Children's home run by Lavender Grove Cares Ltd

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2733827 1 Registered provider: Lavender Grove Cares

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run children’s home provides care for one child with social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in January 2024. The registered manager left the home in June 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

A new manager has recently been appointed and has applied to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home.

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Inspection date: 4 November 2025

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 4 November 2025

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2733827 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

A child has recently moved into the home. The manager made an effort to ensure that the child had a positive move into the home. For example, the manager and staff visited the child in advance of the child moving in. The child was also able to visit the home, meet staff and choose their room, and their room was decorated according to their wishes.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager completed a thorough impact assessment before the child moved in. They ensured that staff received training to support the child appropriately and to help them to settle into the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Arrangements are underway to secure a school place for the child.

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Findings from the inspection

The child’s care planning documents are detailed and help staff to understand the child’s vulnerabilities and support needs. Staff are building relationships with the child, which is helping the child to feel settled. Staff have engaged the child in activities that they enjoy and have encouraged them to expand their interests. They demonstrate patience and understanding and maintain home-based activities to ensure that new experiences are incorporated at a pace that is comfortable for the child. Staff understand the impact of moving home on the child and have shown a compassionate response.

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Findings from the inspection

There have been no recent incidents occurring in the home. When incidents did occur in the past, there was an overreliance on the police to manage children’s behaviours. There has been steady progress in how staff respond to children when they are distressed.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff confidently use de-escalation strategies, and recent therapeutic training supports staff in understanding children’s histories and how these impact on their behaviour. This has resulted in staff showing greater sensitivity to children and a reduction in the escalation of incidents. However, debriefs do not consistently take place with children following incidents of concern. This is a lost opportunity to gain a fuller understanding of the incident and to support children to make more positive choices.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff now have a better understanding of the risks and vulnerabilities that children face. Risk assessments are individualised, with appropriate strategies to support staff in mitigating the risks to children. When children go missing from home, staff follow the ‘missing’ protocol and ensure that they keep in contact with the children. However, practice is not consistent, with some staff not being clear about how to respond to unauthorised absences when the whereabouts of children may be Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2733827 3 known. Management oversight in these instances is not consistently recorded, resulting in staff not being clear on the procedure to follow.

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Findings from the inspection

One-to-one discussions with children address the risks that children face, such as drug misuse, and children’s views are well recorded.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have drawn up an action plan regarding where practice needs to improve. Staff training has been prioritised, in particular regarding the therapeutic approach to the care of children. Leaders and managers have recently received therapeutic training and are supporting staff to be better attuned to children’s needs.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have supported staff to understand how to help children move on from the home. They have emphasised life-story work to ensure that children are able to have positive memories of their time in care.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have ensured that learning reviews have been carried out to support improvement of practice in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

The new manager and responsible individual have high aspirations for the home. Staff have been enrolled on professional vocational courses to ensure a highly skilled and experienced workforce. Despite recent staff turnover, the manager has successfully recruited new staff and there are no longer any vacancies.

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Findings from the inspection

New staff enjoy working at the home and feel that they have been well supported throughout their inductions.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have not consistently ensured that they notify Ofsted when children have been missing from home for longer periods. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2733827 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/04/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 23/07/2024 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2733827 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they notify Ofsted if one of the situations specified in regulation 40(4)(a)-(d) occurs. In particular, this refers to notifying Ofsted if there is an incident relating to the protection, safeguarding or welfare of a child living at the home that the registered person considers to be serious (40(4)(e)). Examples of incidents that are likely to be considered serious affecting the welfare of a child include: where the child is considered to be at grave risk due to age or vulnerability or where they have been missing for a considerable period of time and their whereabouts are unknown. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraphs 14.10 and 14.11)  The registered person must specify the procedures to be followed and the roles and responsibilities of staff when a child is missing from care or away from the home without permission and how staff should support the child on return to the

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Recommendations

home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.28) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2733827 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Lavender Grove Cares

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Angela Reid, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2733827 7 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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