Children's Home run by Blue Arrow Healthcare Ltd in Leeds

Inspection report for children’s home: 2848162 1 Registered provider: Blue Arrow Healthcare Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in October 2025 and is owned and managed by a private provider. It offers care for up to 2 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living at the home. The inspector spoke with the child as part of the visit.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and manager registered with Ofsted in October 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

As a result of findings at this inspection the home’s registration was suspended with immediate effect.

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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 widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or safeguarded and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2848162 2

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Summary of findings

The home does not help children make positive progress. Staff do not provide children with structured routines that support regular school attendance, activities or healthy living. The home environment is poorly maintained. Staff do not fully understand children’s needs before they move into the home, which leads to repeated moves for them. Staff do not have clear plans to manage risks or keep children safe, including the management of medication. Staff do not have the skills or knowledge to respond appropriately when children are at serious risk. Leaders do not provide effective oversight or maintain safe working practices, which results in shortfalls in children’s care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Shortfalls in the leadership and management of the home and how incidents are managed are having a detrimental impact on children’s day-to-day experiences. Therefore, children make limited progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The home needs some repair and redecoration. At some point in the past, the word ‘help’ has been written by a child on their bedroom window. This has not been removed. The washing machine had also been broken so a child’s clothes had been taken outside the home to be cleaned.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff do not provide consistent routines that support regular school attendance. The child who lives in the home attends school part time, with no clear travel plan. When the child does not attend school, staff do not provide any alternative activities. Another child who previously lived in the home received no education during their time there.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff do not promote children’s health or encourage balanced diets. The child who lives in the home makes poor food choices without guidance, including eating ice cream for breakfast. Staff respond appropriately when children raise immediate health concerns and ensure that appointments are made.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Medication is not safely managed or recorded. Some staff have administered medication without being confident that they had completed the required training. There are unknown medications that remain in the home without records or safe disposal. Staff check medication, but incorrect recording has not been acted on by leaders and managers. There are no clear medication plans in place for the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff arrange family time but do not ensure that all arrangements are positive. Staff do not respond appropriately to safeguard the child when family arrangements present potential risks. When the child received deliveries to the home, staff did not use professional curiosity to either open the parcels or confirm that they were from family. Inspection report for children’s home: 2848162 3 Children’s needs are not fully understood before they move into the home. The manager did not seek all relevant information before allowing a child to move in. This led to one child engaging in criminal activity, which was a known risk to the local police and placing local authority. The manager later admitted another child with incompatible risks, which staff raised as a concern. As a result, there was instability, and the children had to move out of the home unnecessarily.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff encourage the child to participate in enjoyable activities and to celebrate important events, including their birthday. This has helped the child begin to build trusting relationships with some staff. However, not all children have this experience. One child who has moved on from the home took part in some activities but did not form any meaningful relationships with staff.

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

Staff do not have clear or effective plans in place to manage children’s risks, including self-injurious behaviour or online safety concerns. Staff are unsure where to locate plans or how to follow them. Despite being a known risk, staff have not received clear guidance on how to respond in the event a child self-harms. Plans also do not address how mobile phone use increases the risk for the child or provide guidance for staff on what actions to take. This leaves the child at risk of harm.

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

Staff lack knowledge and guidance when children go missing from home. Staff do not understand the procedure to follow when a child goes missing or when and where to search. Staff rely on managers for direction rather than following clear plans. Strategies have failed to reduce how often the child goes missing, and they are not sufficiently revised when they are ineffective.

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

When children make allegations against staff, the manager does not follow the correct safeguarding procedures. On one occasion when the child said that a staff member pushed them, this was not treated as an allegation, and therefore no safeguarding measures were put in place to protect the child. Staff do not always inform relevant professionals about serious concerns.

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

The home environment fails to safeguard children from known risks. Not all staff are aware of the location of safety equipment needed in emergencies. Additionally, the manager has failed to remove known environmental hazards that could potentially harm the child.

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

Staff understand that physical intervention should only be used as a last resort. Staff use calm approaches and avoid imposing unnecessary restrictions on children. Consequences help children learn but are not always reviewed or updated to ensure that they remain proportionate.

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

Staffing levels do not always meet the home’s minimum requirements. On 2 occasions, staffing numbers were insufficient, which allowed the child to leave the home without a thorough response to ensure that they were safe. The manager had not recognised the Inspection report for children’s home: 2848162 4 risk associated with lower staffing figures or put contingencies in place for when staff were unavailable.

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

Leaders do not follow safer recruitment processes for new staff. Staff work without required checks, references or full employment histories. This means that children are at risk of receiving care from unsuitable staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager has not recognised and addressed all areas of concern. Some staff feel supported by management, while others believe the management team cannot address all risks. The manager often carries out duties in a supporting role, reducing time spent on leadership responsibilities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers do not maintain effective oversight of the home. Key documents, such as the statement of purpose, medication logs and rotas, were found to be inaccurate. Records are not reviewed regularly, leading to missed concerns and errors. During the inspection, the manager did not provide all requested documentation. Leaders and managers have appointed family members as staff members without full risk assessments being carried out to address the conflict of interest.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers do not address known concerns quickly or effectively. The manager has not sought consent in a timely way to ensure that the child’s documentation can be reviewed by an independent visitor. This has caused delays in receiving and acting on independent challenge and scrutiny.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

New staff do not receive a structured or thorough induction. Staff rely on their previous work experience instead of clear guidance from the home. Staff cannot easily find information about the child’s risks and needs. Supervision session records do not lead to clear actions or improvements. The manager does not receive regular supervision sessions to support their management of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff do not receive training that prepares them for their roles. Some senior staff lack experience and do not receive development support. Staff report that training does not build their confidence or skills. Leaders ask staff to supervise others’ practice without proper training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Records do not accurately reflect daily practice in the home. Staffing rotas show 2 staff on shift, when this was not correct. Records state post-incident discussions take place, but staff confirmed these do not happen. This raises concerns about the accuracy and validity of all records and means that it is difficult to determine what is happening in the home and the quality of care provided to the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager does not consistently challenge other professionals about the child’s needs. When the child has gone missing from the home, there has been little effort made to ensure that all relevant professionals are involved in discussions in a timely way to reduce the risk. Inspection report for children’s home: 2848162 5

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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

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; and

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are located so that children are effectively safeguarded; and

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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)(iii)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that risk assessments reflect all known risks to children and have clear actions for staff to follow to reduce the likelihood of such risks occurring.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff understand the home’s protocols and procedures and are confident in the training they have received to be able to deliver safe care to children.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that there are sufficient staff on shift to keep children safe. 15 July 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2848162 6 In particular, ensure that environmental risks are removed and maintenance to the home is carried out to a high standard to keep the premises safe.

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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

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; and

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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)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff understand the statement of purpose and therefore the objectives of the home. This includes ensuring that staff have the skills and knowledge to deliver educational, health and safety information to children.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that all systems are used effectively so that the oversight of the home is meaningful and the information collected is used to make changes to practice and develop the service. 15 July 2026

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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 15 July 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2848162 7 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

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that as much information as possible is sought to be able to deliver care that is effective in keeping children safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that care is delivered in such a way that children do not have to move from the home in a premature way.

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Requirement Due date

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

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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) (3)(d)) 15 July 2026

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction;

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development; and

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (1)(a)(4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff are given a full induction that enables them to understand their role and the home’s policies and procedures.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff receive opportunities to develop their experience and skills and, therefore, are able to deliver tasks in line with their job description. 15 July 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2848162 8 In particular, ensure that the manager receives supervision sessions to reflect on their role and practice.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. (Regulation 23 (1))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that medication is disposed of correctly and that audits of medication reflect the quantities of medication held. 15 July 2026

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs; and

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that there is an appropriate level of challenge and escalation to make sure that the appropriate professionals are available to discuss the risks faced by children. 15 July 2026

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a homely, domestic, nurturing and supportive environment that meets children’s needs. This specifically relates to ensuring that the home is maintained to a high standard, resembling the appearance of a family home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that all incidents of discipline are subject to systems of regular scrutiny to ensure that their use is fair and remains in place for a proportionate period. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.36)  The registered person should ensure that during their engagement with the placing authority, they seek the appropriate permissions for the person carrying out independent visits to access the relevant parts of the child’s records, as agreed with

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Recommendations

Inspection report for children’s home: 2848162 9 the child, to prevent delays in receiving external oversight. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.3)  The registered person should ensure that staff encourage children to see the home’s records as ‘living documents’ and support them to regularly view and contribute to the record in a way that reflects their voice. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.19)

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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: 2848162 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Blue Arrow Healthcare Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: PO Box 49B, Flexspace Leeds Burley Hill, Burley Hill Trading Estate, Leeds LS4 2PU

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Inspector

Vikki Thwaites, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2848162 11 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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