Harvest Care Group

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Harvest Care Group 1 Harvest Care Group Registered provider: Harvest Care Group Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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provider

A private provider owns and operates this supported accommodation service.

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provider

The service registered with Ofsted on 15 February 2025. The registered service manager and separate nominated individual were registered at the same time. They left the service left on 30 November 2025 and in February 2026, respectively.

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provider

The current acting service manager has recently applied to register as the service manager and the nominated individual.

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provider

The service can offer accommodation for up to 28 children across the 6 supported accommodation premises. These premises are registered to support looked-after children and care leavers only. At the time of the inspection, only 3 premises for up to 15 children were open.

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provider

At the time of the inspection, 5 children aged 16 and 17 years were living across the provider’s 3 ring-fenced shared premises.

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provider

Following a monitoring visit on 20 April 2026, a notice restricting the provider from accepting any new children into the service was served. A further restriction of accommodation notice was issued on 20 July 2026. This remains in place until 11 October 2026.

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provider

The director, who has been involved in the operation of the service since 15 February 2025, participated in remote meetings with the inspectors. He has been abroad during all of Ofsted inspections and monitoring visits.

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Inspection dates: 17 to 20 August 2026

The inspection was announced on 17 August 2026 and started that day. The inspectors were on site on 19 and 20 August 2026. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Harvest Care Group 2

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Outcome

Serious or widespread weaknesses lead to significant concerns about the experiences and progress of children. Leaders and managers must take urgent action to address failings. The next inspection will be within approximately 6 months.

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Summary of findings

The provider has failed to demonstrate that they have the capacity to improve services for children. This is the second consecutive outcome 3 judgement for this provider.

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Summary of findings

The providers failure to ensure effective leadership and management arrangements are in place means that limited progress has been made in improving the services for children.

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Summary of findings

The provider has failed again to meet all the steps that have been identified in 2 compliance notices. These notices were issued to improve children’s experiences following the monitoring visit on 16 July 2026. Several compliance notices have been issued repeatedly following the 3 monitoring visits that have been conducted in- between the full inspections.

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Summary of findings

The provider has failed to ensure that all children have suitable support plans in place to enable them to develop and gain the skills that they need for independence.

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Summary of findings

The provider has failed to ensure that staff have the skills that they need to support the children’s support needs safely and effectively.

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Summary of findings

There are ongoing concerns about the financial viability of the service. This affects staff morale and the stability for the children.

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Summary of findings

On 20 August 2026, the provider submitted a voluntary cancellation form to de- register the service with Ofsted from 30 September 2026. Ofsted accepted this.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children’s experiences vary greatly. Some children receive adequate support from experienced staff to help them become more independent. However, some staff are not supported or trained to meet the needs of those children who have more complex needs and vulnerabilities. These children make little to no progress in gaining the skills that they need to live independently.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

There was a strong smell of cannabis in the office and communal areas on the ground floor of one premises. Despite a professional raising similar concern, the acting service manager has failed to address the potential criminal activity that may Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Harvest Care Group 3 be occurring in the home or the health impact of secondary smoke for the child living in the premises.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children’s support plans have been updated. However, they do not fully reflect the actions that staff need to take to support children in their journey towards independence. Documents containing the assessment of the children’s needs are mentioned in plans for the children, but key advice on how staff should engage and communicate with the child do not shape the child’s support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff are inconsistent in their response to children. Not all children understand and comply with the rules and boundaries in their homes. Some children receive multiple warnings for failing to comply with the house rules. However, this has been ineffective in supporting children to alter their behaviour and promote sustained positive change.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

The conditions of the homes fluctuate. While some of the premises are maintained to an acceptable standard, the upkeep of others is not prioritised by the provider.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Some staff are skilled at building positive relationships with children. However, one child said that the staff did not understand their needs. This child did not feel comfortable in their home and said that this contributed to the frequency of their missing episodes.

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How well children are helped and protected

Children remain at risk of exploitation. Staff liaise with agencies and share information about children who go missing from their homes or are arrested. However, the effectiveness of the children’s plans remain limited and safe progression towards independence for some children is not foreseeable.

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How well children are helped and protected

There are significant gaps in leaders,’ managers’ and the safeguarding lead, who is the previous nominated individual, safeguarding practice. These individuals have failed to ensure the safeguarding procedure was followed when a professional made an allegation against a member of staff.

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How well children are helped and protected

Not all staff have the skills to support children who may be in crisis, nor do they have the skills to enforce the policies of the service. Despite the provider’s Visitors Policy, children’s visitors continue to gain access into the home, sometimes without the staff’s knowledge. This, and the staff’s inability to manage the competing children’s needs and escalating behaviour when these incidents occur, has resulted in the staff making repeat calls to the police to manage these situations.

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How well children are helped and protected

There are shortcomings in the support that some children receive. Leaders and managers have previously accepted some children with diagnosed or presumed needs that the staff are not skilled and trained to manage. The lack of training for staff in supporting children with their emotional and neurodivergent needs means that children do not receive the bespoke support that they need, and the staff make their own assumptions about some of the children’s behaviours. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Harvest Care Group 4 Progress to help children to keep themselves safe is limited. Some staff do not develop meaningful relationships with children; therefore, staff do not know the extent of the risks for children in the community. Children at increased risk do not share important information with staff about their whereabouts, friends, and people they see who may cause them harm.

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How well children are helped and protected

The provider does not always notify Ofsted of all serious notifiable events. This hinders Ofsted’s ability to assess the leaders and managers ability to take effective action to safeguard children.

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How well children are helped and protected

Ofsted cannot be assured of the health and safety arrangements of all the premises as the provider failed to produce the fire risk assessments. Furthermore, only one premises had an updated location assessment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The registered service manager left this post in November 2025, and the nominated individual left this post in February 2026. Despite this, both individuals remain involved in some capacity in the service. The operational manager who withdrew their application to become nominated individual also remains contracted to undertake quality assurance. This creates confusion for staff as they do not know who is leading and managing the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The service remains fragmented as it remains without effective leadership and management oversight. The new manager, who has been with this supported accommodation service since January 2026, has done little to bring about any positive change for children. They have failed to identify ongoing shortfalls and have not taken effective action to address the steps identified in the 2 compliance notices that were issued at the last monitoring visit.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The director has not been forthcoming in sharing the current financial position of the organisation. This questions the provider’s integrity and good character.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The provider has been unable to evidence that the service remains financially viable to ensure ongoing stability for children. Despite Ofsted making several requests for the providers accounts, this information remains outstanding.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The provider, new manager and senior staff have failed to take effective action to ensure children’s information is kept secure and confidential. The manager said that they had reported to the previous registered service manager that their work laptop had been stolen in February 2026. The director stated that he was not aware of this. Ofsted could not confirm if this had been reported to the police or the Information Commissioners Office. Furthermore, the manager stated that he had been using their own personal laptop to carry out the functions of their role, without encryption or remote ways to block access to sensitive information should it also be lost or stolen. The director stated that he was not aware of this. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Harvest Care Group 5 The current electronic recording system that staff use is poor. This only allows staff to read children’s information that was uploaded before the end of June 2026. How

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

children’s information is recorded from June 2026 onwards is unclear and fragmented. This prevents managers from having safe and suitable oversight of the service and staff having access to the most updated information for the children in a quick, consistent, and straightforward way.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The plans for the safe transfer of children’s records are unclear. The electronic system is not up to date and issues around payment of the subscription contract have not been resolved. Leaders’ and managers could not provide the Contingency Plan to outline what measures will be taken to help children and their files transition to alternative arrangements in case of closure of the company. Given the current circumstances, this is a significant issue that can affect transition plans for children and access to their personal data.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The acting manager has updated the statement of purpose. However, the document continues to reflect the wrong category of registration for the premises and wrongly describes the acting manager as the registered service manager and nominated individual. This is incorrect. Both these positions are currently vacant.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The organisational structure of the organisation is unclear. Some staff believe that people who are no longer employed by the company continue to have senior leadership roles. Some children and staff were also unclear as to whether some support workers continued to be employed by the service. While a child said their keyworker had left the service weeks ago, the director said the staff member was on sick leave. The manager was unsure about the staff member’s circumstances.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The provider has failed to assure themselves that the acting service manager has the skills, experience, and competence to fulfil the registered service manager’s role. The manager has not completed any induction or received any supervision sessions since January 2026, when they were firstly introduced to staff as the proposed service manager. There are no arrangements in place to ensure that supervision, induction, and probation evaluation will take place. The manager could not identify who would provide them with supervision.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers could not demonstrate the effectiveness of the service on improving children’s experiences and promoting children’s welfare. The provider has failed to ensure leaders and manager complete and submit the required quality of support reviews. The provider has not submitted any of these reviews since registration. This is a missed opportunity to gain feedback from children, staff, and stakeholders to help shape the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff and home managers have started to receive supervision sessions, and most staff have now received at least one supervision session this year. However, this is yet to translate to better support for children. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Harvest Care Group 6 The compliance notices have not been met. They were issued under Regulation 4, to improve the leadership and management arrangements, and Regulation 35, to gain an understanding of the financial viability of the service. Ofsted is not re-issuing these compliance notices as the provider has submitted their voluntary cancellation form. Requirements under these regulations have been issued.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Ofsted will continue to monitor the service until it is cancelled. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Harvest Care Group 7

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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 Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023 and the 'Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards'. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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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 supported accommodation undertaking that puts children first and prioritises their wellbeing and development.

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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 supported accommodation undertaking in a way that is consistent with the ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the undertaking’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work effectively as a team, where appropriate, to meet the needs of children;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the supported accommodation undertaking has sufficient staff to support and accommodate children safely and effectively;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that arrangements are in place to manage referrals of children to the supported accommodation undertaking and admissions of children to premises used as supported accommodation, including, where relevant, emergency referrals and admissions;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that arrangements are in place for the supervision, training and development of staff. (Regulation 4 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(f)(g))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated. 13 September

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must carry on the supported accommodation undertaking in a manner which is likely to ensure that it will be financially viable for the purpose of achieving the aims and objectives set out in the statement of purpose. 13 September Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Harvest Care Group 8 The registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that adequate financial records are maintained and kept up to date in respect of the supported accommodation undertaking, and

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Requirement Due date

provide a copy of the financial records and most recent accounts to the CIECSS upon request.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must provide the CIECSS with such information as the CIECSS may reasonably require for the purpose of considering the financial viability of the supported accommodation undertaking, including—

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Requirement Due date

the annual accounts of the supported accommodation undertaking certified by an accountant;

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Requirement Due date

information as to the financing and financial resources of the supported accommodation undertaking and the registered provider. (Regulation 35 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

An organisation may only carry on a supported accommodation undertaking if—

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Requirement Due date

each director of the organisation, except for a director who is the nominated individual, who is involved in the carrying on of the supported accommodation undertaking by that organisation, satisfies the requirements in paragraph (6)

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character. (Regulation 11 (4)(a) (6)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated. 13 September

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify the CIECSS and any relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation or child criminal exploitation; an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child and the registered person considers that incident to be serious; 13 September Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Harvest Care Group 9 there is an allegation of abuse against the supported accommodation undertaking or a person working for it;

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry);

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Requirement Due date

there is an incident involving the use of a measure of restraint of a child;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

any other individuals or organisations who or which have been notified;

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Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter;

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Requirement Due date

is made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 27 (3)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)(f) (4)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The protection standard is that children are enabled to feel safe and that their needs are met.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that children— are protected from harm; are enabled to keep themselves safe; have their individual needs met; ensure that staff— 13 September Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Harvest Care Group 10 have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of abuse, neglect, exploitation or any other harm, and act to reduce such risk; work collaboratively with children to help them understand how to keep safe, by offering guidance and support on how to minimise any potential risk of harm. (Regulation 5 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(f)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

“the 2022 Regulations” means the Care Standards Act 2000 (Extension of the Application of Part 2 to Supported Accommodation) (England) Regulations 2022(1);

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Requirement Due date

“category of supported accommodation” means one of the following types of supported accommodation—

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Requirement Due date

supported accommodation in a self-contained unit, where the accommodation is for the sole use of the child or for the child and other individuals living with the child as agreed by the accommodating authority or the supported accommodation undertaking;

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Requirement Due date

supported accommodation in a shared or group living situation in premises used to accommodate only looked after children or care leavers;

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Requirement Due date

supported accommodation in a shared or group living situation in premises which are not limited to accommodating looked after children or care leavers;

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Requirement Due date

supported accommodation provided by an individual or individuals in a private residence which is the main residence of that individual or those individuals. (Regulation 2 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that only children who fall in the correct category of registration are supported in the service.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated. 13 September

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Requirement Due date

The support standard is that children receive individual and tailored support that meets their needs. 13 September Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Harvest Care Group 11 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that children are encouraged and enabled to take a lead role in determining the support they receive and to participate in and influence how the supported accommodation operates;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that plans for support are based on initial referral information, are meaningful and are created in full consultation with the child, taking account of relevant plans for the child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure a plan for support is in place to support the child to develop the resilience and skills required to transition out of supported accommodation when the child is ready to live more independently. (Regulation 7 (1) (2)(a)(b)(k))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the following matters in respect of the supported accommodation undertaking—

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Requirement Due date

the category or categories of supported accommodation it offers;

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Requirement Due date

the characteristics of the children for whom it is intended the supported accommodation undertaking will provide accommodation and support, including the age range, number and sex of the children;

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Requirement Due date

the organisational structure, including management structure and staffing arrangements. (Regulation 9 (1)(b)(d)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated. 13 September

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) in relation to each child accommodated by the supported accommodation undertaking which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 2,

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated. 13 September

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Requirement Due date

If premises are no longer used, or intended to be available for use, as supported accommodation by the supported accommodation undertaking, the registered person must give 13 September Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Harvest Care Group 12 notice in writing to the CIECSS no later than 10 working days after the registered person becomes aware of the decision to cease use of the premises. (Regulation 34 (2))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy setting out—

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Requirement Due date

what would happen to the children accommodated by the supported accommodation undertaking, and

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Requirement Due date

what measures would be taken to ensure the appropriate transfer of records,

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Requirement Due date

in the event that the undertaking ceases, whether permanently or temporarily, to provide supported accommodation, as a result of closure, conditions or restrictions imposed on the registration of the undertaking, or because of a suspension or cancellation of registration.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must provide the contingency plan policy to a local authority considering accommodating a child with the supported accommodation undertaking. (Regulation 23(1)(a)(b) (2)) 13 September

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Requirement Due date

The accommodation standard is that children experience a comfortable and secure living environment.

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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 the location of the premises used as supported accommodation is suitable for the category or categories of supported accommodation provided, by—

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Requirement Due date

reviewing the appropriateness and suitability of the location of each of the premises used as supported accommodation (“a location assessment”), and in doing so, consulting and taking into account the views of each relevant person;

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Requirement Due date

carrying out a location assessment of each of the premises used as supported accommodation at least once in each calendar year;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used as supported accommodation—

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Requirement Due date

are suitable for the purposes of supported accommodation and are accessible, safe, secure and well-maintained. 13 September Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Harvest Care Group 13 (Regulation 6 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(b)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain a system for monitoring and improving the quality of support provided by the supported accommodation undertaking by completing a review (“a quality of support review”) at least once every six months, which must take into account—

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Requirement Due date

the views of children, including any feedback and complaints received;

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Requirement Due date

feedback from individual children on the impact the supported accommodation has had on the child’s life, especially regarding how well prepared the child felt for transition into supported accommodation and how well prepared the child feels for transition out of supported accommodation;

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Requirement Due date

feedback from each child’s accommodating authority, staff and any relevant persons;

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Requirement Due date

any relevant research and developments in relation to the way in which the needs of children are best met.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of support review, the registered person must produce a written report setting out the actions the registered person intends to take as a result of that quality of support review.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must provide a copy of the review report to the CIECSS within 28 days beginning with the day on which the report is completed and make a copy of it available on request to each child’s accommodating authority. (Regulation 32 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d) (2) (3)) 13 September

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children 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 Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Harvest Care Group 14

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider: Harvest Care Group Ltd

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider address: 78 Queens Road, Watford, Hertfordshire WD17 2LA

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Nominated individual:

Email address: duty.aldine@harvestcaregroup.org.uk

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Inspectors

Daniela Ferrario, Social Care Inspector Ann Adesoye, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Harvest Care Group 15 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

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