Children's home run by Lavender Grove Cares Ltd

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2733827 1 Registered provider: Lavender Grove Cares Ltd.

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

This privately run children's home provides care for one child with social and/or emotional difficulties. The home registered with Ofsted in January 2024.

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Information about this children's home

The registered manager left the home in June 2025. A new manager was appointed and applied to register with Ofsted but has recently withdrawn their application.

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This monitoring visit

The home was suspended due to serious concerns relating to leadership and a significant incident at the providers other home on 7 February 2026, which raised concerns that the provider was unable to keep children safe. Ofsted undertook a monitoring visit to this home on 24 February 2026 and identified serious and widespread concerns.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was undertaken to review the provider's compliance with the notice suspending accommodation, to consider the actions taken in response to the suspension, and to review the requirements raised at the last full inspection, which were restated at the monitoring visit on 24 February 2026.

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This monitoring visit

The inspector arrived at the home on 28 April; however, the home was closed. A regulatory inspection manager contacted the director shortly after the inspector's arrival, who confirmed that the setting is closed and that no children are living in the home. The director advised that the manager and responsible individual have resigned and that all staff have been made redundant. As a result, there were no leaders or staff available to facilitate the inspection or provide an update on the actions taken in response to the requirements raised at previous inspections. Therefore, this monitoring visit did not take place. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2733827 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/04/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 23/07/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2733827 3

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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 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—

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home's statement of purpose; ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home's statement of purpose; protect and promote each child's welfare;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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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

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that staff are provided with sufficient information about children's diagnoses, backgrounds, risks and vulnerabilities to fully understand and meet their needs. Staff should also be given clear, individualised care plans that reflect these needs and guide staff on how they should support each child. 30 April 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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 30 April 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2733827 4 that staff—

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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; 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)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that all safeguarding concerns and allegations against staff are responded to in line with policy, and that any actions advised by safeguarding professionals are acted upon without delay. 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 have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; and

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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)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must implement an effective monitoring system to ensure appropriate oversight and regular review of children's records, including serious incidents, and ensure that information is shared with partner agencies in a timely way. Furthermore, staff should have the appropriate training, skills and experience to meet the needs 30 April 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2733827 5 of children, and their training and development needs should be addressed before staff begin supporting children. 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

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Requirement Due date

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— that staff—

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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

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child's behaviour, in accordance with the child's age and understanding;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child's age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child's respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children's previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

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. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(viii)(ix)(x)) 30 April 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2733827 6 In particular, the registered person should ensure that staff have meaningful conversations with children to promote positive behaviour and support children's understanding of diversity and equality. The registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that staff receive reflective supervision to guide and support their practice in meeting the needs of children. Furthermore, all staff must complete an induction programme that equips them with the knowledge and skills required to support children's needs. 30 April 2026

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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: 2733827 7

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Lavender Grove Cares Ltd.

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: Gothic Cottage, Moreton Road, Ongar CM5 0EZ

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Inspector

Angela Reid, social care inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2733827 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 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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