Children's home run by Almond Care Children’s Services Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2567607 1 Registered provider: Almond Care Children’s Services Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private provider. It offers care for up to 5 children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, no children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a registered manager since 15 December 2025.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was undertaken to review progress against two compliance notices set at the previous full inspection. Some progress has been made. However, the progress was insufficient to determine that the provider had met the steps in both notices. The provider has complied with the restriction notice in place.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager of the home voluntarily cancelled their registration on 15 December 2025 to take up a different role in the organisation. A new manager has been appointed and was in post at the time of the monitoring visit on the 16 December. Their application to register as the registered manager of the home has been submitted to Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual has recruited professionals into different managerial roles; however, it is not clear what each person’s responsibilities are. The responsible individual does not have clear and accountable oversight over what each person does. The management structure and chain of command remain unclear.

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This monitoring visit

Recent changes to staffing arrangements mean that there are several vacancies within the staff team. Ofsted is not assured that there are sufficient staff to safely care for the number of children that the home is registered for.

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This monitoring visit

The oversight and impact of the responsible individual were not evidenced during the monitoring inspection. Reflection and learning from previous incidents have not Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2567607 2 been undertaken by the responsible individual. A retrospective audit completed by the responsible individual could not be evidenced. Ofsted is not assured that there is sufficient and effective monitoring and auditing of care by senior managers.

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This monitoring visit

One audit had been completed retrospectively by the previous manager. The new manager has begun to review historical incidents to understand how staff respond to the needs of children.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have been given the opportunity to meet as a group and to reflect on their practice and what can be done differently. Staff have not, however, had individual supervisions offered to them by the manager since the last inspection.

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This monitoring visit

The requirements set in addition to the compliance notices were not reviewed and therefore remain in place. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2567607 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/10/2025 Full Inadequate 21/08/2024 Full Good 14/02/2024 Full Good 13/12/2022 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2567607 4

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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 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 work as a team where appropriate;

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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’s workforce provides continuity of care to 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)(b)(c)(d)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that there are accountable management arrangements at the home. That the care delivered in the home aligns with the home’s statement of purpose. That managers develop processes to evaluate the quality of care at the home. That staff receive regular and good-quality 12 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2567607 5 supervision and that there are appropriate staffing levels to meet the conditions of registration.

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Requirement Due date

have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated. (Regulation 26 (7)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the responsible individual has clear auditing systems in place for the oversight of the home. The responsible individual must ensure that the registered manager has the capacity to fulfil their role fully and support in reflection following safeguarding concerns at the home. 12 January 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; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children’s matching processes are robust and consider whether staff have the skills and experiences to meet the needs of children coming to live at the home.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 12 January 2026

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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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe; 12 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2567607 6 have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(viii)(b)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff act in a way that prioritises the safety of children and that records of incidents are clear, detailed and demonstrate management oversight, reflection and learning.

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers; 12 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2567607 7 help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to appropriate equipment, facilities and resources to support the child’s learning. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff have clear plans regarding children’s education and that children who are not in school have good daily routines that encourage a return to learning.

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(v)(x))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff are supported to develop meaningful relationships with children and are consistent in addressing children’s behaviour. 12 January 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. 12 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2567607 8 In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child; and

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff understand and adhere to agreed medicine administration processes.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2567607 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Almond Care Children’s Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Almond Care Ltd, 4 Barling Way, Nuneaton CV10 7RH

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Inspector

Louise Copping, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2567607 10 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 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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