Children’s home run by reality TV star slammed after failing to report ‘sex attack’ on a child who had gone missing
A CHILDREN’S home run by a reality TV star has been slammed by Ofsted — after it failed to report an alleged sex assault on a child who had gone missing.
The Real Housewives of Cheshire’s Ampika Pickston opened the facility last year, but has also been blasted by the watchdog for taking another of the kids back to her £3million mansion.
Just three weeks later, she invited other children to her house, in Hale, Gtr Manchester, Ofsted said.
And although they did not go, investigators ruled Ampika had not stuck to “high standards of safeguarding practice”.
A 15-page Ofsted document said there had been times when children were missing from the home.
When one said they had been sexually assaulted while away, Ofsted said it was not informed and “recording of the incident is poor”.
Mum-of-one Ampika, 42, is engaged to billionaire West Ham chairman David Sullivan, 74.
She registered AP Care Homes last July, for kids aged 12 to 16, and made a video to promote its opening.
The inspection took place last month and found the home to be “inadequate”.
The report said: “There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor.”
Three children have lived there since it was set up.
Other incidents include kids “meeting strangers via video messages”.
Bullying was described as “poorly managed”.
Ofsted found no manager in place, with the facility overseen by Ampika herself, who does not have “the skills and experience” to operate a home in line with regulations.
One member of staff fell asleep twice while in charge of children.
Another youngster was allowed to vape.
Ampika found fame on the ITVBe show from 2015 to 2017, returning last year.
Ofsted said it does not comment on individual cases.
Ampika has been asked to comment.
