Children's Home run by Zarona Care Limited in Barking and Dagenham

Inspection report for children's home: 2760076 1 Registered provider: Zarona 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 privately owned home is registered to provide care for up to 2 children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in January 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

The home currently has no registered manager. A new manager has been appointed.

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Information about this children’s home

There was one child living in the home at the time of 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children's home: 2760076 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/06/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/04/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2760076 3

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Summary of findings

The child receives consistent and well-planned care that promotes their progress and wellbeing. Staff value the child’s views. They understand their risks and needs and offer meaningful activities that build their confidence. New management arrangements are improving and strengthening oversight, and effective multi-agency work is helping to ensure that plans result in positive experiences for the child. Safer recruitment practices mean that the child is cared for by suitable adults. Staff receive consistent supervision and training. They feel valued and provide stable care for the child. One requirement has been made regarding the need for the manager to apply for registration, and there are 2 recommendations: one about the decor and one about access to advocacy support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is receiving care that supports their progress and wellbeing. Leaders and managers are keeping track of progress as part of their monthly reviews. Daily logs provide a clear picture of the child’s engagement, interactions, mood and activities. These records help the acting manager to check patterns and emerging needs and enable staff to adapt their practice accordingly. The acting manager has plans to redecorate the child’s bedroom. However, the home as a whole is not sufficiently homely.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff value the child’s views, wishes and feelings. However, the child does not currently have an advocate to increase their ability to express themselves independently, promote their rights and enhance their participation in care planning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers are committed to ensuring that the child receives the most appropriate education. The child has not been in full-time education, despite being on roll at a local school, and they have not had a personal education plan since October 2025. Managers are challenging the local authority about education planning for them. They are proactive in advocating for their needs by escalating to social care managers when progress stalls.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The acting manager works well with other agencies to support the child’s needs. For example, regular meetings with organisations such as child and adolescent mental health services, the local authority and other community services contribute to improved care planning and outcomes for the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is offered a variety of meaningful activities such as horse riding, cinema and beauty treatments. This shows that staff understand their interests and offer opportunities that promote enjoyment, positive engagement and build confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to develop their identity and culture by helping them to explore their background and personal interests. At the child’s request, leaders and managers recruited staff from different backgrounds that the child can relate to. Inspection report for children's home: 2760076 4

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

The child’s care and support plan is effective. Staff know what they need to do to meet the child’s needs, ensuring that daily routines, expectations and boundaries are managed in a way that promotes the child’s safety, development and wellbeing. This approach helps the child to feel settled, secure and happy in the home.

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

Risk assessments are detailed, regularly reviewed and have effective management oversight. This helps staff to proactively and consistently respond to the child’s changing behaviour and emerging risks to keep them safe and support their progress.

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

Missing-from-home episodes and incidents are recorded and managed well. Although episodes of going missing have increased, the quality of oversight has improved. To enhance this practice, the acting manager has introduced a missing-from-home protocol competence assessment for staff to complete. This is intended to help staff to understand their responsibilities and the home’s procedures when the child goes missing. It is also intended to improve accountability and practice in the service.

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

The child’s health needs are met effectively. Staff help the child to access and attend routine health appointments, follow professional advice and respond promptly to any health concerns the child brings to their attention. As a result, the child benefits from multi-agency care that promotes their physical and emotional wellbeing.

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

The child’s behavioural support plan is detailed and outlines behaviours that staff need to be aware of, as well as agreed responses and strategies to reduce risk, de-escalate and intervene when appropriate. This demonstrates that leaders and managers have effective measures in place to support positive behaviour and minimise harm.

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

The child engages in regular key-work discussions to support them and promote their development. To strengthen this essential piece of work, the acting manager has introduced key-work competence assessments to address gaps in practice. This is intended to help staff to understand the impact of key-work sessions and how they contribute to the child’s progress.

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

Leaders and managers apply safer recruitment practices by carrying out the necessary checks to verify staff suitability and ensure that only vetted adults work in the home. This means that the child benefits from being cared for by adults who are suitable, trusted and able to meet their needs effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The new management team continues to actively promote improvement in the home. They acknowledge that past instability did not meet the child’s needs consistently. They are committed to building lasting foundations to ensure that the home provides effective care and support for the child. However, the home does not currently have a registered Inspection report for children's home: 2760076 5 manager to strengthen leadership, assurance and stability. A new manager and responsible individual have recently been appointed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers undertake quality assurance and monitoring by completing regular monthly audits and policy reviews. They have also engaged with the local authority during quality assurance visits, demonstrating that they are open to external scrutiny, learning and transparency.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have a good understanding of the child’s needs, risks and vulnerabilities. They provide staff with clear guidance to ensure that they respond effectively to the child’s needs and take prompt action when risks increase.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The acting manager provides consistent oversight, which helps staff to create a safe and stable home environment in which the child can progress. The child continues to benefit from consistent and predictable responses from adults who understand their needs well. This reduces their anxieties and enables them to engage in daily activities more positively. As a result, the child has begun to build trusting relationships, develop skills and become more independent.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision, which includes meaningful consideration of their wellbeing. The notes include clear actions, which are reviewed in follow-up supervision sessions. Staff say they are listened to and valued by their acting manager. This helps them remain motivated, confident in their role and well equipped to provide good care. The child benefits from a staff team that is reflective and responsive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The acting manager ensures that staff receive ongoing training to meet the child’s emerging needs and risks. This shows that leaders and managers are committed to strengthening staff knowledge and skills to improve the quality and consistency of care. Inspection report for children's home: 2760076 6

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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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Statutory requirements

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

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Statutory requirements

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

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Statutory requirements

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

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Statutory requirements

the name of the person so appointed; and

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Statutory requirements

the date on which the appointment takes effect. (Regulation (27) (1)(a) (2)(a)(b)) 30 September 2026

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the children’s home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of the children and is a homely, domestic environment. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that all children have access to advocacy support, and where possible, this should be provided by a person that the child chooses. Looked- after children are entitled to an independent advocate to advise them and ensure they have the support needed to express their views, wishes and feelings about their care and lives. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 23, paragraph 4.16)

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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: 2760076 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Zarona Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 63-66 Hatton Garden, Fifth Floor, Suite 23, London EC1N 8LE

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Inspector

Stella Namakula, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2760076 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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