Children's Home run by McRae Residential Care Services Limited in Croydon

Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2671000 1 Registered provider: McRae Residential Care Services Limited

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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 and provides care for up to six children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children's home

One child was living in the home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children's home

The home registered with Ofsted in July 2022. There is currently no registered manager in the home.

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Information about this children's home

Date of last inspection: 15 October 2025

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Information about this children's home

Judgement at last inspection: Requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children's home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At these inspections, 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: 2671000 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

The child living in the home has positive relationships with staff and do activities with them such as going on shopping trips and go karting. The child appreciates the conversations they have with staff about their future goals, family time and preparation for any meetings. The child also enjoys the variety of meals that staff cook for them.

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Findings from the inspection

The child has a tutor who they are building a positive relationship with, and they are proud of the progress they are making with their education. The child also attends their health appointments, and they engage with the in-house therapist. This all helps the child to build their self-esteem and access the support they need.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff understand the child's vulnerabilities. The child's risk assessment is up to date and helps staff to keep the child safe. When the child stays away from the home overnight staff follow an agreed protocol and try to stay in touch with them. Staff search for the child and when the locate them they carry out welfare checks, including to their family home. Staff help the child understand the concerns about their safety and successfully encourage the child to return to the home. Staff liaise with other agencies, including the police, so that those agencies have up to date information about the child as needed.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff and leaders had serious safeguarding concerns about a child who previously lived in the home. Staff carried out regular room searches to help safeguard the child and this approach was regularly reviewed with the child's professional network. In addition, a strong multi agency approach ensured that specialised support was sourced when needed. The child's social worker says that the staff 'went above and beyond' for them.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders now ensure that serious incidents requiring police involvement are notified to the regulator in a timely way.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders have ensured that a fire risk assessment has been completed by a suitably qualified person. However, there is still one outstanding action that needs completing. Also, the fence in the garden is still broken; leaders are in the process of addressing this.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff enjoy working as team and see themselves as similar to a family. They feel supported by each other and managers. Staff receive regular supervision that focuses on children, safeguarding and their own development. Leaders can now evidence that the induction process supports staff to understand their responsibilities. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2671000 3 Leaders and managers now have monitoring systems in place to enable them to have oversight of staff practice and the child's progress. This includes improved oversight of the child's records and staff training. The workforce development plan details the training that leaders deem mandatory and staff are now up to date with this. Leaders also have oversight of staff's progress with the required qualification for their role. Staff are yet to complete this but are making progress.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders' oversight of recruitment processes has improved. The responsible individual is now involved in auditing recruitment files and there is an updated safer recruitment policy. However, leaders have not yet evidenced how they would ensure that staff are suitably risk assessed to work with children if this is necessary.

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Findings from the inspection

The independent visitor reports now help leaders and the regulator understand how children are safeguarded and how their wellbeing is promoted. Leaders and staff embrace the feedback in the reports. However, leaders have not completed their own quality-of-care review within the required timescale. This limits leaders and the regulators oversight of the quality of care in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

The previous manager was not transparent with a child's placing authority about the management arrangements in the home at the point the child moved in. Leaders now understand the importance of transparency about the operation of the home with key partners.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders have improved their understanding of why independent oversight of incidents of physical restraint involving the manager are necessary.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders are working to recruit a permanent manager for the home.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/10/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 01/07/2024 Full Good 16/05/2023 Full Good 03/01/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2671000 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 registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children's home if

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)) 1 June 2026

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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

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma").

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home. (Regulation 32 (1) (4)(a) (5)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure during the recruitment process that staff are suitably risk assessed to work with children if necessary.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must also ensure that all staff working in the home have completed their level 3 qualification within the required timescale.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 1 June 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2671000 5 The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children's home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review ("the quality of care review report").

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed. (Regulation 45 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c)(3)(4)(a))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the quality-of-care review is completed and sent to the regulator within timescales. 1 May 2026

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the broken fence in the garden is fixed so that the home environment is appropriate and safe for the children. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 16, paragraph 3.20) This recommendation was made at the last inspection and is restated.  The registered person should ensure that all actions in the fire risk assessment are completed by the given deadline. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 15, paragraph 3.9) Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2671000 6

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Children's home details

Registered provider: McRae Residential Care Services Limited

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: 57 Lodge Road, Croydon CR0 2PH

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Inspectors

Chelsea Agyeman, Social Care Inspector Richard Wyper, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2671000 7 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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