Children's Home run by Curve Care Ltd in Kent

Inspection report for children's home: 2869362 1 Registered provider: Curve Care Ltd

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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 one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, one child was living in the home. The inspector spoke with the child.

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Information about this children’s home

This was the home’s first inspection. Since it was registered, the registered manager and responsible individual have moved on. A new manager has been appointed but has not yet applied to be registered. The registered provider has recently appointed a new responsible individual, and Ofsted is checking this person has the relevant capacity, experience and skills to carry out the role.

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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

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children's home: 2869362 2

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Summary of findings

The child is settling well in the home, making progress and beginning to develop trusting relationships with staff.

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Summary of findings

Incidents relating to the child’s emotional wellbeing are ongoing, however, these are reducing in both frequency and severity. The introduction of clinical support for the child and staff has had a positive impact and is helping to promote greater emotional stability and consistency of care.

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Summary of findings

The staff are positive about the new manager and continue to feel supported by senior leaders.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the home opened, 2 children have lived there. Senior leaders completed assessments of each child’s needs before they moved in, and they were welcomed sensitively. For one child, inaccurate information was shared in relation to their care planning arrangements and progress to reduce the restrictions of their deprivation of liberty order. As a result, staff were unable to provide the level of support required to manage the child’s risks safely. This contributed to the child going missing from home and to the ending of their placement at the home with immediate effect, as the staff could not safely meet their needs. A learning review was completed and actions implemented in response to missed opportunities in the child’s initial assessment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A second child moved into the home. They have significant and complex risks in relation to their health and emotional wellbeing and are supported by a deprivation of liberty order. Although risks for this child remain high, staff have developed strong, trusting relationships with them. This has enabled the child to make progress and engage more positively with the staff support. As a result, serious incidents have reduced, demonstrating the positive impact of consistent and committed care from the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has experienced significant disruption to their education and has been out of formal learning for a considerable period. Plans are in place to support a gradual and carefully managed return to education that is tailored to the child’s individual needs and readiness. In the interim, staff are delivering a personalised programme of learning through a formal accreditation framework, which provides meaningful educational opportunities in the home. The child is engaging positively with this programme and is making excellent progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is spacious and maintained to meet the child’s individual needs. Some areas have restricted access or minimal furnishings to support the child’s safety, wellbeing and care needs. Despite these adaptations, staff make every effort to create and maintain a warm, welcoming and homely environment wherever possible. Inspection report for children's home: 2869362 3

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

Staff occasionally use agreed restrictive interventions during periods of heightened distress or crisis, but only when this is necessary, proportionate and in the child’s best interests to maintain their safety. Following each incident, staff and the child are supported to reflect on what happened, noting trends and patterns, to promote learning, understanding and the development of alternative strategies.

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

Leaders ensure that all allegations and safeguarding concerns are promptly reported to the appropriate professionals and thoroughly explored. They take decisive action to address any identified shortfalls in safeguarding practice, holding staff accountable when standards have not been met. This includes providing support, supervision and professional development to improve practice, alongside implementing formal procedures when concerns are more serious.

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

Children are encouraged to share their views and are confident about raising complaints. Senior leaders take these concerns seriously, ensuring they are thoroughly explored. Children are kept informed throughout the process and are made aware of any outcomes and resulting learning. Staff have regular discussions with the child to explore their thoughts and feelings, ranging from exploring healthy relationships to changes in their care planning and expressing their culture and identity needs.

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

There are risk management plans in place to guide staff in meeting the child’s needs safely. Staff follow these plans and demonstrate a good understanding of the child’s complex needs and associated risks, which can constantly evolve. However, learning from incidents is not always reflected promptly in risk assessments and care plans as these risks evolve. This means that staff are not always equipped with the most current strategies to support the child safely and to promptly reduce the likelihood of further incidents.

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

There are rigorous vetting checks for employed staff to ensure that only suitably vetted staff work with the children. However, these vetting checks have not been applied to agency staff and there are gaps in ensuring that when they have worked with children or vulnerable adults, there is a verified reason for leaving employment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The new manager has strengthened monitoring systems to ensure effective oversight of the day-to-day care provided in the home. This includes reviewing key records, speaking regularly with the child to understand their experiences and wishes, and maintaining a visible presence in the home through attendance at handovers and daily staff debriefs. These arrangements help the manager to monitor practice effectively and identify areas for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have access to a range of professional support from senior leaders, including regular supervision, reflection opportunities and team meetings, helping them to carry Inspection report for children's home: 2869362 4 out their roles effectively. The recent introduction of clinical supervision has been particularly well received by staff and provides valuable opportunities for reflection and discussion following incidents. Staff feel supported by the manager. One staff member said, ‘The manager consistently goes above and beyond to ensure that staff feel confident, capable and supported.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff demonstrated they have the skills, knowledge and training required to meet the individual needs of the child effectively. This includes training in the home’s therapeutic model, enabling staff to understand and apply therapeutic approaches in their day-to- day practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The child is supported by a consistent staff team that provides continuity of care and promotes positive, loving and nurturing relationships. When additional staffing is required to meet the child’s needs safely, agency staff or registered mental health nurses are used to supplement the team and help ensure safe and effective care. This has enabled the child to have stability and make progress. Inspection report for children's home: 2869362 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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered provider should ensure there is a thorough review following any serious incidents, and that risk mitigation is sufficient and shared promptly with staff. 31 August 2026

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Recommendation

 The registered person should maintain good employment practice as set out in regulations 31-33. They should ensure that the recruitment of agency staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. (‘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: 2869362 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 424 Margate Road, Westwood, Ramsgate, Kent CT12 6SJ

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Inspector

Sara Stoker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2869362 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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