Children's Home run by Benecare Limited in Kent

Inspection report for children’s home: SC465579 1 OFSTED USE ONLY

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SC465579 Registered provider: Benecare Limited

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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 home is privately owned and provides care for up to 3 children who experience social and emotional difficulties or learning disabilities. Two children were living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2025

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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: 23 September 2025

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC465579 2 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/09/2025 Full Good 02/10/2024 Full Good 07/02/2024 Full Good 04/01/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC465579 3 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Summary of findings

There are 2 children living at this home at the time of this inspection. These children are making progress since their starting points. Children who left the home had experiences of interrupted progress despite staff’s commitment and dedication to their welfare. Staff and children experienced a period of unsettled time and the registered manager navigated well though the challenging time. Staff and the leaders have high safeguarding standards and work well with relevant professionals with the aim to achieve the best outcomes for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive effective care that is tailored for their individual needs. This is because staff are devoted to providing consistent care and have high ambitions for children’s success. All children have made progress in areas of their lives. However, the children who left the home were not making consistent progress despite staff working relentlessly to support their welfare.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has been recently refurbished and adapted to current children’s needs. The home’s decor reflects children’s personalities and interests. Children benefit from thoughtfully created spaces for them to spend time together and separately. One child’s bedroom has been altered to ensure their safety, while simultaneously is a highly calming, nurturing and personalised space for the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have made progress in trusting the staff because they provide safe and affectionate care. Children’s emotional health improved significantly, and now they can communicate their needs in a calm manner. Both children made progress in improving their health and attend all health appointments. One child made good progress in improving their speech and now can communicate in short sentences. Furthermore, staff ensure that children receive age-appropriate nurture and read bedtime stories to them. This contributes to the building of strong bonds between children and staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work effectively with the local authority and have received the training that is necessary to meet children’s health needs. The managers and staff work closely with social workers, health professionals and advocate for the best outcomes for children. However, one child has no communication tools identified for them. Staff have not received the training to enhance their understanding of pre-verbal children’s communication and the tools to enhance it.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has moved in with minimum information received about their needs. The leaders received the information about the child’s needs after the child arrived at the home. On moving in, staff were unable to meet the child’s needs and this led to the child moving out. Inspection report for children’s home: SC465579 4 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of children having positive times with their families. Staff appropriately support children to prepare and enjoy these times. Staff are flexible when making family time arrangements because they desire for children to maintain the positive relationships with close people in their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to develop their independent living skills that are age appropriate. One child has learned how to make their bed. Another older child left the home to live independently, and prior to this they learned to cook and to use public transport.

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

Staff have been working uncompromisingly hard to keep children safe. Staff ensure that children are well informed about their vulnerabilities and are consistent in following children’s safety plans. Furthermore, strong relationships between children and staff have been a significant factor in helping children to stay safe.

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

Some children have been missing from home. Staff encourage children to stay safe, and follow and search for children when they are out of staff’s sight. The manager took required actions to educate staff when a slight delay in calling the police was identified. Other safeguarding incidents where children have placed themselves and others at risk have been identified and addressed without delays. The manager proactively escalates their concerns to relevant professionals. In addition, they organise further education to children about their vulnerabilities, for example visits by a fire prevention officer and local police community support officer have continued to take place.

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

Staff communicate safeguarding concerns and allegations without delays to the manager. The manager acts promptly on these concerns to ensure that staff working arrangements are safe and that the local authority designated officer and children’s social workers are informed. Any investigations required are completed to an excellent standard. The manager’s reflection and learning identified for staff and themselves is of exceptional quality.

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

Staff have used physical intervention to ensure the safety of children and staff. The records clearly reflect staff’s attempts to de-escalate the need for a restraint. Children are spoken with after physical interventions with an aim to reduce such incidents. Staff are appropriately debriefed and the manager’s oversight is good.

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

One child has specific and complex health needs. All risks are identified and discussed with local authority and health professionals. However, there is no clear emergency plan for staff to inform them when the emergency services should be called into the home and what immediate actions staff should take.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Inspection report for children’s home: SC465579 5 OFSTED USE ONLY

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and leaders at this organisation have high ambitions for children’s welfare, safety and progress. The registered manager’s expectations of what children can achieve are thoroughly shared with staff. Consequently, staff are committed to children and are dedicated to their duties for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has a good understanding of the home’s strengths and areas of development. They have been advancing and implementing excellent practice of learning and reflection. Staff receive training in caring for the children and undertaking their roles. Staff said they feel valued and the registered manager is the best that they ever had at this home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervisions that are in line with the home’s policy. Staff said that the registered manager is approachable and they can talk to them at any time. Furthermore, all staff receive their annual appraisals. Staff thoroughly reflect on their practice and the areas for their professional development. The registered manager guides staff in creating next goals. The registered manager is keen for staff to do well and is happy to spend time on and put effort into staff’s professional growth.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are various effective tools used by the registered manager to monitor and oversee the service. Each child has an end of placement report when they are leaving. This shows the progress that a child has made and further learning for staff. Inspection report for children’s home: SC465579 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

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)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager should ensure that there is a clear plan for staff, outlining the necessary safety actions and informing staff when the emergency services are to be contacted if the child’s medical condition requires an emergency response. 1 October 2026

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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;

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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—

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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. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

The registered manager should ensure that information about children’s needs is received from local authorities, and that 1 October 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC465579 7 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Requirement Due date

children’s needs are understood before committing to children’s placements.

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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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager should ensure that staff receive the training to enhance their understanding of pre- verbal children’s communication and tools to support the development of their communication. 1 October 2026

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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: SC465579 8 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 212 Ballards Lane, London N3 2LX

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Inspector

Sonata Brisley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC465579 9 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Inspector

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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