Children's home run by Capital Children’s Care Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2838720 1 Registered provider: Capital Children’s Care 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 privately owned. It is registered to provide care for up to 2 children with emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since April 2025.

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This monitoring visit

A monitoring visit took place after Ofsted was notified of a serious incident at the home. The incident is currently being investigated by the relevant authorities. Although Ofsted does not have the authority to investigate incidents of this nature, the inspector considered the actions taken by the setting in response to the incident alongside other available evidence at the time of the inspection.

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This monitoring visit

The inspector identified serious concerns in relation to the care and protection of children and the leadership and management of the home. These shortfalls have put a child at serious risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders, managers and staff failed to identify emotional stressors and missed protective opportunities. This resulted in the child’s safety being compromised.

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This monitoring visit

Staff failed to provide support to a child following incidents. Essential emotional support was not provided following several significant incidents. These omissions meant that opportunities to explore the child’s feelings, to assess impact and to identify emerging concerns were missed.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers failed to respond to a potential hazard following an item going missing in the home. This demonstrates a lack of oversight and risk management. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2838720 2 The risk assessments were not sufficiently robust and did not provide staff with clear, practical guidance on recognising deterioration in a child’s health or the actions required in response. Consequently, staff lacked the knowledge, confidence and direction needed to identify early signs of emotional distress or escalating risk. As a result, they were unable to intervene effectively.

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This monitoring visit

There were discrepancies in staff accounts and written records of the serious incident.

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This monitoring visit

The recommendations raised at the last inspection were not reviewed and are reinstated. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2838720 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/02/2026 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2838720 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 with the given timescales.

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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;

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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

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

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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 . (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(vi)(b)) 28 May 2026

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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

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate; 28 May 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2838720 5 ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of 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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(c)(f))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that records of restraint are kept and enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. The review should provide the opportunity for amending practice to ensure it meets the needs of each child. In particular, to ensure that all incidents involving physical intervention are clearly identified and recorded as restraints where appropriate. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59)  The registered person should ensure that a child’s plan forms the basis of their care, and providers should use their judgement as to what is relevant in each case, taking the plans listed in the definition in the Regulations as a starting point rather than a complete list or a tick-box exercise. In particular, the registered

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Recommendations

manager should ensure that all plans include the voice of the child and clear, measurable goals with regular and effective evaluation of progress against targets. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, pages 55-56, paragraph 11.1)  The registered person should ‘seek to involve’ the placing authority that places a looked-after child in the home, which in practice means working primarily with their statutory social worker. In particular, the registered manager should ensure that children’s files have all key documents, including placement plan and in-date delegated authority/section 20. (‘Guide to Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 11, paragraph 2.5)  The registered person should ensure that the staffing structure and the experience and qualifications of staff are included in the statement of purpose. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’,

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Recommendations

page 14, paragraph 3.5)  The registered manager should ensure that, when completing an impact assessment, discussions with children currently in the home are included. The manager must take into account the child’s cultural needs and ensure that the assessment identifies and addresses any staff training gaps. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4) Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2838720 6

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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: 2838720 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Capital Children’s Care Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 4 Pike Way, North Weald, Epping CM16 6BL

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Inspector

Sarah Cooper, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2838720 8 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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