Axion Social Care Limited

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Axion Social Care Limited 1 Axion Social Care Limited Registered provider: Axion Social Care Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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provider

This service is owned and managed by a private provider. It offers accommodation for up to 7 children in 2 shared or group-living premises that are specifically for looked-after children and care leavers.

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provider

At the time of this inspection, 2 children were living in the accommodation. One child spoke with the inspector.

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provider

The service manager and nominated individual roles are held by the same person. They registered with Ofsted in October 2023.

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Inspection dates: 3 to 5 June 2026

The inspection was announced on 3 June 2026 and started that day. The inspector was on site from 5 to 7 June 2026.

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Outcome

Serious or widespread weaknesses lead to significant concerns about the experiences and progress of children. Leaders and managers must take urgent action to address failings.

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Summary of findings

Leaders and managers have not fully understood the needs of the children using the service. They have not consistently obtained and scrutinised all relevant background information. As a result, some children have moved on from the home in an unplanned way, and one child has been accommodated who is not a care leaver or a looked-after child. Most children have not made progress while living in the home. Staff have not identified successful ways to support one child. In addition, leaders have not ensured that all premises are adequately maintained. This has resulted in damage to a child’s room remaining unrepaired for 4 months. Staff have developed positive relationships with one child, who has made steady progress since moving to the home. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Axion Social Care Limited 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children

One child has lived in the accommodation for over a year; however, their support plans have not been consistently followed by staff. This is due to staff being unable to build positive and trusting relationships with the child. The child has limited engagement with staff and other professionals. When acute incidents have occurred, staff have responded appropriately to support the child. However, no work has been carried out to fully understand the underlying causes of these incidents or how to prevent them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff have been unable to support a child effectively with drug and alcohol concerns. Staff have attempted to monitor the situation by carrying out room searches, during which empty alcohol bottles have been found and removed. However, when staff challenge the child, they are met with verbal and physical threats. Staff have not been able to gain the child’s trust or achieve positive change.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Three children have moved out of the home since the last inspection. Two of these were given notice because staff were unable to meet their needs. Records of the work carried out to support the children’s transitions have not been maintained. This limits opportunities for staff to learn from these experiences and does not provide children with a clear narrative of events should they wish to access their records in the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

One child has made positive progress while living in the accommodation. They report having developed positive relationships with staff and value the support they receive. Positive interactions between the child and staff were observed during the inspection. The child is supported by specialist services in the community, which has had a significant positive impact on their progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Leaders and managers have not provided one child’s placing authority with the required weekly progress reports. This means that those responsible for considering additional support or reviewing the child’s needs do not have the necessary information to make informed decisions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

The accommodation is generally well presented and suitable for children. However, in one home, damage remains unrepaired despite having occurred several months ago. In addition, there is no evidence of routine maintenance or consistent fire and health and safety monitoring taking place.

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How well children are helped and protected

Leaders have not appropriately considered and identified children’s needs and the potential risks they face before admission. Consequently, children already living in the accommodation have been adversely affected, as the needs of newly admitted children have not been fully understood or met. This also resulted in one child moving on shortly after being accommodated. The manager has created a new Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Axion Social Care Limited 3 admissions policy since the last child moved on; however, it has not yet been implemented.

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How well children are helped and protected

When children go missing from home, staff follow appropriate procedures to locate them and liaise with other safeguarding professionals. They make persistent attempts to maintain communication with the child. However, incidents are not consistently recorded.

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How well children are helped and protected

The service manager has failed to report significant incidents to Ofsted as required. On one occasion, police visited the accommodation and found cannabis in a child’s room. On another occasion, a child experienced a significant mental health event that resulted in hospitalisation for approximately one week. This limits the regulator’s ability to monitor the safety of the service effectively.

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How well children are helped and protected

Leaders and managers have not been able to demonstrate that they have consistently taken appropriate action to safeguard children, as records are not always clear or consistently maintained.

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How well children are helped and protected

Staff have access to training that is in line with the service’s statement of purpose. However, they have not received training in substance and alcohol misuse or self- harm. As these are known risks for children living in the home, staff do not yet have the necessary knowledge and skills to provide effective support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The manager, who is also the nominated individual, has not ensured that a competent person is in place to oversee the service in their absence. During the inspection, a suitable contingency plan was developed; however, this cannot be implemented until the necessary safeguarding checks have been carried out.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Children’s records are not consistently maintained. Incidents have not always been recorded. Most children do not have support plans or risk assessments in place to help staff understand their needs and manage risks effectively. Although daily records are maintained, they are often incomplete. Leaders and managers have not monitored or quality assured records, meaning that shortfalls have not been identified.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders have accommodated a child whose legal status is not suitable for supported accommodation. The manager does not fully understand the limitations of the service’s registration category. This child was later served notice after weapons were found on the premises.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The manager recognises that there are shortfalls in the service. They are in the process of recruiting a service manager who can register with Ofsted. However, they have not carried out a review of the quality of support to fully assess the service’s strengths and areas for development. The provider was unaware of the requirement to carry out this review, despite it being raised at the previous inspection. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Axion Social Care Limited 4 The service has a stable and committed staff team. Staff report feeling supported by the manager. They have access to training in line with the service’s statement of purpose and receive regular supervision. Despite the team’s commitment to supporting children effectively, a lack of specialist skills, combined with the high level of need among the children, means that not all needs are consistently met. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Axion Social Care Limited 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 Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023 and the ‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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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 supported accommodation undertaking that puts children first and prioritises their wellbeing and development.

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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 supported accommodation undertaking in a way that is consistent with the ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the undertaking’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills appropriate for the work that they are to perform;

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Requirement Due date

implement recruitment practices that ensure staff are suitable to work with children and to keep them safe from harm. (Regulation 4 (1) (2)(a)(c)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must:

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Requirement Due date

only admit 16- and 17-year-old care leavers or looked-after children;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that all relevant safeguarding checks are carried out for prospective staff;

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Requirement Due date

provide staff with training that is relevant to children’s needs. 30 August 2026

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Requirement Due date

The accommodation standard is that children experience a comfortable and secure living environment.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 30 August 2026 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Axion Social Care Limited 6 ensure that the premises used as supported accommodation—

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Requirement Due date

are designed and furnished so as to meet the needs of each child individually and all children collectively;

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Requirement Due date

are suitable for the purposes of supported accommodation and are accessible, safe, secure and well-maintained;

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Requirement Due date

offer a comfortable, positive and nurturing environment, while respecting children’s need for privacy;

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Requirement Due date

are adequately maintained so as to provide a welcoming and homely environment within both individual and shared living spaces;

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Requirement Due date

are designed, furnished and maintained to remove avoidable hazards which could pose a health and safety risk to children;

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Requirement Due date

comply with all relevant statutory provisions dealing with health and safety or fire safety matters. (Regulation 6 (1) (2)(b)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x))

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Requirement Due date

The support standard is that children receive individual and tailored support that meets their needs.

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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

ensure that children are encouraged and enabled to take a lead role in determining the support they receive and to participate in and influence how the supported accommodation operates;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that plans for support are based on initial referral information, are meaningful and are created in full consultation with the child, taking account of relevant plans for the child;

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Requirement Due date

keep the child’s support under review, taking into consideration the plans for support, and relevant plans, to ensure that the child’s needs continue to be met and that the child is kept safe; 30 August 2026 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Axion Social Care Limited 7 co-operate with the child’s accommodating authority in agreeing the child’s placement plan or, as the case may be, pathway plan;

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Requirement Due date

comply with requests by the child’s accommodating authority to provide—

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Requirement Due date

the accommodating authority with information relating to the child;

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Requirement Due date

a suitable representative to attend any meeting the accommodating authority may hold about the child;

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Requirement Due date

engage and work with the accommodating authority if the registered person has concerns or if the child’s support needs to be changed, including where that change may mean that the child requires more intensive support. (Regulation 7 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(i)(ii)(j)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, when a child has disengaged from support but continues to require it, the registered person must work with other agencies to ensure that support is regularly reviewed and adapted to meet the child’s needs.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain a system for monitoring and improving the quality of support provided by the supported accommodation undertaking by completing a review (“a quality of support review”) at least once every six months, which must take into account—

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Requirement Due date

the views of children, including any feedback and complaints received;

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Requirement Due date

feedback from individual children on the impact the supported accommodation has had on the child’s life, especially regarding how well prepared the child felt for transition into supported accommodation and how well prepared the child feels for transition out of supported accommodation;

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Requirement Due date

feedback from each child’s accommodating authority, staff and any relevant persons;

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Requirement Due date

any relevant research and developments in relation to the way in which the needs of children are best met.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of support review, the registered person must produce a written report setting out the actions 30 August 2026 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Axion Social Care Limited 8 the registered person intends to take as a result of that quality of support review.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must provide a copy of the review report to the CIECSS within 28 days beginning with the day on which the report is completed, and make a copy of it available on request to each child’s accommodating authority. (Regulation 32 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d) (2) (3))

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Requirement Due date

If a child dies, the registered person must without delay notify—

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Requirement Due date

the local authority in whose area the premises used as supported accommodation are located (if that local authority is not the accommodating authority);

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Requirement Due date

the integrated care board (established under Chapter A3 of Part 2 of the National Health Service Act 2006(1)) for the area in which the premises used as supported accommodation are located;

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Requirement Due date

any relevant person not included in sub-paragraphs (a) to (e).

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Requirement Due date

If there is a referral of a person working for the supported accommodation undertaking pursuant to section 35 of the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006(2), the registered person must without delay notify—

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Requirement Due date

any relevant person not included in sub-paragraphs (a) and (b).

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify the CIECSS and any relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation or child criminal exploitation; 30 August 2026 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Axion Social Care Limited 9 an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child and the registered person considers that incident to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the supported accommodation undertaking or a person working for it;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

there is an incident involving the use of a measure of restraint of a child;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

any other individuals or organisations who or which have been notified;

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Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter;

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Requirement Due date

is made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f) (4)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) in relation to each child accommodated by the supported accommodation undertaking which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 2,

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. 30 August 2026 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Axion Social Care Limited 10 Case records must be kept—

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Requirement Due date

if the child dies before attaining the age of 18, for 15 years from the date of the child’s death,

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Requirement Due date

in cases not falling within sub-paragraph (a), for 75 years from the child’s date of birth,

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Requirement Due date

in a secure place by the supported accommodation undertaking.

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Requirement Due date

Where a supported accommodation undertaking is to cease to operate, including temporarily, the registered provider must transfer the case records for each child to the accommodating authority for the child to whom the records relate. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3))

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children 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 Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Axion Social Care Limited 11

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider: Axion Social Care Limited

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered service manager: Perthidia Luwaca

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Supported accommodation provider details

Email address: perthidia@axionsocialcareservices.com

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Inspector

Virginia Vickers, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Axion Social Care Limited 12 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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