Children's home run by Assure Residential Care Limited

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2723872 1 Assurance inspection

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a private company. It offers care for up to 4 children who may experience social and emotional 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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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, 2 children were living in the home and contributed to the inspection.

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Inspection date: 17 March 2026

Date of last inspection: 5 November 2025

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Inspection date: 17 March 2026

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspectors 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: 2723872 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

Requirements set at the last inspection were reviewed. One requirement was met. Progress against the other three requirements continues to be made and therefore were restated. One additional requirement and three recommendations were also made.

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Findings from the inspection

Children’s care plans and risk assessments are now consistently in place and reflect children’s known needs and risks. One child’s risk assessment lacks sufficient detail and does not inform staff how to monitor and supervise them.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff respond to incidents relating to children’s behaviour appropriately and understand how to use de-escalation techniques. Staff do not record incidents consistently and recorded management oversight is inconsistent. Leaders and managers have not informed the regulator of incidents considered serious.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff use language in both spoken and written form that does not align with language that cares or with the organisation’s own expectations for child-centred language.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager advocates for children’s education and provides appropriate challenge and escalation when required. For one child, who is accessing part-time learning, there is little routine in place for the days they are not in education.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have improved allegation procedures. The manager has responded to allegations in line with safeguarding procedures and has appropriately addressed staff practice issues. Staff’s understanding of allegation and whistle blowing procedures has improved following further training implemented by the manager.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff support children to understand how to complain and raise any issues they have. However, staff have not supported one child who requires further support to understand the complaints procedure.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff receive regular supervision and receive appropriate training opportunities. Staff report good support from leaders and managers.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers are reflective and have improved various areas of practice since the last inspection. Leaders and managers understand there are continued areas for development and are committed to ensuring improvement continues. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2723872 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/11/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/10/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2723872 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

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)(c)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure records are up to date, accurate and support other care planning documents. 13 May 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 1 April 2026

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 13 May 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2723872 5 ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice (Regulation 6 (1)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(iv)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure staff’s knowledge and understanding of children’s needs is accurate and consistent.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure staff are safely recruited. 13 May 2026

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Recommendations

The registered person should ensure that were children placed in a home are not participating in education because they have been excluded or are not on a school roll for some other reason, the registered person and staff must work closely with the placing authority so that the child is supported and enabled to resume full-time education as soon as possible. In the interim, the child should be supported to sustain or regain their confidence in education and be engaged in suitable structured activities. In particular, ensure children are provided with structured routines and provided with opportunities to support learning when not in formal education. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15) The registered person should ensure that staff encourage children to share any concerns about their care or other matters as soon as they arise. Children must

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Recommendations

be able to take up issues or make a complaint with support and without any fear that this will result in any adverse consequences. Regulation 39 sets out the Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2723872 6 requirements on the registered person to have a complaints procedure. Children must be aware of this procedure and be reminded of it as necessary. In particular, help children understand what a complaint is and how they can complain. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.13) The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that

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Recommendations

will be helpful to the child. In particular, ensure that all language, both spoken and written, is child friendly and not institutional in nature. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2723872 7

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Benjamin Hitchin

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Inspectors

Chloe Harvey, Social Care Inspector Kathryn Hurley, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2723872 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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