Children's home run by Lavender Grove Cares Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2569520 1

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Lavender Grove Cares Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home provides care for up to three children between the ages of 5 and 18 who have complex social and emotional needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered on 17 April 2020. The registered manager was promoted to become the responsible individual in September 2020. A new manager started in post at the same time and has since applied to register with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit took place following concerns raised with Ofsted about potential regulatory breaches.

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This monitoring visit

At the time of the monitoring visit, two children were living at the home. The children are making strong progress because of the care that they receive.

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This monitoring visit

Both children have significantly improved their engagement with education since moving into the home. One child, who is in Year 11, managed to sit two exams in the week of the monitoring visit. A member of school staff said, ‘Today, [the child] managed to concentrate for 90 minutes. I have not seen them able to do this since Year 7.’ Another child has achieved 98% attendance in education because of a well- planned move into the school.

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This monitoring visit

The staff work hard to build strong relationships with children. They involve children in decision-making and routinely seek their views. One child contributed to a recent supervision of the new manager. Another child’s independent reviewing officer and social worker commended the home for the creative way in which the staff supported the child to participate in their review. This routine consultation has led to children being keen to take this further and be involved in policy design and research. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2569520 2 The staff and managers help the children to develop relationships with people who are important to them. As a result, children’s relationships with their families have improved. These improvements help children to feel safe and settled.

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This monitoring visit

There have been only a few incidents of the children going missing from the home. There have been no physical interventions. Professionals said that children are safer because of the care that they receive.

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This monitoring visit

The staff and managers work closely with mental health services to ensure that children receive the support that they need.

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This monitoring visit

The staff team is inexperienced in residential childcare. Only one member of staff outside of the management team has a relevant level 3 qualification. One member of staff has not attained this qualification despite working in residential childcare for some time. However, managers are supporting the staff to attain these qualifications.

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This monitoring visit

Despite the staff’s inexperience, the approach to supervisions has not been consistently strong enough. There have been occasions when staff have not received the frequency of supervision that the home’s policy demands. However, managers recognise this and a plan is in place to improve this.

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This monitoring visit

Managerial monitoring did not identify that the MOT for the home’s car is out of date. This was only discovered during the monitoring visit. Although the car has been recently serviced and regular weekly checks take place, the failure to ensure that the MOT is in date means that the car may not be safe and roadworthy.

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Recent inspection history

Not previously inspected. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2569520 3

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)) 12/11/2020

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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—

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Requirement Due date

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.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1 April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1 April 2014, 1 April 2016.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b)) 12/05/2021 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2569520 4

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that supervision and performance management of staff is frequent, complies with the home’s own policies and procedures, 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

This monitoring visit took place following concerns raised with Ofsted about potential breaches of regulations.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Lavender Grove Cares Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Gothic Cottage, Moreton Road, Ongar, Essex CM5 0EZ

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Inspector

Ashley Hinson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 2569520 5 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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