Children's Home run by Azalea Care Ltd in Peterborough

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2682522 1 Registered provider: Azalea Care Limited

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private organisation. It provides care for up to 5 children with physical or learning disabilities.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The previous registered manager left her role in October 2025. The current manager has been in post since November 2025 and has applied to be registered with Ofsted.

p.1

This monitoring visit

A full inspection was completed in October 2025 with an outcome of requires improvement to be good.

p.1

This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out due to concerns being raised with Ofsted. During the inspection, we identified serious and widespread concerns in relation to the leadership and management of the home. As a result, a compliance notice was issued under Regulation 13 of The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015.

p.1

This monitoring visit

At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have admitted a child into the home whose needs do not align with the conditions of registration. As a result, staff were not equipped to manage the needs and risks of this child. This left the children and staff exposed to unsafe situations, and inconsistent care was provided to children.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Managers have failed to understand a child’s risks and needs before moving them to the home. The managers and staff that could not safely meet or manage the risks. Additionally, leaders and managers failed to consider the needs and risks of the child already living at the home before admitting another child. This caused an increase in incidents, due to the distress of children and general disruption at the home. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2682522 2 The manager’s oversight of incidents has not identified staff practice concerns or opportunities for learning and development. This allows poor practice to continue unchallenged and reduces the quality and safety of the care provided.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Managers have failed to take appropriate action when a child has raised concerns with a staff member. This undermines the child’s trust in staff and has left the child feeling unheard.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Managers and staff have carried out physical interventions when required. Following these incidents children and staff have not been spoken to by the manager. In addition, staff do not consistently add their name or signature to demonstrate involvement in the incident. This limits a full understanding of the incident and staff practice. As a result, managers are unable to determine whether staff practice has been safe.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The home is currently unable to provide comfortable and safe living arrangements for the 5 children it is registered for. Three of the bedrooms are undergoing renovation and redecoration. Since the last inspection, some redecoration has taken place to the bathroom. However, the damp odour persists, and although a dehumidifier has been purchased, the staff have not been using it. The overall upkeep of the bathroom could be better. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2682522 3

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/10/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 25/06/2025 Full Inadequate 29/05/2024 Full Good 03/01/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2682522 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 with the given timescales.

p.4

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.4

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

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;

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

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;

p.4

Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

p.4

Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

p.4

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)(e)(f)(g)(ii)(h)) 1 April 2026

p.4

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. 1 April 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2682522 5 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.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child's welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi))

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

understand the children's home's overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

p.5

Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children's needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

p.5

Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)) 1 April 2026

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— 1 April 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2682522 6 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—

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

p.6

Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

p.6

Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

p.6

Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

p.6

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)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that details of any methods used to avoid the need for physical intervention are recorded.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

p.6

Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry.

p.6

Requirement Due date

Case records must be kept— 1 April 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2682522 7 securely in the children's home during the period when the child to whom the case records relate is accommodated there. (Regulation 36 (1)(b)(c) (2)(d))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that all records, especially incident reports, are signed by the author and kept up to date, which includes recording updates and outcomes.

p.7

Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

p.7

Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children's home since its last Ofsted inspection.

p.7

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2682522 8

p.7

Children's home details

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

p.8

Inspector

Sarah Cooper, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2682522 9 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.

p.8

Inspector

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 . 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.9

Inspector

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

p.9

Inspector

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

p.9