Children's Home run by Azalea Care Ltd in Peterborough

Inspection report for children’s home: 2682522 1 Registered provider: Azalea Care 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 home is owned by a private organisation. It provides care for up to five children with physical or learning disabilities. There were four children living at the home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2024.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children are not protected or their welfare is not safeguarded, and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor.

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2682522 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/05/2024 Full Good 03/01/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 17/10/2023 Full Inadequate 15/02/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2682522 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The shortfalls identified in the help and protection and the leadership and management of the home have affected the children’s overall experiences. This has resulted in an overall judgement of inadequate.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Since the last inspection, four children have moved in and one has child moved out of the home. The children have complex needs and some of the children are nonverbal. One child spoke to the inspector.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Leaders and managers have not fully assessed the needs of the children living at the home and the potential impact of changes before new children move in. This is despite known concerns and risks within the existing group of children. This leaves children already resident and those moving into the home at risk of harm.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children are not able to enjoy and move freely around their home. Children avoid other children and staff navigate children around the home in an attempt to keep them safe from each other.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Leaders and managers have not provided a homely environment for children. When incidents have occurred that have resulted in damages, these have not been quickly repaired. One child has been moved into a new bedroom with a stained ceiling and before previous damages to the room have been repaired. This does not demonstrate to children that they are valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The staff try to support the children despite the challenges faced. The children have positive relationships with some staff. The staff strive to ensure that the children enjoy time outside of the home. The children attend activities they enjoy and speak positively about them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff support and encourage the children to engage in education and learn about the world around them. This is helping some children to make progress with their education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Feedback from professionals was positive, and they spoke positively about the progress their children have made.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Children do not feel safe and are not always kept safe. One child said they did not feel safe living at the home. Another child was observed to show that they did not feel safe through their reactions to the movement of other children around the home. Staff described children’s reactions at times of challenge in the home, which demonstrated children feeling unsafe. Inspection report for children’s home: 2682522 4 Leaders and managers have not ensured that risks related to the children living together as a group have been fully assessed or mitigated. The children are not safeguarded from harm from each other. For example, on one occasion, a child required hospital intervention following assault from another child. On another occasion, a child sought refuge under their bed to hide from another older child who had barricaded themselves in the child’s room.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Staff try to keep the children safe and have at times suffered harm themselves as a result. However, staff have sometimes failed to provide effective supervision of the children, leaving children at risk of harming each other.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Leaders and managers do not ensure that children’s individual care plans and risk assessments are reviewed or updated following incidents. These do not detail current risks and behaviours of the children. Leaders and managers have failed to provide staff with clear, accurate and up-to-date guidance to provide safe and effective care for the children.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Staff do not have confidence in leaders and managers and the organisation’s whistle- blowing procedures. Staff said they have raised concerns to leaders and managers about their safety and the safety of the children. However, no action was taken. This means that staff are less likely to report issues and raise concerns in the future. This increases the risk of a closed culture developing and does not safeguard children.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Staff failed to report and record a significant safeguarding incident involving two children. Managers were made aware of this incident. However, they did not take any action. This means there was no learning or actions taken to prevent a reoccurrence, leaving children at risk of repeat incidents.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

Following incidents of physical intervention, staff do not always talk to the children about the restraints or explore their feelings in alternative appropriate ways. They do not support the children who have the capacity to reflect on the intervention to do so. This limits children’s opportunities to raise concerns about interventions if they were worried about them. Furthermore, this limits positive discussion with children about behaviour and what they and the staff can do to prevent physical intervention being used in the future.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: inadequate

When children have made any allegations against staff, these have been responded to appropriately and effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The suitably qualified and experienced manager registered with Ofsted in August 2024. They were present during this inspection and supported by the responsible individual. Senior leaders have not ensured effective management oversight of the service. As a result, children have not consistently been kept safe, and staff have not delivered good- quality care and support to the children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2682522 5 The staff have faced difficult situations resulting in injuries to staff, some requiring hospital visits. Some staff have shown resilience and, at times, put themselves in harm’s way to protect children. However, leaders and managers have been ineffective in supporting, monitoring and overseeing staff practice to enable them to deliver consistent and safe care. Staff feel unsafe, unvalued and unsupported.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have not invested in staff support systems. Staff do not receive regular supervision to support their development and reflect on their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers do not have a clear plan in place for staff training and development. Staff raised concerns about the training opportunities afforded to them. Some staff are working towards their relevant level 3 qualification and others are working towards their level 5. However, leaders and managers have failed to monitor and assess the skills and experience of the staff team. Training opportunities afforded to staff do not equip them to meet the children’s particular and complex needs effectively. As a result, some staff do not understand their roles and responsibilities or feel confident in their roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Children have not always been supported by staff who have the experience and skills to meet their individual needs. Staff raised concerns about the high levels of agency staff needed to ensure sufficient staff, causing more pressure on core staff. This has the potential to impact on children’s experiences of continuity of care and the overall quality of care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Senior leaders have not ensured that safer recruitment checks required by regulation are always carried out prior to staff working at the home. On one staff recruitment file sampled, the staff member had been employed despite a missing employment reference and with no verification of the one reference obtained. This has left children at potential risk of having unsuitable people caring for them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have reviewed the location and premises of the home. However, they have failed to consult with relevant external agencies. This limits the scope for assessing risks to children in the wider community.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have built positive working relationships with professionals involved in the children’s lives. Inspection report for children’s home: 2682522 6

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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

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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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)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(b)) 22 August 2025

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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

promotes their welfare. 22 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2682522 7 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 have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of 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)(c)(f)(h))

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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.

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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

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home;

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that risks to children living at or moving into the home are fully assessed and considered before any child moves into the home. Furthermore, ensure that children’s care and support plans are kept under regular review and updated when appropriate. 22 August 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. 22 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2682522 8 The registered person may only—

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 22 August 2025

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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

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and

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Requirement Due date

of any other person present when the measure was used; the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and 22 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2682522 9 a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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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)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children are spoken to about the physical intervention after each incident.

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they review the appropriateness and suitability of the location and premises of the home at least once a year. The review should include the identification of any risks and opportunities presented by the home’s location and strategies for managing these. When conducting the review, the registered person should consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the environment is nurturing and welcoming. Many children placed in homes may undergo a difficult transition and what should be simple aspects of their care take on a substantial significance in this context. There should be no unnecessary delays in repairing damage around the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they have a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce-related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs19 and 20). The plan should:  Detail the necessary management and staffing structure (including any staff commissioned to provide health and education), the experience and qualifications of staff currently working within the staffing structure and any further training required for those staff, to enable the delivery of the home’s Statement of Purpose.  Detail the processes and agreed timescales for staff to achieve induction, probation and any core training (such as safeguarding, health and safety and mandatory qualifications).  Detail the process for managing and improving poor performance.  Detail the process and timescales for supervision of practice (see regulation 33 (4) (b)) and keep appropriate records for staff in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2682522 10

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Recommendations

(‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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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: 2682522 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Azalea Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 6, Minerva Business Park, Lynch Wood, Peterborough PE2 6FT

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Lyana Sinclair Russell

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Inspector

Anver Rose, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2682522 12 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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