. A psychotherapist supports the staff in their therapeutic approach to caring for the children. The children are seen, safe and valued.

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

Staff encourage children to contribute to their care plans and understand their risks through regular discussions. Children are encouraged to have a voice. This ensures that children contribute to decisions about their lives and are safer through better understanding their risks.

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

Children know how to make complaints if they are unhappy about any aspect of their care or support. When they make complaints, children feel heard, and any concerns are quickly addressed.

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

Staff work closely with a range of agencies. They coordinate children’s access to specialist services and information, such as therapy, child and adolescent mental health services, health and education. This ensures the provision of effective, tailored support for children.

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

Staff manage and respond effectively to safeguarding concerns. They keep placing authorities and parents informed of any concerns. They have developed a positive working relationship with the local authority designated officer. One professional said these are taken seriously, reported appropriately, and investigated in line with expected procedures. However, the provider has failed to notify Ofsted of some serious incidents, which reduces the regulator’s oversight of the service.

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

Staff use physical intervention regularly. Staff only use physical intervention as a last resort to keep children safe. When physical intervention is used, records are clear, and both the staff and children are given the opportunity to reflect and debrief. Staff are trained in the organisation’s model of de-escalation and intervention. On occasion, the provider had omitted some necessary information from these records.

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

The manager has identified the complexity of some records and is working to streamline and simplify some of the information. Children’s risk assessments do not provide clear and consistent direction to staff in managing individual behaviours and risks. Managers are aware and are reviewing these.

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

The use of restrictions and surveillance in the home is variable. The use of door alarms is transparent, and children are fully aware and regularly consulted alongside placing authorities. For one child, restrictive practices are in place to keep them safe. Although Inspection report for children’s home: SC066129 5 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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

these have been implemented in a multi-agency way, necessary steps have not been taken or appropriately escalated to ensure that current practice remains legal.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitably experienced and qualified and has been in post for several years. The manager is a stable presence and is well supported by the responsible individual. Both have established positive relationships with the children. The deputy manager also has a positive presence and is complementary to the senior leadership team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has experienced a difficult year following the sad death of a child living there. While this did not occur in the home, leaders acknowledge the ongoing emotional effect on them, the staff and children; the support provided in response to this continues. The senior leadership team has spent time reflecting to further improve their services and maintain resilience in response to this situation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are unanimously positive about the manager and senior leaders, describing them as ‘committed’, ‘dedicated’, ‘available’ and ‘approachable’. One professional said, ‘They are devoted to providing excellent care, nurture and safety to children.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The wider support services to staff demonstrated some shortfalls, and not all staff have received adequate supervision or appraisals. One member of staff was without supervision for several months unnoticed, which also delayed completion of the provider’s probationary period. Another member of staff had not been formally appraised in line with the organisation’s policy.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

While mandatory training is adequately monitored and maintained when new risks to children emerge, the specialist training does not receive the required level of oversight, resulting in some drift and delay. This means some staff do not have the necessary training to fully support children they care for. Inspection report for children’s home: SC066129 6 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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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

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 intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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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)(j)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, children should not be deprived of their liberty unless authorised in accordance with a court order. 1 June 2026

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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

a description of the measure and its duration. (Regulation 35 (a)(iv)) 1 June 2026

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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)) 1 June 2026

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Plans for the children Inspection report for children’s home: SC066129 7 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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Recommendations

must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day-to-day basis. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)  The registered person should detail and monitor the processes and agreed timescales for staff to achieve induction and probation. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)  The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate resources to support training needs. The registered person should regularly monitor and amend training as necessary in response to any emerging risks or behaviours. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)  The registered person should have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive regular supervision of their practice in line with the organisation’s

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Recommendations

policies. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)  The registered person should ensure that all staff have their performance and fitness to carry out their role formally appraised at least once annually. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5)

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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: SC066129 8 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Fairport Care Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Bank Chambers, 1 Central Avenue ME10 4AE

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Nicky Farrant-D-Wilson

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Inspector

Cassie Martin, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC066129 9 FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

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Inspector

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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