Children's Home run by Florinee Homes in Peterborough

Inspection report for children’s home: 2522796 1 Registered provider: Florinee Homes

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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 children’s home is operated by a private organisation. It provides care for up to 6 children with emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There is no registered manager in post. Oversight of the home is currently being maintained by the deputy manager and responsible individual.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, 2 children were living at the home. The inspectors observed both children and spoke with 1 child.

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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 are not protected and their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: 10 February 2026

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

At the previous full inspection, enforcement action was taken, including the issue of a restriction notice. Compliance notices were also served under Regulation 13, ‘The leadership and management standard’, and Regulation 25, ‘Fire precautions’. Inspection report for children’s home: 2522796 2 During a subsequent monitoring visit, a further compliance notice was issued under Regulation 12, ’The protection of children standard’. As the compliance notice under Regulation 13 had not been met, this notice was reissued. Inspection report for children’s home: 2522796 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/02/2026 Full Inadequate 09/12/2024 Full Good 22/01/2024 Full Good 24/05/2022 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: 2522796 4

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Summary of findings

Leaders and managers do not demonstrate a sufficient understanding of how to identify safeguarding concerns or take appropriate action to protect children. As a result, safeguarding incidents are not consistently recognised, reported or responded to effectively. In addition, staff do not consistently develop or implement robust plans to keep children safe.

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Summary of findings

Although children are supported to access health care, attend education, participate in activities and spend time with their families, these strengths are outweighed by serious and widespread safeguarding shortfalls. These failures place children at risk of harm and reflect weak leadership and ineffective management oversight.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff have developed plans that outline how children’s individual needs should be met. However, these plans lack sufficient detail to provide clear and consistent guidance for staff. As a result, children’s care has been inconsistent. The lack of detail also limits opportunities for children’s views and experiences to be meaningfully reflected, reducing the effectiveness of care planning in supporting positive outcomes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff use monitoring equipment during the night to alert them if a child requires support. However, for a child who does not need this level of monitoring, the use of this equipment unnecessarily intrudes on their privacy.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff are committed to providing children with a therapeutic approach to their care, and this has helped them build trusting relationships with children. Staff have responded sensitively to a child’s bereavement, working with them to create a memorial garden so they have a space to remember their loved one.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff recognise the importance of supporting children to maintain meaningful relationships with friends and family, as well as providing opportunity for children to develop new and positive connections. Staff have worked closely with a child’s parent to ensure that the time they spend together is meaningful. Another child is being supported to develop new friendships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff have helped a child to access specialist mental health services and have ensured that all children have access to universal health services. Staff ensure that children have access to education. They have helped a child who was previously not in education return. This child is now accessing part-time education with a view to attending full time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff have maintained a focus on providing children with positive activities. A child has rediscovered their love of cycling and now seeks regular opportunity to go on bike rides Inspection report for children’s home: 2522796 5 with staff. For another child, their interest in activities they used to enjoy has reduced. The child requires additional support to reconnect with things they find enjoyable and meaningful.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Leaders and managers have continued to improve the home environment. The home has been redecorated, and new soft furnishings have been provided. Staff have involved the children in the renovation work, enabling them to choose the colours and decors. This has helped create a warm and welcoming living environment for the children.

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

Safeguarding practice is inconsistent and does not reliably protect children from avoidable risk. Although risk assessments identify children’s needs and vulnerabilities, plans to manage these risks lack detail and do not provide clear guidance for staff, leading to inconsistent responses to risk. Staff do not reliably implement required safeguarding measures, including those set out in court orders, and do not always take the required action when concerns arise. For example, room searches have not been completed when concerns for a child have been identified. A staff member reported that this would make matters worse with the child despite the court order. In addition, essential safeguards are not consistently followed in practice. For example, internet safety measures are not implemented, despite known risks, and children are not supported to understand how to keep themselves safe online. In several instances,

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

concerning online searches were identified but follow ‑ up actions were unclear or not recorded.

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

Furthermore, staff responses when children went missing are not robust, and important information shared with the police is incomplete. Leaders and managers failed to identify or address these shortfalls and do not recognise or report serious incidents appropriately. These widespread weaknesses in planning, practice and oversight demonstrate serious weaknesses in safeguarding arrangements.

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

Leaders and managers do not have a sufficient understanding of what constitutes an allegation, a serious incident or when a safeguarding response is required. As a result, appropriate procedures are not followed, exposing children to avoidable risk and demonstrating serious weaknesses in safeguarding practice and leadership oversight.

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

Following previous inspection findings, which identified an allegation that had not been acted on, the responsible individual has since taken some retrospective action, including reporting the concern to relevant safeguarding agencies and speaking with the child. However, there is no record of the child’s account. This limits leaders’ ability to understand the child’s perspective and prevents effective assessment of ongoing risk.

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

Staff use a measured and supportive approach when managing children’s behaviour. They rarely rely on consequences, promoting a more relational approach. When consequences are used, these are proportionate and help children to understand boundaries. Staff use physical intervention appropriately to protect children and others Inspection report for children’s home: 2522796 6 from harm when required. Following this, staff check on children’s well-being and provide opportunities for reflection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The responsible individual has recruited a manager The deputy manager and responsible individual are currently managing the day-to-day care at the home. Concerns relating to professional boundaries following comments made by a staff member who is in a long-standing personal relationship with a senior leader were not fully explored. Although leaders spoke to the relevant individual, they did not share the concern with the local authority designated officer as required. Actions identified by leaders to improve the staff member’s practice have not been implemented. In addition, safer recruitment checks for one individual do not demonstrate that leaders have fully evaluated historical information to inform their rationale and decision ‑ making.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have taken some steps to improve systems for monitoring and reviewing the care provided to children. However, these systems are not sufficiently robust, as significant shortfalls in safeguarding practice including missed notifications, incomplete risk assessments, and delays in reporting missing episodes were not identified through managerial oversight. As a result, weaknesses in care and protection have not been addressed. In addition, although a location risk assessment has been completed, it is not sufficiently up to date or reflective of all relevant risks, which limits its effectiveness in keeping children safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff receive regular clinical and managerial supervision, which they find valuable. Supervision focuses on both the needs of children and the well-being of staff, and it supports the development of staff’s therapeutic understanding and reflective practice. Team meetings are similarly well organised, with a clear agenda that includes a focus on safeguarding. Staff have access to a range of training, both online and in person, which is tailored to meet the individual needs of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

While a new manager has been recruited and is due to start shortly, the leadership arrangements currently in place have not ensured safe or consistent practice. The steps required within the compliance notices have not been fully met, and the actions taken have not led to demonstrable improvement in children’s safety, the quality of care or the oversight of the home. As a result, while some actions have been completed, the compliance notices under Regulation 12 and Regulation 13 are reissued and the restriction of accommodation remains in place. Inspection report for children’s home: 2522796 7

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (1) (2) (a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(e)) 26 June 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2522796 8 In particular ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

plans are created in response to all known risks in relation to children which guide staff in what action to take to keep children safe;

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Requirement Due date

plans created clearly set out the actions staff should take when safeguarding concerns arise as well as ensure there is proactive work to help children make progress;

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Requirement Due date

plans created include all relevant information from existing documents, including court orders, deprivation of liberty safeguards and other statutory plans;

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Requirement Due date

plans take account of dynamics between children and prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

plans created are kept under regular review, including when circumstances change;

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Requirement Due date

action is taken to ensure that all leaders, managers and staff have the appropriate skills and understanding to respond to safeguarding concerns and keep children safe;

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Requirement Due date

action is taken in response to concerns raised and take appropriate safeguarding action, including notifying relevant safeguarding agencies, including Ofsted; and

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Requirement Due date

records are reviewed retrospectively and ensure that all safeguarding concerns have been acted on appropriately and that relevant safeguarding agencies have been informed, including Ofsted.

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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; 26 June 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2522796 9 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;

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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.

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Requirement Due date

effective monitoring and review systems are embedded which improve the quality of care provided to children;

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Requirement Due date

those responsible for operating these systems have the skills and knowledge to identify safeguarding concerns and act on them accordingly; and

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Requirement Due date

all incidents in the home are reviewed and determine if any have not had adequate managers’ oversight to identify and implement any learning and improve care provided to children.

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Requirement Due date

*An individual may only carry on a children’s home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (5).

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Requirement Due date

have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated.

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Requirement Due date

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

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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). Inspection report for children’s home: 2522796 10 The requirements are that—

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 31 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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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

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that each child has individual care plans that reflect and meet their assessed needs as identified by the placing authority. 26 June 2026

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should, when reviewing the location risk assessment, include up-to-date specific strategies for managing any opportunities and risks posed by the location for the children they care for, up-to-date information reflecting the home’s registered capacity, and staff qualifications. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1) Inspection report for children’s home: 2522796 11  The registered person should ensure that the use of any monitoring equipment should have a written policy describing how this will support the safeguarding and well-being of those living in the home. The use of monitoring equipment, including door alarms and motion sensors must be in response to children’s individual needs. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.16)

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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: 2522796 12

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 13, Swan Court, Forder Way, Cygnet Park, Hampton, Peterborough PE7 8GX

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Inspectors

Laura Copus, Social Care Inspector Ruth Alexander, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2522796 13 regulates and inspects 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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