Children's Home run by Motherwell Care Ltd in Croydon

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2689061 1 Registered provider: Motherwell Care 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 owned home provides care for up to 4 children who have social or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children's home

The home was registered with Ofsted on 7 July 2023. The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2026. Ofsted is in the process of reviewing the suitability of the proposed new responsible individual.

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This monitoring visit

The home was judged to be inadequate at a full inspection on 12 and 13 May 2026. As a result, a notice to suspend accommodation was issued on 15 May 2026.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was carried out to review the provider's compliance with the notice suspending accommodation and to consider the responses and actions taken in relation to the suspension notice.

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This monitoring visit

The inspector found that the provider has complied with the suspension of accommodation, meaning no children have lived in the home since the notice was issued. The provider has also made progress in responding to the concerns identified at the full inspection and is working towards meeting the requirements raised at that inspection.

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This monitoring visit

Staffing numbers have increased since the full inspection. A new deputy manager with relevant experience has been appointed, alongside new residential care workers. Leaders have also improved the staffing arrangements by producing a new rota, which includes appropriate handover times and introducing a risk assessment for night staff to inform decisions about staff numbers based upon children's needs and experiences. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2689061 2 Leaders have updated the home's admission protocol and impact risk assessment. They have also introduced an admissions panel that will review the information gathered from referrals to decide whether staff can meet children's needs. This will strengthen the process for making effective decisions about children's placements.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders have introduced new tools to support them in maintaining oversight of safeguarding incidents. This includes a tracker where all incidents are recorded alongside the details of which professionals have been informed. A newly produced escalation protocol will be followed if staff do not receive a timely response to the concerns raised.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders have developed the home's practice for when children are missing from home. They have updated the protocol that staff must follow and introduced a checklist for managers to use so that all the necessary steps to safeguard children have been taken. This includes ensuring that independent return home interviews are requested.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders have reviewed children's risk assessments. Risk reduction strategies that staff should take are clearer and more detailed, and the responsible individual is now involved in maintaining oversight of risk assessments.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders are developing a reflective culture in the home. They have organised monthly reflective practice sessions for staff, facilitated by the home's registered manager and therapist, and introduced reflection into staff team meetings and supervisions. This approach will support the team's learning and wellbeing, and the quality of children's care.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders have implemented a tracker for children's physical and mental health. This will support staff oversight to ensure that children's health needs are well met.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders have taken action to improve the quality of the home for children. The home has been repainted, the stair banister has been fixed, and the dormer window has been cleaned.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have continued to work towards meeting the requirements and recommendations raised at the full inspection. These will be reviewed at the next full inspection. No additional requirements or recommendations were raised at this visit. As a result of this monitoring visit, the notice to suspend accommodation will not be extended. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2689061 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/05/2026 Full Inadequate 19/08/2025 Full Good 07/05/2024 Full Good 23/01/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2689061 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 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

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

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)(v)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that: staff adhere to safeguarding procedures and fulfil their legal responsibilities at all times; all staff consistently follow good practice and model safe and professional behaviour; children's allegations are investigated and safeguarding actions are taken; staff have the training and support needed to have the skills to identify and act upon children's risk of 16 November 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2689061 5 harm; children have a document that sets out all known risks to the child that includes clear directions for staff to follow and practical measures to reduce risk; all safeguarding incidents are recorded.

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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

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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 has sufficient staff to provide care for 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

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)(d)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that: there are sufficient staff to safely care for children; staff are sufficiently skilled and experienced to promote the wellbeing and safety of children living in the home; children experience consistency in managers and staff; managers monitor all incidents and identify any areas for practice improvement and next steps, exercising professional curiosity. 16 November 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2689061 6 The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children's home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child's placing authority. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, when considering new children moving into the home, leaders and managers must fully consider the needs of children already living there and those moving into the home as well as whether the staff have the skills to meet the needs of all children in their care. 16 November 2026

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services, and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child's relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child's health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child's health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child's age and understanding; 16 November 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2689061 7 that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment, and other services as the child may require. Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure: that they have a clear understanding and oversight of children's health needs; that children are actively supported to attend their health appointments; that missed health appointments are rescheduled without delay; and that children's dental appointments are not delayed.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children's home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives, and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home's records (except for a child's case records unless the child and the child's placing authority consent) as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

A visit by the independent person to the home may be unannounced.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit ("the independent person's report") which sets out, in particular, the independent person's opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children's well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person's report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the independent person seeks children's views of their home and staff's understanding of children's needs and risks, and staff's experiences of working in the home, and that the 16 November 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2689061 8 independent person provides scrutiny of the home and recommends actions for areas of improvement.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children's home a statement ("the statement of purpose") which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. (Regulation 16 (1))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the statement of purpose clearly states the qualifications and experience of the staff working in the home and that the home is providing the type of care set out in the statement of purpose. 16 November 2026

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they continue to improve all areas of the home's interior. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that notes of the content and outcomes of supervision sessions are kept and that both the person giving the supervision and staff member have a copy of the record. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 61, paragraph 13.4)

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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: 2689061 9

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Motherwell Care Ltd

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: 21-23 Croydon Road, Caterham, Surrey CR3 6PA

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Inspector

Jo Mitchell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2689061 10 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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