Staff refused food to a child returning from hospital and, in another case, a kid was denied a piece of fruit, Ofsted inspectors found, while care home bosses enjoyed a huge payout
Hungry kids were denied food at a children’s home owned by a fatcat with a new kitchen at his pad.
Ofsted inspectors found staff had refused food to a child returning from hospital and, in another case, a kid was denied a piece of fruit. Their report said: “Children have been left hungry.” The inspectors also told how having alarms on bedroom doors at the home for youths with special, emotional and mental health needs did “not reflect positive behaviour management”.
Kids had sometimes gone missing from the site, too. In May, Ofsted rated the home “inadequate” after inspectors found widespread failings. The plight of children at the 14 facilities run by Ethelbert Specialist Homes Limited is in stark contrast to the life of boss Leslie Davenport, whose country home has a full-size windmill and new kitchen.
In the financial years from 2020 to 2022, the firm’s directors were paid almost £1.2million. A subsequent Ofsted report found the home’s registered manager ensured hungry children have access to food and staff are aware of their responsibilities.