Children's Home run by Care Givers Limited in Essex

Inspection report for children’s home: 2806690 1 Registered provider: Care Givers Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This private home is registered to care for one child with social and emotional difficulties and learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The home opened in February 2026. The registered manager left in June 2026.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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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: not previously inspected

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2806690 2

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Summary of findings

There are shortfalls in the quality and consistency of care provided to children, including some safeguarding practices. Leaders and managers have not provided effective oversight of the home. They have not identified or addressed important shortfalls and do not consistently learn from significant events.

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Summary of findings

The new manager has started to make improvements. However, these are recent and are not yet embedded. As a result, the home is not yet providing children with consistently good care.

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Summary of findings

Children have some positive experiences and are making progress in some areas of their lives. They have good relationships with staff and are supported to share their views.

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improvement to be good

Since the home opened in February 2026, 2 children have lived at the home. One child moved out of the home in April 2026, and another child moved into the home in May 2026. This child spoke to the inspector.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have not consistently ensured that children’s moves into the home are well planned. One child moved into the home in an emergency before all relevant information about their needs and risks had been received. The legal arrangements for the child’s placement had not been confirmed. The child spent significant periods missing from the home and was moved on to another home. For another child, there is no clear record of how leaders and managers considered whether the home could meet the child’s individual needs or how staff should prepare for their arrival. As a result, children do not always have well-planned moves into the home, and staff may not have the information that they need to meet children’s needs from the outset.

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improvement to be good

Staff support the child to maintain a daily routine and take their prescribed medication consistently. However, they do not provide enough support to help the child make healthy choices about their diet. This does not support the child to develop healthy habits that promote their long-term health and wellbeing.

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improvement to be good

The child said that they are happy living at the home and have developed positive relationships with some staff. These relationships help the child to feel settled and secure. The child is involved in making choices about the home, including how communal areas are decorated. This helps the child to develop a sense of ownership and belonging at the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2806690 3 The child’s wishes and feelings are regularly sought. They feel comfortable expressing their views to staff and managers. Regular discussions help the child to explore their preferences for activities. This helps staff to plan activities that reflect the child’s interests. Staff have also helped the child to understand the role of an advocate. This helps the child to have an independent voice in the decisions about their life.

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improvement to be good

Staff support the child to engage with their education. When the child has experienced difficulties attending their education provision, staff have helped them to overcome these barriers. Staff support the child to develop their independence through activities such as cooking, household tasks and taking part in practical projects around the home. This helps the child to develop skills they will need as they become more independent.

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improvement to be good

Staff have not always followed the missing-from-home protocols. On one occasion, a child left the home and was not reported missing. As a result, appropriate action was not taken to locate the child and support their safe return. This potentially left the child exposed to increased risks while they were away from the home.

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improvement to be good

Physical restraint is rarely used. However, following one incident, a discussion with staff did not take place within the required time frame and the child was not offered a debrief. This limits opportunities for children and staff to reflect on what happened, identify learning and consider how similar incidents could be prevented. In addition, a member of staff involved in the intervention had not completed their restraint refresher training. This means that staff may not have the up-to-date skills and knowledge they need to use physical intervention safely.

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improvement to be good

Risk assessments and positive behaviour support plans are clear and provide staff with practical guidance about the child’s known risks and behaviours. Staff understand these risks and the strategies to use to help the child regulate their emotions. The staff generally use these strategies appropriately when responding to incidents. This helps staff to manage incidents safely and reduce the likelihood of situations escalating.

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improvement to be good

Staff undertake direct work with the child to help them understand expectations and boundaries around spending time with people who are important to them. A clear plan is in place to support the child to do this safely. This helps the child to understand what is expected of them and has contributed to a reduction in incidents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

In the period since the home opened in February 2026, the responsible individual and registered manager have left their roles. The provider has appointed a new responsible individual and a new manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have failed to effectively review significant incidents and episodes when children go missing from the home. This means that they do not always identify Inspection report for children’s home: 2806690 4 concerns, patterns or learning from incidents. They do not consider whether staff have responded appropriately. As a result, opportunities to learn from incidents and reduce risks to children are missed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have not challenged relevant professionals when children do not have a return-home interview following a missing-from-home episode. This means that opportunities to understand children’s experiences and identify any new risks are missed. This information is important in helping staff to understand why children go missing and how they can reduce the risk of this happening again.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have not identified or addressed shortfalls in children’s records. Some records have gaps, lack clarity or contain language that is not child friendly. As a result, records do not provide a clear and accurate account of children’s experiences and the care they receive. This makes it harder for managers to have effective oversight and identify shortfalls in practice. It also means that children may read information about themselves that is unclear, inaccurate or does not respectfully reflect their experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have not always notified Ofsted of significant incidents at the home. This prevents Ofsted from having effective oversight of the home and considering whether appropriate action has been taken to keep children safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff have not always received regular supervision sessions. The new manager has recently addressed this shortfall, and all staff have since received supervision. The manager has introduced regular team meetings, which give staff opportunities to share important information. Staff are positive about the new manager and say that they feel well supported. Inspection report for children’s home: 2806690 5

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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

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; and

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)) 20 November 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

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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; 20 November 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2806690 6 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; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must review records to ensure that there is a full and accurate record The registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all their staff have been adequately trained in the principles of restraint and any restraint techniques appropriate to the needs of the children the home is set up to care for as defined in the home's Statement of Purpose. 20 December 2026

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Requirement Due date

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. 20 November 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2806690 7 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff encourage children to take a proactive role in looking after their day-to-day health and wellbeing. Staff should support children to make healthy choices about food and drink and encourage them to maintain a healthy, well-balanced diet. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.10)  The registered person should ensure that when a child returns to the home after being missing or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority provides an opportunity for the child to have an independent return-home interview. In particular, ensure that children are routinely offered return-home interviews after missing-from-home incidents. The interview should be carried out within 72 hours of the child returning to their home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have a system in place so that all serious events are notified, within 24 hours, to the appropriate people. Notification must include details of the action taken by the home’s staff in response to the event. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.13).

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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: 2806690 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Care Givers Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 11, 1 George Williams, Colchester CO1 2JS

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Inspector

Emilja Myers, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2806690 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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