Children's Home run by Ravensbourne Project in Lewisham

Inspection report children's home: 1257289 1 Registered provider: Ravensbourne Project

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

This short-break residential home and day service was registered with Ofsted in July 2017. It provides care for children with learning or physical disabilities and/or sensory impairments.

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Information about this children's home

The home offers overnight short breaks for up to five children aged between eight and 18, provided that two of the five children are siblings of the same gender. The home operates at weekends, during term time and throughout all holiday periods. Children using the overnight short-break service stay on either a Friday or Saturday night.

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Information about this children's home

There has been no manager in post since May2026.

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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 inadequate

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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

Date of last inspection: 28 October 2025

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: 1257289 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/10/2025 Full Good 18/02/2025 Full Good 10/08/2023 Full Good 28/02/2023 Full Good Inspection report children's home: 1257289 3

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Summary of findings

The home requires improvement to be good because leaders have not established effec- tive management arrangements to provide consistent oversight of the service. Weak- nesses in leadership have affected safeguarding oversight, recruitment practice, monitor- ing systems and the support provided to staff. Leaders have not consistently identified or responded to shortfalls, which reduces confidence that the service can maintain and im- prove practice.

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Summary of findings

Despite these weaknesses, children receive good-quality, individualised care from staff who know them well and understand their needs. Staff promote inclusion for all children and parents speak positively about the care their children receive. These strengths mean that children continue to have positive experiences when they access the short-breaks service.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and staff have a clear understanding of the experiences and needs of children who use the short-breaks service. Due to the nature of the service, measuring children’s progress is difficult as some children only attend once a month or have limited stays. However, the home is achieving the aims set out within its statement of purpose and provides children with planned short breaks that meet their individual needs.

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improvement to be good

Children’s views and experiences are mainly gathered through parents. Parents speak positively about the home and praised the care provided by staff. However, parents reported that feedback following their child’s stay is limited. Leaders and staff had already identified this as an issue and are developing a new document to provide families with better feedback about their child’s experiences.

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improvement to be good

The home promotes children’s individual identities and needs throughout everyday practice. Due to the complex health and physical needs of children accessing the service, staff ensure that care is personalised and responsive. For example, staff have clear information available regarding children’s dietary needs, including cultural requirements. Children who use Picture Exchange Communication Systems have access to this throughout the day, including during personal care routines such as when changing clothes. Staff work alongside parents and professionals to understand and support children’s sensory needs.

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improvement to be good

Children are supported by a staff team who know them well. Although many staff are employed on a temporary basis, they regularly work in the home and have established relationships with the children. This means children are supported by familiar adults who understand their communication methods, routines and individual needs. Inspection report children's home: 1257289 4

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improvement to be good

Help and protection arrangements are affected by weaknesses in leadership oversight and safeguarding knowledge. While staff understand the children well and provide care that meets their individual needs, leaders have not always demonstrated a clear understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities.

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improvement to be good

The most recent safeguarding concern highlighted weaknesses in how leaders manage allegations. The local authority designated officer (LADO) had to provide direction to leaders because the correct process had not been followed. Leaders had also failed to notify Ofsted. The responsible individual and interim manager acknowledged that they did not have a good understanding of the LADO process and has since received support and training from the LADO.

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improvement to be good

Safer recruitment arrangements are not sufficiently robust. Leaders have not consistently followed effective recruitment processes to ensure that individuals working with children have the required knowledge, skills and experience to meet children’s needs. Additionally, not all safer recruitment processes are effective. For example, leaders have not obtained staff’s full employment history, employment gaps and where there are conflicts of interest, how these will be managed and by whom.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers do not take quick action in response to safety concerns. An external fire safety audit was completed by the London Fire Brigade, which resulted in an enforcement notice being issued and multiple actions are required. Although leaders remain within the timescale given to meet these actions, progress has been limited and there are many actions still required. At the time of inspection, leaders had completed personal emergency evacuation plans for each child. However, there are still multiple actions identified within the notice that remain outstanding.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leadership and management are unstable. Since the registered manager left, the deputy manager has stepped up as an interim manager. However, they have resigned and are due to leave. A new responsible individual with previous Ofsted experience has recently been appointed and started in post on the first day of this inspection. The leadership structure is further complicated by confusing and unclear roles such as a business manager who is managing the day-to-day care of children and operation of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The current responsible individual, who is also the chair of the organisation, has provided oversight during this period. However, they have limited understanding of regulatory requirements relating to children’s homes. For example, the responsible individual and interim manager were unaware of the requirements relating to Regulation 45, including when this should be completed and who it should be submitted to. As a result, the report has not been completed. Inspection report children's home: 1257289 5 Supervision arrangements for staff are inconsistent. Although most staff are bank workers, they work regular weekly hours due to the service operating from Thursday to Sunday. Some staff have not received any supervision during this year. This means leaders are not consistently providing staff with opportunities to reflect on their practice, receive support, or identify areas for development. Some staff report to the business

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

manager, while others report to the interim manager. This has resulted in inconsistent communication and information sharing. In addition, the business manager has limited experience of children’s homes and residential childcare but is supporting staff through team meetings and supervision.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There are limited systems in place to demonstrate that leaders have effective oversight or how shortfalls are addressed. While leaders have a weekly meeting, communication between meetings is limited and information is not consistently shared. The systems that are in place are not cohesive and do not provide leaders with a clear overview of the quality of care being provided to children. Inspection report children's home: 1257289 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, 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 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

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for 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)(d)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that staff receive effective supervision, direction and oversight. Leaders must improve systems and monitoring. Reviewing and sharing information to ensure that risks are identified and managed effectively. Leaders must take action swiftly in response to the fire enforcement notice. 1 September 2026 Inspection report children's home: 1257289 7 Leaders and managers must ensure that roles, responsibilities and decision-making are clearly defined by persons skilled and qualified to do so.

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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;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(ii)(e)) 1 September 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality-of-care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children's home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it;

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must—supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the qual- ity of care review is completed; and

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Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality of care review report available on re- quest to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the par- ent of a child accommodated in the home. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (4)(a)(b)) 1 September 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; 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 1 September 2026 Inspection report children's home: 1257289 8 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

In particular, leaders must ensure that safe recruitment practices are followed to ensure that staff have the appropriate skills experience and qualification to carry out the role they have been employed for, and that employment history is known and gaps in employment are explored.

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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 children's home: 1257289 9

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Ravensbourne Project

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Inspectors

Jo Tarbie, Social Care Inspector Stella Namakula, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 1257289 10 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

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