Children's Home run by The Foundation Project Ltd in Southend on Sea

Inspection report for children's home: 2807623 1 Registered provider: The Foundation Project Ltd Full inspection 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 2 children who experience social and emotional behavioural difficulties. One child was living at the home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children's home

There has been no registered manager since October 2025. An acting manager has been in post since November 2025 and is not yet registered.

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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/or widespread failures that mean children are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor.

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

At the assurance inspection on 22 October 2025, significant and widespread concerns were identified. Ofsted served 2 compliance notices regarding the safeguarding of children and the leadership and management of the home. Ofsted imposed a notice of restriction of accommodation to prevent the provider from moving any children into the Inspection report for children's home: 2807623 2 home. A monitoring visit in December 2025 was carried out, and at this visit the steps in the compliance notice were met. Inspection report for children's home: 2807623 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/06/2025 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2807623 4

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Summary of findings

Serious safeguarding concerns have led to an inadequate judgement in all areas. Several shortfalls have been identified in how well children are helped and protected. Staff have failed to safeguard the child when they have been missing from the home and failed to keep records of room searches. The staff lack professional curiosity and an understanding of child exploitation. Several shortfalls have been identified in the leadership and management of the home. These include safer recruitment checks, inadequate risk assessments, maintenance of the house and record-keeping.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Since the monitoring visit in December 2026, one child has moved into the home. The child spoke to the inspector.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Significant shortfalls in how children are safeguarded and the leadership and management of the home have limited the overall judgement. This is despite children making positive progress in some areas.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Leaders and managers have failed to ensure that the internal and external areas of the home are consistently free from hazards. Outdoor areas are overgrown. There is a broken shed and broken, uneven concrete path. Staff have failed to ensure that the child's bedroom is maintained to an acceptable standard. The child said that they are not encouraged to tidy their bedroom.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff have failed to consistently record communication with the child when the child is missing from the home and at risk. Some staff have contacted the child using instant messaging and not shared this with other staff. This has undermined the child's relationship with other staff members.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The manager contacted the child's previous home to support communication between the family and the management team before the child moved in. The child said that they feel supported by the staff and that they know how to make a complaint.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff have supported the child with their independence skills. The child has learned how to cook, clean, go food shopping and do washing. The child has made positive progress with their independence skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff encourage the child to engage in education. Staff have displayed the child's education certificates. This is positive progress for the child, who had been out of education for several years. Inspection report for children's home: 2807623 5 There has been positive feedback from the child's family regarding the child's return to education and the reduction in missing-from-home incidents.

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

Leaders and managers have failed to ensure that the risk assessment relating to the child going missing from the home was complete. For example, information that should specify times of curfews and text or call reminders to the child are missing. This has created inconsistency and resulted in the staff failing to look for the child when they are missing from the home. Staff have failed to make adequate efforts to contact the child during the night or show curiosity when the child has returned home. Staff have not sufficiently explored potential risks and triggers about why the child goes missing and who they are spending time with.

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

Room searches identified as a protective measure have not always taken place in line with safety measures detailed in the child's plans. This is despite leaders and managers requesting room searches 3 times a week following items found in the child's room. When room searches have taken place, staff have failed to record what happens with any items found and if these have been disposed of safely.

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

Staff have not always explored substance misuse concerns with the child, even when the child is discussing the subject. The child is at significant risk and the occasions when there are limited explorations of these concerns do not help reduce their vulnerability in the community.

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

Staff have failed to seek medical attention for a child who has misused substances. Staff are aware that the child has illegally had a tattoo. However, medical attention was not sought following this.

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

There is a lack of consistency with key-work sessions. Some are detailed and evidence a good conversation. However, some sessions lack depth and exploration about risks. The child raised concerns about potential risks, which have not been revisited or explored further. Staff have failed to show professional curiosity during key-work sessions. This limits the staff's understanding of potential exploitation concerns.

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

Feedback from professionals is mixed. One professional said that staff do not always spot the signs and triggers of the child being at risk or understand the risks of exploitation.

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

There has been a decline in missing-from-home episodes for the child. The child is now more likely share his location with the home. A family member provided positive feedback regarding the reduction in the frequency of missing-from-home episodes. Inspection report for children's home: 2807623 6

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home is not being managed effectively. The manager is not present for day-to-day management and oversight of the care provided. This leaves the staff without guidance or support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Four members of one family are employed to look after one child. There are no appropriate measures in place to mitigate clear and predictable risks arising from this. This leaves the child open to not being heard or safeguarded. The manager is not transparent about family relationships.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have not implemented an effective way of tracking staff training and qualifications. This has resulted in staff members not being enrolled on required training within time frames. Leaders and managers have failed to assess staff skills when mandatory training is outstanding. This has resulted in the staff working without mandatory training. This could impact the care that the child receives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have asked staff members to view colleague's personal files. There is no evidence that the staff members provided consent for this. Leaders and managers have failed to complete safer recruitment checks. One member of staff did not have a valid disclosure and barring service certificate or a full driving licence despite driving the child in a car. Furthermore, members of staff do not have adequate past employment references on their staff files.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have failed to keep records up to date. The staff rota is not a true reflection of who is working at the home. Generally, records are of poor quality. The daily logs do not consistently include texts or calls made to the child. Leaders and managers have not consistently highlighted this as a required element in the daily log. Therefore, these logs do not show a true reflection of what has happened and how staff have tried to support the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager has identified some strengths and weaknesses at the home and is open to making improvements. Inspection report for children's home: 2807623 7

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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

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

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.

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child's health; and

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home's child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(b)(d)(e)). 20 August 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2807623 8 *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

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 have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of 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

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)(c)(f)(h)). 20 August 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

employ an individual to work at the children's 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 has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained— 20 August 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2807623 9 the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(b) (4)(a)(b)).

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that all members of staff have adequate qualifications or are enrolled onto the level 3 in a timely manner.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that all recruitment checks are completed in line with schedule 2.

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children's home.

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the staff rota is a true reflection of who is working at the home. 20 August 2026

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home's policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. In particular, they should ensure that all records are clear and that the information is detailed in a concise and factual way. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 2807623 10

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Children's home details

Registered provider: The Foundation Project Ltd

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: 15 Link Road, Rayleigh SS6 8AF

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Inspector

Abby Lynch, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2807623 11 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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