Children's home run by Lavender Grove Cares Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2569520 1 Registered provider: Lavender Grove Cares

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care for up to 2 children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since July 2025.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The inspectors were aware that a serious incident has occurred at the setting since the last inspection and is under investigation by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate incidents of this kind, actions taken by the setting in response to the incident were considered alongside other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform the inspectors’ judgement.

p.1

This monitoring visit

As a result of this inspection, Ofsted have identified serious concerns in relation to the care and protection of children and the leadership and management of the home. These significant shortfalls have put children at serious risk of harm.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Staff do not have the skills to ensure that children are kept safe. Staff have access to detailed risk management plans to help them understand how to safeguard the child. However, staff have failed to follow the risk management strategies specified in these risk management plans to keep children safe.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Staff failed to recognise and respond appropriately to changes in the child’s presentation or to communicate these changes to each other effectively. This resulted in the child’s safety being compromised.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The safeguarding culture is weak. The registered manager and the staff team lack professional curiosity. This does not promote a positive safeguarding culture and leaves children at risk of harm. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2569520 2 Leaders and managers failed to escalate significant concerns about the child’s safety and emotional wellbeing to all the professionals involved in the child’s care. This meant opportunities to intervene and offer further support for the child were missed.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Management oversight and monitoring are ineffective. The registered manager and responsible individual have significantly reduced their time at the home, and significant shortfalls identified at this inspection had not been identified through the existing monitoring arrangements. Leaders and managers have not ensured that the care and support the child was receiving met the child’s needs and contributed effectively to keeping the child safe.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Staffing arrangements, including which staff are working in the home, are unclear. Agency staff are not fully inducted into the home or appraised of the child’s needs and risks and how to meet these. This means agency staff have not been equipped to understand the child’s complex needs, behaviours and risks and how to respond appropriately to keep the child safe.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The requirement raised at the last inspection in September 2025 has not been met. The one recommendation raised at the last inspection was not reviewed at this inspection. Therefore, this requirement and this recommendation are restated. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2569520 3

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/04/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/04/2024 Full Good 20/04/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 15/06/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2569520 4

p.3

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.

p.4

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.4

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;

p.4

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.4

Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

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;

p.4

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)(vii)(b)(e)) 27 February 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2569520 5 In particular, the manager should ensure that staff understand their roles in safeguarding children and make effective arrangements to protect children from harm.

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

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—

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.5

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;

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

p.5

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;

p.5

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(f)(h)) 27 February 2026

p.5

Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

p.5

Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

p.5

Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.5

Requirement Due date

that staff help each child to— 27 February 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2569520 6 understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding;

p.5

Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well- being;

p.6

Requirement Due date

that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(ii)(iii)(iv)(c))

p.6

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the home seeks, as far as possible, to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. In particular, additional security items such as door alarms should only be used when there is an assessed need. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.9)

p.6

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.

p.6

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2569520 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Lavender Grove Cares

p.7

Children’s home details

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

p.7

Inspectors

Lexi Mitchell, Social Care Inspector Abby Lynch, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2569520 8 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.

p.7

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8