Clare Lodge

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC033362 1 Clare Lodge Registered provider: Peterborough City Council

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Provider address: Clare Lodge Secure Children’s Home, 8 Lincoln Road, Glinton, Peterborough PE6 7AW

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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 operated by Peterborough City Council and is approved by the Secretary of State to restrict children’s liberty.

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for up to 16 girls aged between 10 and 17 who are placed by local authorities under section 25 of the Children Act 1989.

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Information about this children’s home

Admission of any child who is under 13 years old requires the approval of the Secretary of State.

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Information about this children’s home

The commissioning of health services at this home is the statutory responsibility of NHS England, under the Health and Social Care Act 2012. Education is provided on site in dedicated facilities. The inspectors only inspected the social care provision on this site.

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Information about this children’s home

There were 4 children living at the home at the time of this inspection.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was carried out in line with the memorandum of understanding between Ofsted and the Department for Education (DfE).

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This monitoring visit

The inspectors visited the home accompanied specialist architects. This visit forms part of the information that Ofsted provides to the DfE so that the Secretary of State Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC033362 2 can make a decision about the continuing suitability of the home to restrict children’s liberty.

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This monitoring visit

Generally, the home provides a suitable environment for the secure care of vulnerable children, although some areas require immediate attention.

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This monitoring visit

A child was able to use a fitting to harm themselves, and the incident was notified to Ofsted. During this inspection, the same fitting had not been repaired effectively and remained a risk to children. A child’s bedroom had the same failure that had not been identified or addressed. This bedroom was not occupied at the time, but senior staff could not tell inspectors if this failure had been evident before a child recently moved out of this room.

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This monitoring visit

Items and other fittings that are a potential risk to children were found by inspectors, the details of which were shared immediately with the senior staff. Inspectors were told that regular security and safety checks are carried out by staff. However, these have failed to identify and address these matters.

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This monitoring visit

Some areas were unkempt and not kept a good enough standard for the children. For example, the entrance corridor to the music room was dirty with cobwebs on the walls. An outside play area used regularly by children had a number of weeds growing that appeared to have been there for some time. Two mirrors, one in a lounge and one in a child’s bedroom, had graffiti left from a child who has moved out of the home. This lack of care of the environment impacts on children’s perceptions of how they are valued and on their life at the home.

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This monitoring visit

The requirements and recommendations made at the last full inspection will be reviewed at the next inspection. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC033362 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/02/2026 Full Inadequate 07/05/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 23/04/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 25/07/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC033362 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 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

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that the environment is of an appropriate standard to meet the needs of vulnerable children, and is safe for children given the purpose of secure accommodation and the needs of the children; that staff who carry out safety and security checks understand and are competent to carry out this task, and that senior staff carry out periodic competency evaluations with these staff from the due date that evaluations are recorded. 1 June 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— 1 June 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC033362 5 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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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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’s workforce provides continuity of care to 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;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; 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)(a)(b)(c)(e)(f)(i)(h))

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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

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)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that detailed risk assessments are in place and kept updated and that staff are aware of these and follow them. 1 June 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC033362 6 In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (1)(a)(d)) 1 June 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—

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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. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the child’s preferred name and pronouns are used by all staff and in paperwork. 1 June 2026

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills to understand each child’s education and training targets and their next steps for learning. They should ensure that staff receive the training and support they need to improve their subject and pedagogical knowledge. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, pages 27 and 28, paragraph 5.11) Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC033362 7  The registered person should ensure that children have a clear plan to continue their education, training or employment once they leave the home. Measurements of progress should include qualitative information such as how well the child is being prepared for the next stage. Plans should include rewards and recognition of achievements, improvements in attendance and, when appropriate, reduction in behavioural incidents, including exclusion. The

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Recommendations

child’s personal circumstances, individual needs and educational history are relevant in considering what might constitute progress but should not limit aspirations for them. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 26, paragraph 5.2)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was so that Ofsted can provide information to the DfE so that the Secretary of State can make a decision about the continuing suitability of the home to restrict children’s liberty.

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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: SC033362 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Peterborough City Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Sand Martin House, Bittern Way, Peterborough PE2 8TY

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Inspectors

Shaun Common, His Majesty’s Inspector Leanne Lyon, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC033362 9 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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