Children's Home run by Stevens Children’s Homes in Medway

Inspection report for children's home: 2816350 1 Registered provider: Stevens Children's Homes Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

This home is registered to provide care for up to 3 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties. The home is run by a private organisation.

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Information about this children's home

There were 3 children living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children's home

The manager registered with Ofsted in February 2026.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2816350 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/07/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home: 2816350 3

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Summary of findings

Children experience inconsistent outcomes at this home. Some children benefit from increased safety through positive relationships with staff and increased support. However, this approach is not consistent for all children.

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Summary of findings

Children's health and education plans are not progressing at the pace required to meet their identified needs. At times, staff practice avoids appropriate challenge to children to prevent a potential escalation of behaviours.

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Summary of findings

The manager is beginning to implement systems to strengthen oversight and monitoring, and she is leading her staff to become more professionally curious. However, these changes require further embedding to ensure that they positively impact the care children receive.

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improvement to be good

Children's health needs are not consistently understood, and their plans are not always progressed effectively. Although referrals to health professionals have recently been made, these interventions have occurred late, and there is limited evidence of sustained or creative attempts to support children's engagement with health services. Consequently, some children's identified health needs remain insufficiently explored or addressed, limiting progress towards improvement and increased wellbeing.

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improvement to be good

Children are not consistently engaged in education, training or employment. Planning in this area lacks urgency and clear oversight, resulting in delays for children accessing meaningful opportunities to learn. While some recent initiatives have begun, such as seeking apprenticeships, these remain at an early stage and have not yet resulted in measurable progress for children.

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improvement to be good

Children experience excessive unstructured time, with staff not always aware of how children spend long periods during the day. Opportunities for meaningful activities and engagement are limited, resulting in some children becoming isolated in their bedrooms and reporting that they do not always feel encouraged to spend time with staff. This reduces opportunities for staff to undertake relationship-based work and create positive experiences for children.

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improvement to be good

Some children benefit from warm and nurturing relationships with staff and speak positively about the care and practical support they receive. One child said that through their support, staff have given them hope for the future. Children are increasingly able to seek support from staff they know and trust, which helps them feel cared for and contributes to their safety. Inspection report for children's home: 2816350 4 Staff support children to develop independence skills, including budgeting and cooking. However, approaches to measuring children's achievements are inconsistent, meaning children's achievements are not always clearly identified or tracked.

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improvement to be good

Feedback from parents and professionals is mixed. While many acknowledge that children have made progress in some areas, concerns remain regarding the consistency and pace. Some parents and professionals feel that greater effort is needed to progress children's plans more effectively, particularly in relation to implementing clear structure and boundaries. Opportunities to promote children's engagement in meaningful activities requires further effort from staff.

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improvement to be good

There has been a reduction in certain risk-taking behaviours for some children, including incidents of going missing from the home and substance misuse. Children recognise the support provided by staff in helping them reduce some risk-taking behaviours, and one child attributes this support as being the main factor for their progress in this area. However, this progress is inconsistent across the home, and staff do not yet demonstrate a sufficiently confident understanding of the risks faced by all children.

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improvement to be good

Risk assessments and safety planning are not always underpinned by professional curiosity or a clear understanding of children's lived experiences. Although processes for ensuring that staff demonstrate reflective practice are beginning to embed, these systems are not yet sufficiently developed and have not had a meaningful impact on children. As a result, staff do not consistently help children to understand risk, develop safer behaviours or reduce their vulnerability to harm.

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improvement to be good

Opportunities to undertake meaningful conversations and reflective work with children following incidents of going missing from home are often missed. Although staff recognise that some children may be reluctant to engage, there is limited evidence of persistent or creative attempts to use everyday interactions to explore concerns or provide support.

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improvement to be good

Staff practice demonstrates a tendency to avoid challenge and confrontation to prevent escalation. As a result, boundaries for children are not always clear or consistently implemented. This contributes to some children spending prolonged periods disengaged from staff and limits opportunities for effective intervention and support.

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

The manager is passionate about delivering good care to children and demonstrates insight into the existing shortfalls. Staff feel well supported and feel that their practice and the care of children is improving under the manager's leadership. Inspection report for children's home: 2816350 5 The manager has started to implement systems intended to strengthen oversight and monitoring. Improvements in recording systems are beginning to have a positive impact for staff practice. These developments remain in the early stages and have not yet embedded to instil consistently effective practice.

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

Management oversight is not yet sufficiently strong in all areas to ensure that staff have a clear understanding of children's plans, risks and progress. The manager has started to promote more reflective and professionally curious practice, in particular after incidents occur. However, this work remains underdeveloped and has not yet resulted in consistently positive outcomes for children.

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

Children's views are considered during house meetings, which now take place regularly. Leaders respond to children's views and wishes. As a result of children's feedback, some improvements have been made to the home environment.

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

Supervision arrangements are in place, and effective supervision is occurring regularly. These sessions, together with team meetings, are beginning to support staff development.

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

The requirements set at the previous inspection have been met. Inspection report for children's home: 2816350 6

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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

that the home's day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b)) 30 June 2026

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child's education and training targets, as recorded in the child's relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child's learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study; 31 July 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2816350 7 understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child's relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(ix)(x))

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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.

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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. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(i)) 31 July 2026

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Recommendation

 The registered person should undertake a review that focuses on the quality of the care provided by the home, the experiences of children living there and the impact the care is having on outcomes and improvements for the children. Reviews should be underpinned by the Quality Standards as described in regulations 5 to 14 ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 64, paragraph 5.2) Inspection report for children's home: 2816350 8

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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: 2816350 9

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Stevens Children's Homes

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: 84 High Street, Garlinge, Margate CT9 5LP

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Children's home details

Responsible individual: Chanelle Stevens

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Inspector

Alexia Hosker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2816350 10 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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