Children's home run by Netpex Care Ltd

Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2834388 1 Registered provider: Netpex Care Ltd

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and provides care for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, no children were living at the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home and the manager have been registered with Ofsted since 25 May 2025.

p.1

Inspection date: 4 December 2025

Date of last inspection: 21 October 2025

p.1

Inspection date: 4 December 2025

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

Inspection date: 4 December 2025

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

p.1

Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspectors evaluated:

p.1

Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2834388 2

p.1

Findings from the inspection

We identified the following serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection:

p.2

Findings from the inspection

 The child who was living at the home at the time of the full inspection has very recently left in an unplanned way. This is because the leaders and the staff team failed to keep them safe from harm.  Since the full inspection, there have been multiple changes to the leadership team. The current and proposed management arrangements are unsuitable. Monitoring and oversight by leaders and managers have been poor as a result.  Leaders operate the home with extremely low numbers of core staff. Those staff repeatedly raised concerns about the safety of the child and themselves, but these were not addressed.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

The safety and wellbeing of the child were compromised because staff failed to follow agreed plans. This is despite these plans being agreed by the court and other relevant professionals.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Leaders employed security guards in an attempt to ensure that the child remained safe. This inappropriate measure was not agreed by the placing authority. The child said they were not comfortable about being monitored by security guards, especially as they had body-worn cameras.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

Incidents of the child going missing from home and concerns about exploitation had steadily increased. The sudden decision to end the child’s placement did not allow enough time for the placing local authority to identify a suitable new home. The child was moved from this home late at night and had to travel a long distance to an unfamiliar setting.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

The child was enrolled with an education provision and engaged with their therapy. They enjoyed a fun activity at an amusement park. However, no improvements were made to their bedroom. The child continued to sleep in an dirty environment. The relationships between the child and the staff deteriorated after the full inspection, which led to multiple allegations about staff. These staff were absent while investigations took place, which led to insufficient staff working at the home to safely care for the child.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

On one occasion, agency staff failed to respond appropriately to serious threats of self-harm made by the child. This had the potential to place the child at significant risk of harm and highlights the lack of staff skills and experience to meet the child’s needs.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

The manager’s oversight has not been sufficiently robust. This has led to missed opportunities to safeguard the child. The child made a disclosure about harm they Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2834388 3 experienced in the community. This was not acted on or shared with the child’s placing authority.

p.2

Findings from the inspection

When the child made allegations about staff, there were unnecessary delays before any consultation with the local authority designated officer. Additionally, leaders did not consistently notify the regulator about serious events.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

The previous registered manager and responsible individual failed to formally notify Ofsted about leaving their posts. The interim manager is not present at the home on a regular basis. Therefore, the interim management arrangements are misleading and have led to serious failures in monitoring and oversight by the leadership team.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

The manager and proposed responsible individual do not have experience of managing children’s homes. Staff struggle to accept their guidance and have no trust in their decision-making.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

Leaders failed to identify and facilitate the training that staff needed so that they could understand how to keep the child safe. Furthermore, the provider failed to ensure themselves that the newly appointed manager and responsible individual had been recruited safely.

p.3

Findings from the inspection

The provider did not take action to address a safeguarding and conduct concern about one of the previous leaders.

p.3

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/10/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2834388 4

p.3

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.

p.4

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.4

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;

p.4

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.4

Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

p.4

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

p.4

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;

p.4

Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(b)(d)) 13 January 2026

p.4

Requirement Due date

The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular—

p.4

Requirement Due date

provide for the prompt referral of an allegation about current or ongoing abuse or neglect in relation to a child to the placing authority and, if different, the local authority in whose area the home is located; 13 January 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2834388 5 provide for the prompt referral of an allegation about past abuse or neglect in relation to a child to the placing authority and, if different, the local authority in whose area the alleged abuse or neglect occurred;

p.4

Requirement Due date

provide for records to be kept of an allegation of abuse or neglect, and the action taken in response;

p.5

Requirement Due date

describe the measures which may be necessary to protect children following an allegation of abuse or neglect. (Regulation 34 (2)(b)(c)(d)(e))

p.5

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—

p.5

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

p.5

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)(c)(d)(e)(h)) 13 January 2026

p.5

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—

p.5

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 13 January 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2834388 6 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;

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

p.6

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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(f))

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

p.6

Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

p.6

Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

p.6

Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

p.6

Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child —

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation—

p.6

Requirement Due date

the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter; must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b)) 13 January 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2834388 7 *An individual may only carry on a children’s home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (5).

p.6

Requirement Due date

An individual may only carry on a home with another individual or other individuals, otherwise than in a partnership, if that individual and each other individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (5).

p.7

Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2;

p.7

Requirement Due date

satisfy the requirements in paragraph (5)(a) to (c); and

p.7

Requirement Due date

have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated.

p.7

Requirement Due date

For the purposes of this regulation, “director” includes any individual who performs the functions of, or functions equivalent or similar to the functions of, a director, by whatever name called. (Regulation 26 (1) (2) (5)(b) (7)(a)(b) (9))

p.7

Requirement Due date

*The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

p.7

Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home.

p.7

Requirement Due date

If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of—

p.7

Requirement Due date

the name of the person so appointed; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

the date on which the appointment takes effect. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii) (2)(a)(b)) 13 January 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2834388 8 The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

p.7

Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children;

p.8

Requirement Due date

the child’s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance;

p.8

Requirement Due date

so far as reasonably practicable in the light of the child’s age and understanding, the child is informed in advance of the intention to do the monitoring or surveillance; and

p.8

Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy.

p.8

Requirement Due date

This regulation is subject to any monitoring or surveillance requirements imposed by a court. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d) (2)) 13 January 2026

p.8

Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

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,

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

p.8

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)(b)(d)) 13 January 2026

p.8

Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

p.8

Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; 13 January 2026 Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2834388 9 use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b))

p.8

Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2834388 10

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 20 Heathland Road, London N16 5NH

p.10

Inspectors

Sonata Brisley, Social Care Inspector Alexia Hosker, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2834388 11 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

p.10

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.11

Inspectors

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.11

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.11

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.11