OFSTED has now responded to the questions posed by The Herald over its responsibility regarding the two children’s homes in Four Marks and Medstead, run by Benjamin UK Ltd (as reported on the front page of last week’s Alton Herald).

As the authority responsible for licensing and inspecting the homes, many people have written to Ofsted to complain about the behaviour of children and the apparent lack of appropriate care and supervision.

In response, Ofsted has said: “We inspect children’s homes at least once a year, and at least twice a year if they are inadequate or require improvement.

“When someone complains about a children’s home we will investigate to check that the registered provider is meeting their legal obligations. Where we find non-compliance with those requirements, we will take action to ensure children’s safety and well-being. In most cases, we tell the children’s home what they need to do to put things right.

“Where a home cannot or will not improve, or where there is a serious breach of a legal requirement, we have a range of enforcement powers. These include restricting admissions, suspending operations, issuing a compliance notice, cancelling the registration, or prosecuting for an offence.”