Children's Home run by Cranmead Limited in East Sussex

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2797976 1 Registered provider: Cranmead Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in November 2024 and is owned and operated by a private organisation. It provides care for up to 3 children who experience social, emotional and mental health difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 3 children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The post for a registered manager has been vacant since 1 December 2025.

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Inspection date: 17 March 2026

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 17 March 2026

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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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. The 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: 2797976 2

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Findings from the inspection

We identified the following serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection:

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Findings from the inspection

 Leaders and managers do not fully understand the risks for children living at the home.  There have been shortfalls in safeguarding actions, including reporting concerns to the local authority designated officer (LADO), Ofsted and other relevant agencies.  The risks presented by children to each other have not been suitably assessed.  Managers have failed to assess the staff’s skills and training in meeting the needs of children moving into the home.  Training, probation and supervision sessions have been insufficient in equipping staff with the necessary skills to meet children’s needs.  Managers have failed to ensure that appropriate care planning and guidance are in place for staff to respond to children’s risks, health and wellbeing needs.  Two requirements raised at the last inspection have not been met.

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Findings from the inspection

When a child moves into the home, managers carry out an assessment of their needs, and their risks are identified. However, the risks and effects of children observing and learning from each other’s behaviour are not adequately explored. In addition, the assessment fails to consider staff’s skills, training and competence in meeting each child’s needs. One child with medical needs moved into the home before training or guidance was provided to staff. The child has now lived at the home for 8 months; staff training remains incomplete, and there is no suitable medical/health management guidance available.

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Findings from the inspection

The care planning process has failed to capture significant events for children. Information available for staff is inaccurate and does not reflect children’s current experiences; changes to family time arrangements and significant bereavements are not suitably reflected in practice guidance for staff. Furthermore, leaders and managers have failed to assess whether significant events necessitate a review of the child’s plan with their placing authority. They do not have an appropriate understanding of the legal orders under which children are placed or when their statutory reviews, including health reviews, are due. As a result, children are not receiving timely support to meet and review their physical and emotional wellbeing needs.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff support children in having positive experiences. Children have access to a range of activities inside and outside the home. They have been able to enjoy activities including fishing, swimming and going to the cinema and park. These Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2797976 3 trips include one-to-one activities and group activities, which help children develop relationships with each other.

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Findings from the inspection

When staff identify new risks for children, they do not adequately update their care plans and risk management guidance. Managers were not aware of information staff shared with inspectors regarding ongoing risks faced by children. When an incident indicated that a child may present a risk to other children, information-sharing with other agencies was inadequate, and the home’s risk management guidance was not updated to ensure appropriate safeguarding action. Furthermore, it remains uncertain whether children receive adequate assistance in voicing their concerns to the police or other agencies when necessary.

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Findings from the inspection

Allegations have not been reported to the LADO in a timely manner. There have been delays in managers identifying incidents that require consultation and referral to the LADO service. When children have expressed a wish to voice a concern, no suitable follow-up has taken place to ascertain the concern and to ensure that it is addressed in a timely manner. Poor understanding of the difference between a complaint and an allegation has resulted in delayed responses.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers have failed to take timely action to address concerns in relation to staff practice. When staff have acted outside of the organisation’s policies, there have been delays in assessing potential risks for children and implementing suitable safety plans. As a result, staff have remained in positions working directly with children when there are concerns about their practice.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers have failed to ensure that notifiable incidents are reported to the regulator. Disagreements between leaders and managers on what constitutes a notifiable incident have resulted in notifications being missed or delayed. The information shared has not been accurate and has failed to indicate when there have been concerns about practice in the home. Furthermore, there are insufficient arrangements in place to ensure that notifications are submitted when managers are on leave.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff respond appropriately when children go missing. They search local areas and liaise with children and their families to try to locate them. Relevant professionals are notified, and risk assessments are updated.

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Findings from the inspection

The registered manager left in December 2025. A new manager has been leading the home since that time and applied to register with Ofsted. However, following this inspection, they withdrew their application.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers have been ineffective in maintaining oversight of practice in the home. They have not identified or taken action to address shortfalls in safeguarding, care planning and staff training. Leaders have not responded appropriately to identified weaknesses. As a result, there is a delay Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2797976 4 in improving systems for managing allegations, poor staff practice and ineffective monitoring of the care offered to children.

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Findings from the inspection

There are ongoing shortfalls in relation to staff support and training, which were identified at the previous inspection. New staff joining the home do not always receive appropriate training or induction before working with children or being left responsible for the home. The induction programme is short, and it does not provide staff with sufficient time to reflect and apply their learning before working directly with children.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff have worked on shift with other new staff members or agency staff before being signed off as competent through the home’s probation process. When probation processes have indicated concerns with practice, managers have failed to review staffing to ensure that suitably trained and skilled staff are on shift alongside these staff members to model practice expectations. Agency staff have been used alongside inexperienced staff.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff are recruited in line with safer recruitment procedures, and appropriate checks are in place; additional checks have been undertaken if required. However, actions identified in staffing risk assessments have not always been implemented, creating weaknesses in managing performance and upholding standards in practice.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff receive regular supervision, but it varies in quality and content. Not all supervision sessions are focused on practice. When practice concerns have been identified, it is not clear what actions have been taken to address them and follow them up in subsequent sessions. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2797976 5

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/04/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2797976 6

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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 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

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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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

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi)(vii)(b)) 10 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 10 May 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2797976 7 promotes their welfare.

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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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)(c)(d)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager must implement reporting and recording systems that enable them to maintain oversight of supervision frequency, incidents, training, induction and staff support.

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Requirement Due date

When managers have identified areas for improvement or shortfalls in practice, they must ensure that they take prompt action to rectify and respond to them.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction;

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (1)(a) (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 10 May 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2797976 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 15 West Street, Brighton BN1 2RL

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Inspectors

Georgia Carty, Social Care Inspector Emma Blake, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2797976 9 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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