Children's Home run by Canterbury Care and Support Limited in Croydon

Inspection report for children’s home: 2652402 1 Registered provider: Canterbury Care and Support Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home registered with Ofsted on 13 April 2022 and is privately run. It provides care for up to 3 children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 2 children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager in post since 2 December 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered provider has appointed a new responsible individual, and Ofsted is currently checking whether this person has the relevant capacity, experience and skills to carry out the role.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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Requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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Requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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Requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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Requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 16 December 2025

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Requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2652402 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/12/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 04/02/2025 Full Good 19/03/2024 Full Outstanding 28/03/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2652402 3

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Summary of findings

Since the last inspection, there have been some improvements in children’s overall experiences and progress, how well children are helped and protected and the effectiveness of leaders and managers. However, the absence of an established leadership team is affecting the consistency and pace of improvement. This has recently been addressed. The responsible individual is now more present in the home, and a new manager has been recruited. The changes are beginning to have a positive impact, with greater stability and improved oversight. However, several shortfalls were identified during this inspection.

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Summary of findings

Since the last inspection, one child moved into the home and has since left. Children said they feel happy and safe in the home and have at least one trusted relationship with the adults who care for them.

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improvement to be good

Children do not have enough opportunities to have their views heard and influence their experiences in the home. Key-work sessions take place, but these are often focused on debriefing after incidents happen, rather than providing children with meaningful opportunities to discuss their wishes, feelings and aspirations. Children also said that they do not feel they have opportunities to share their views. One child reported to their social worker that staff did not check in with them or support them following them raising a concern.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have developed an assessment for children moving into the home. Although assessments are very thorough and detailed, one assessment identified that a child was not suitable for the home, unless specific structures were in place and clearly explained the reasons why. Despite this, the child was admitted to the home and subsequently left as the placement was not suitable for them.

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improvement to be good

The information captured about children’s experiences in the home does not consistently provide goals or outcomes for children, and there is limited evidence of actions being followed up. As a result, leaders cannot be assured that children are receiving effective support that informs their care and helps prepare them for the future, including developing their independence skills.

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improvement to be good

Staff continue to ensure that children maintain relationships with their families when it is safe and appropriate. Children are encouraged to maintain relationships with their peers. As a result, children said they have enjoyed attending parties, meeting up to go shopping, and playing in the local park. However, no meaningful activities are planned for the children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2652402 4 Since the last inspection, one child has continued to thrive in education and enjoys school. Another child’s engagement with learning and their attendance at school have been inconsistent. Leaders and managers have worked alongside the professional network to identify barriers to education. A specialist from the virtual school has recently been involved, and this is helping all professionals to better understand how the child can be supported.

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improvement to be good

Children say that they have at least one trusted adult in the home that they can turn to for support. They acknowledged that changes in staff have meant that they have had to get to know new people, which can be difficult. However, they said that the staff are now more consistently present.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Leaders and managers are working to improve staff practice by ensuring that risk assessments are in place that include clear strategies for supporting children. Leaders said this will provide better oversight of the effectiveness of these strategies, enabling them to identify when they need to be reviewed or changed.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Safeguarding practice has improved since the last inspection. Incidents in the home have reduced. Clear boundaries are in place, and children understand the expectations and rules of the home. There have been no incidents requiring physical intervention. Relevant professionals, including social workers, the local authority designated officer (LADO) and Ofsted, have been informed of incidents when necessary.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Children are confident to raise concerns and make complaints when they are unhappy. They know who they can speak to and have been able to raise concerns with trusted professionals, including their social workers. Their complaints and allegations have been responded to appropriately. This helps children to understand that their views are listened to and taken seriously.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff respond appropriately when children go missing from the home. They follow the home’s procedures and take action to locate children to ensure that they are safe. There have been limited missing-from-home incidents, and staff understand the appropriate actions to take if needed.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Since the last inspection, safer recruitment checks are more robust. Staffing levels have improved, and new staff have been recruited. This is beginning to provide greater stability for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, leaders have taken effective action and made some progress to stabilise the home. The responsible individual is now more visible and present, and this has been recognised positively by children, staff and professionals. A new manager has been recruited, which is a positive development, but they have not yet started in post. Inspection report for children’s home: 2652402 5 Staff are committed to children and want to provide good care. Leaders recognise that staff need to develop their understanding of trauma, learning disabilities and the reasons behind children’s behaviours. They are beginning to address this through additional training and support. The operations manager is also undertaking training and plans to share learning with staff monthly. This is a positive step and demonstrates that leaders are taking action to improve staff knowledge. However, this work is still in its infancy and

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

has not yet had enough time to become embedded in staff practice or demonstrate a sustained impact on children’s experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, issues with financial resources have been addressed. Children said that they have access to money if they need items such as clothing and toiletries. They also said that they receive pocket money. Staff say that support is good and morale is high. They acknowledge that payroll and human resources have improved their processes, and there are new digital systems to support them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Investment has been made in a new recording system, and the responsible individual has introduced additional tools to improve oversight. This is helping leaders to have better information about children’s experiences and the running of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The LADO has provided positive feedback about how concerns and investigations are managed. Other professionals also compliment the staff on how well they communicate with them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Overall, leaders have responded to the concerns identified at the previous inspection, and there is evidence of progress. Five requirements were raised at the last inspection, of which 3 have been met and 2 have been restated. One requirement was raised at this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: 2652402 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 registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which —

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that staff record all the work they carry out with children and that records are accurate.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and has been restated. 31 August 2026

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child. (Regulation 7 (1)(c) (2)(a)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the provider ensuring that children are offered meaningful activities and are given opportunities to share their views and be included in decisions about the home. 31 August 2026

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

the registered provider— 4 September 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2652402 7 is an organisation or a partnership;

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Requirement Due date

is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home.

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Requirement Due date

If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of—

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person so appointed; and

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Requirement Due date

the date on which the appointment takes effect. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered provider must appoint a manager who completes a full application to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the social care common inspection framework. This 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’. Inspection report for children’s home: 2652402 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Canterbury Care and Support Limited

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Inspector

Jo Tarbie, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2652402 9 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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