Children's Home run by Rocksteady Care Ltd in Kent

Inspection report for children’s home: 2644283 1 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Registered provider: Rocksteady Care 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 4 children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in July 2025.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2644283 2 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/07/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 16/04/2024 Full Good 30/08/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2644283 3 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Summary of findings

Leaders have failed to safeguard children effectively. They have not managed risks appropriately, and staff lack the necessary skills and experience to meet children’s needs. Staff lack confidence in using physical intervention when needed, which has resulted in children being harmed. Children are at risk due to the inability of leaders and managers to keep them safe. Significant failures in how the home is led and managed have compromised children’s progress and experiences. This has resulted in children moving on from the home in unplanned ways.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children’s individual needs are not understood by managers and staff. Staff do not routinely receive information about significant changes to children’s health needs, and guidance does not reflect changing needs. For one child, no review or changes were implemented following a recent diagnosis. Some staff are unaware of the diagnosis, and they have received no training or guidance to help them meet the child’s needs. Furthermore, children’s immediate health needs are not prioritised. In one example, immediate medical advice was not sought despite the child sustaining a head injury and presenting with symptoms of concern.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

When new children move into the home, their known risks are not shared with all staff, and relevant training is not provided to help them understand how to meet their needs. This unnecessary delay results in staff lacking appropriate training to address high levels of risk for several weeks. This compromises children’s safety.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children who had previously settled and made progress have moved on from the home immediately and in unplanned ways. This was following incidents that were managed poorly and ineffectively by staff. Furthermore, leaders and managers failed to address learning from previous and similar incidents, and children experienced harm as a result. This not only had a detrimental impact on children’s feelings of stability and safety, but it also denied them the opportunity to reflect on what had happened along with maintaining relationships that are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children’s views and concerns are not taken seriously or acted on. Their complaints about staff’s use of language are not responded to, and leaders and managers fail to address these concerns with the individual staff. This inaction does not support children’s views and prevents children from feeling confident in their voices being heard.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children’s personal belongings are not considered for the emotional significance they hold. One child had key items from their childhood removed or significantly changed. Staff failed to consider the detrimental impact such actions would have for the child. This resulted in significant emotional distress for the child. Inspection report for children’s home: 2644283 4 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children have opportunities to engage in activities, such as visiting museums, going to local shops and attending concerts.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children are encouraged to attend appropriate education provision. Staff encourage children who are not in school to participate in day-to-day educational activities. Leaders collaborate with education professionals to prioritise education for children without access.

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

Staff are not confident in keeping children safe. Consequently, children are not kept safe. Although staff are trained in physical intervention, they are not confident enough to put this into practice consistently. This has resulted in children being significantly harmed due to staff not intervening during incidents when needed. When physical intervention is used, staff are not routinely spoken to about the impact and suitability of the measures taken. As a result, leaders and managers are not fully aware of the lack of staff confidence. Furthermore, leaders and managers have failed to identify whether measures used are necessary and proportionate.

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

Staff are unclear about the expectations placed on them regarding their support for children. Guidance to staff is poor and lacks clear direction. Sometimes, significant decisions regarding safeguarding practice are made in isolation and not with the children’s wider network. In one example, door handles had been removed from doors, including that of a child’s bedroom. The removal was deemed to minimise ligature risks for the child. However, other items of risk remained. This also compromised the child’s privacy. This isolated practice prevents local authorities and parents from fully understanding children’s experiences.

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

There have been incidents where children have gone missing from the home. These incidents are poorly managed. This is because leaders and managers do not routinely review incidents or consider reasons why children have gone missing from the home. Children are not consistently offered the opportunity to speak to someone independent when they return home, and there is no challenge or follow up with social workers about this. These are missed opportunities to understand why children have gone missing from home and what they experienced while away.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have not created an environment of high aspiration for children. They have been unable to implement systems to ensure effective oversight of incidents, staff supervision, recruitment and day-to-day practice. Staff report feeling undermined and unsupported by leaders. Management arrangements do not support staff or keep children safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have failed to work together effectively. This has led to significant breakdown in the team’s ability to work together. This lack of cohesion has meant that staff are unclear on their responsibilities and why systems are in place. There is a lack of Inspection report for children’s home: 2644283 5 OFSTED USE ONLY

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

scrutiny and support between the manager and the responsible individual, which means that there has been insufficient oversight of practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The responsible individual has not provided adequate guidance or effective oversight of the home. Monitoring and reviewing systems to help the manager address shortfalls are not in place, and there is little evidence of meaningful scrutiny or challenge. As a result, the registered manager does not have the required direction, support or accountability needed to ensure safe and consistent practice in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Decisions about children’s care are made by the organisation’s directors and the responsible individual. These are not always communicated clearly or consistently to the registered manager or staff. This creates confusion and results in mixed messages about expectations and practice. This has caused frustration for the child in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers have failed to ensure that concerns about staff practice or conduct are investigated fully. Their responses lack curiosity and rigour and fail to place the safety of children at the centre. In one example, concerns about professional boundaries towards a child have not been addressed effectively. This lack of action puts children at further risk.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff supervision is inconsistent. Several members of staff have not received supervision for many months, while others have received no supervision. Staff report that they need to request supervision instead of it being an essential aspect of their practice. This lack of structure means staff do not receive the guidance, reflection or support needed to enhance their professional development. Inspection report for children’s home: 2644283 6 OFSTED USE ONLY

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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

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(d)) 17 June 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

promotes their welfare. 17 June 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2644283 7 OFSTED USE ONLY

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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

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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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Requirement Due date

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)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h)

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 17 June 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2644283 8 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Requirement Due date

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed;

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Requirement Due date

that the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(ii)(iii)(c)(e)(i))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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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

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;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used; 17 June 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2644283 9 OFSTED USE ONLY

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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. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (3)(a)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii))

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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

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 (c))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 17 June 2026

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)) 17 June 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only— 17 June 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2644283 10 OFSTED USE 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 an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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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 is of integrity and good character;

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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

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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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)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

the privacy of children is appropriately protected;

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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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is necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 21 (a)(c)(i)(ii)) 17 June 2026

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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. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)) 17 June 2026

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must establish a procedure for considering complaints made by or on behalf of children.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the procedure must provide that no person who is the subject of a complaint takes any part in its consideration or 17 June 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2644283 11 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Requirement Due date

investigation, except at the informal resolution stage if the registered person considers it appropriate.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that no child is subject to any reprisal for making a complaint or representation. (Regulation 39 (1) (2) (3) (4))

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that children are offered a return home interview following any incidents when they have been missing from the home, and leaders and managers should challenge local authorities if this is not provided. In particular, leaders and managers should take account of the information provided when assessing further risks and put arrangements in place to protect children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)

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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: 2644283 12 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Rocksteady Care Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 18 Wealden Avenue, Tenterden TN30 6NN

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Inspectors

Ben Wilson, Social Care Inspector Mark Newington, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2644283 13 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Inspectors

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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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