Children's Home run by Sunflowers Care Limited in Cambridgeshire

Inspection report for children's home: 2857234 1 Registered provider: Sunflowers 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 privately owned and managed and provides care for up to 4 children with disabilities. At the time of the inspection, 4 children were living at the home. Inspectors spent time with 3 of the children.

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Information about this children's home

This was the first inspection since registration in October 2025. The registered manager, who was also registered with Ofsted in October 2025, was present during the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2857234 2

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Summary of findings

Since the home's registration in October 2025, the children have made progress. Children have built positive relationships with staff. Staff are strong advocates for the children; this has contributed to the progress that children have made. Staff know the children extremely well and provide them with personalised care. This has helped the children to feel valued and listened to. Professionals and families have no safeguarding concerns and gave extremely positive feedback about the care their children receive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive individualised care that reflects their needs, preferences and identities. Their bedrooms are personalised to their tastes. The home environment is thoughtfully decorated to reflect the children's interests, including photographs of staff and children displayed throughout. This helps to create a warm and familiar environment and ensures that children have access to a space where they can feel safe, relaxed and comfortable, and enjoy time alone when they wish.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of education. They encourage children to persevere with their education. When children face challenges or setbacks in education, the staff and manager advocate for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know the children extremely well. Staff also have a good understanding of children's health needs and work closely with external agencies to support children with health concerns.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children take part in activities that they enjoy; they are also encouraged to try new things. Professionals and families spoke positively about the care their children receive. One parent said, 'I can't explain how happy I am with the care [child's name] receives, it's unbelievable and so uplifting.' A social worker said that the child they work with receives exemplary, expert care and staff 'adore' the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff build warm, nurturing relationships with children through consistent, caring interactions. They spend time with children, show genuine interest in them and respond to their needs with patience and understanding. As a result, children feel comfortable in the presence of staff and develop trusting relationships. These positive relationships provide children with a stable foundation, which supports their emotional wellbeing and contributes to their progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children, when safe and appropriate, to maintain relationships with people who are important to them. This helps to promote children's sense of belonging and emotional wellbeing. Inspection report for children's home: 2857234 3

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

Staff demonstrate a good understanding of children's needs and vulnerabilities. They approach children in a sensitive and thoughtful way, taking time to help them identify and understand potential risks. As a result, children feel supported rather than judged, which helps them to develop an awareness of risk in a safe and trusting environment. This approach supports children to build confidence, improve their decision-making and better understand how to keep themselves safe.

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

Staff have maintained a stable and safe environment for children. There have been no allegations, complaints, incidents of children going missing, or use of physical intervention. Staff work therapeutically with children, using consistent and thoughtful approaches to support their emotional and behavioural needs.

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

Staff are assisted by detailed risk assessments and plans. These cover a range of topics, including children's daily routines, managing behaviour and other risks. They are effective and help staff to know the children well and identify their triggers and risks. Staff consistently review the plans and follow strategies that help to keep children safe.

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

Overall, staff understand the children's vulnerabilities and keep the children safe. External professionals and families are positive about the care and safeguards provided to children.

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

Staff understand their child protection responsibilities. However, some staff are not confident and familiar with the organisation's whistleblowing procedure. This could leave children at risk if an incident occurred requiring them to whistle blow.

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

Leaders and managers do not always notify Ofsted of serious incidents, despite deeming one incident serious enough to contact the local authority designated officer. The failure to notify Ofsted reduces Ofsted's ability to monitor safeguards at the home effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitably skilled and experienced. She is dedicated to her role and has high aspirations for the children and staff. She promotes a positive, caring culture, which permeates throughout the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff speak positively about the support they receive from leaders and managers. Professionals and families speak positively about the manager. One social worker said that they had an excellent working relationship with the manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff complete mandatory training. Leaders and managers actively seek to provide additional learning opportunities. They ensure that staff access training that reflects children's emerging and changing needs. Inspection report for children's home: 2857234 4 The managers have effective management systems. Records are of a good standard and provide information about the care provided to children. Managers undertake regular audits of care practice and the operation of the home, with actions to address any shortfalls or learning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have not ensured that safer recruitment processes are consistently followed. Some staff began working at the home without all required pre- employment checks being completed. Managers did not verify the reasons why a staff member left a previous role involving work with vulnerable children, and gaps in employment history were not explored or scrutinised. This shortfall has the potential to place children at risk and undermines the safeguarding culture in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

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: good

Staff benefit from regular team meetings and one-to-one reflective supervision. However, there are no records of supervision for the manager. Inspection report for children's home: 2857234 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 registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 29 June 2026

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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

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)) 29 June 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2857234 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all staff are familiar with the home's internal whistleblowing procedures. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 53, paragraph 10.9)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that a record of supervision is kept for staff, including the manager. The record should provide evidence that supervision is being delivered in line with regulation 33(4)(b). ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 61, paragraph 13.3)

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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 must 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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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: 2857234 7

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Sunflowers Care Limited

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Inspectors

Anver Rose, Social Care Inspector Tam Musvaire, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2857234 8 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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