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

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

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Full inspection 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 manager is not yet registered with Ofsted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded. The care and experiences of children and young people are poor, and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: 14 October 2025

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: Following a full inspection in October 2025, two compliance notices and a restriction of accommodation notice were issued. Progress against these notices was explored at a subsequent monitoring inspection and the restriction of accommodation notice remained in place. Inspection report for children’s home: 2567607 2

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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: 2567607 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Home conditions are not to a sufficient standard to provide good care for children. The home needs repair and refurbishment in several areas, including communal areas and bedrooms. Managers shared that there are concerns about possible subsidence at the home and this has led to cracks along the walls and ceilings of several rooms. Managers said that they no longer feel that the home’s layout is suitable or workable as a children’s home. A request to voluntarily cancel the registration of the home was received during the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Managers have acknowledged the need for more robust planning for when children move to the home. Processes for referrals and children’s care plans have been reviewed and are now child centred.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

No children have lived at the home since the last inspection. The restriction notice in place has been adhered to. The provider was unable to provide evidence to demonstrate that the previous requirements under Regulations 8 and 11 have been met.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

The fire risk assessment was undertaken in December 2025. This identified several actions required in order that the home be a safe place for children to live. These actions have not been completed and remain outstanding.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

The responsible individual understands the importance of reflective practice. Although training on this topic has begun across the provider group, it has not yet been delivered to all staff who previously worked at this home. However, staff have been offered learning circles regarding areas for improvement that were identified at this home.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

One staff member was supported to specifically reflect on their historical involvement in a medication error and learn from this.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Staff shared that they have felt well supported by managers to reflect on their experiences while working at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There is no staff team currently working at the home, meaning there is insufficient staffing to care for any children. Consequently, staff have not had supervisions or team meetings led by the manager during the inspection period.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Written audits that were completed since the last inspection do not include reflection or learning on prior incidents at the home. The responsible individual was unable to provide Inspection report for children’s home: 2567607 4 evidence of her retrospective monitoring and how this has informed planned changes to the services offered to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

A new manager has been appointed to the home and has applied to register with Ofsted. However, the manager has not received supervision from the responsible individual since the last inspection. Informal discussions have taken place with another senior manager but have not been documented, which has resulted in the manager’s omission to complete mandatory training within planned timescales going unacknowledged.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The report on the review of the quality of care has been submitted and contains clear actions for staff to take in order to improve practice. However, the report does not provide a record of appropriate reflection on the quality of care offered to children who previously lived at the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2567607 5

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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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the care delivered in the home aligns with the home’s statement of purpose, that staff receive regular and good-quality supervision 23 March 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2567607 6 and that there are appropriate staffing levels to meet the conditions of registration.

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Requirement Due date

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

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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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the responsible individual must ensure that there are clear auditing systems in place for the oversight of the home. The responsible individual must support in reflection following safeguarding concerns at the home.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 23 March 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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the responsible individual must ensure that processes for assessing that children’s needs are compatible with children already living in the home are robust, and that 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. 23 March 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— 23 March 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2567607 7 that staff—

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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;

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Requirement Due date

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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(viii)(b)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must 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

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

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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

that staff— 23 March 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2567607 8 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;

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Requirement Due date

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; 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, the registered person must ensure that staff have clear plans regarding the children’s education and that children not in school have good daily routines that encourage a return to learning.

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Requirement Due date

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

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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; 23 March 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2567607 9 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;

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(v)(x))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff are supported to develop meaningful relationships with children and are consistent in addressing children’s behaviour.

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Requirement Due date

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

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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.

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Requirement Due date

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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff understand and adhere to agreed medicine administration processes.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 23 March 2026

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(30) applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the required actions in the fire risk assessment are completed. 23 March 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2567607 10

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the social care common inspection framework. This 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’. Inspection report for children’s home: 2567607 11

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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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Inspectors

Louise Copping, Social Care Inspector Terrianne George, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2567607 12 regulates and inspects 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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