Children's Home run by P4F HOMECARE CHAMPIONS LTD in Nottinghamshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2854963 1 Registered provider: P4F HOMECARE CHAMPIONS LTD Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private provider. It provides care for up to 2 children who may have social and emotional needs, including children with learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

One child was living at the home at the time of the inspection and was spoken to by the inspectors.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager position is currently vacant. This is the home’s first inspection since registration.

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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 and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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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: 2854963 2

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Summary of findings

The judgement is inadequate because serious and widespread weaknesses in safeguarding, leadership and staff practice leave the child at ongoing risk of harm. Known concerns relating to criminal exploitation, substance misuse, episodes of going missing and unsafe associations are not consistently understood, monitored or reduced. Management oversight is weak, significant incidents are not robustly reviewed, and staff do not receive sufficient supervision, training or guidance. Staffing instability and gaps in qualifications further undermine the quality of care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The conditions in the home are poor and present significant concerns about the child’s safety and welfare. There is exposed electrical wiring and shards of broken glass across the garden following damage to a window. Staff were unable to explain how long these hazards had been present or what action had been taken to make the environment safe. There are also concerns in the child’s bedroom relating to suspected drug use and fire hazards due to lighters and paraphernalia. These risks have not been identified, monitored or addressed by staff effectively.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child’s experiences and progress are inadequate. Staff have not taken effective action to reduce known risks relating to exploitation, substance misuse and the child regularly going missing or being absent from the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child is not attending education, and plans regarding the child’s education are not aspirational.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Although staff have undertaken some key-work sessions regarding substance misuse and exploitation, these have not resulted in meaningful change or reduced the risks to the child. The child spends significant periods of time in the community with peers who present additional risks.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Safeguarding practice is ineffective and does not adequately protect the child from harm. The child frequently goes missing or is absent from the home, but a number of these incidents have only been recorded within daily logs rather than being recorded and reviewed as safeguarding incidents. This limits managers’ ability to identify patterns, assess escalating risks and ensure that appropriate action is taken. Staff were also unable to locate records relating to a reported serious incident involving the child using nitrous oxide, the child stating they had a subsequent seizure.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff do not consistently demonstrate sufficient professional curiosity when the child returns home with injuries. The child had visible injuries, which the child said had resulted from an electric scooter accident. The responsible individual was unaware that Inspection report for children’s home: 2854963 3 the child had sustained these injuries. Although staff had treated some of the child’s wounds, there was insufficient exploration of how the injuries had occurred. Staff had not explored what had happened or considered whether the child required medical attention.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Care planning does not provide staff with sufficient guidance to understand or consistently meet the child’s needs. The child’s one-page profile contains very limited information, and the behaviour management plan is incomplete. There is insufficient detail about how staff should respond to the child’s known risks, behaviours and vulnerabilities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Records identify boredom as a significant trigger for the child’s risk-taking behaviour, yet there is limited evidence that staff provide meaningful and structured activities to reduce this risk. The child said that they have not participated in activities since moving into the home and that requests for activities have been declined because of staffing levels and budget constraints.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child said that they do not feel that staff care about them and that they do not have anyone within the home who they would approach if they had a worry or concern. Serious and widespread weaknesses in safeguarding, care planning, staff practice and management oversight continue to expose the child to avoidable risk and prevent them from making meaningful progress.

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

Leaders and staff have failed to take effective action to safeguard the child from known and escalating risks, including criminal exploitation, substance misuse and episodes of going missing from home. Staff do not consistently follow risk assessments or implement the agreed safeguarding measures when these risks occur. Opportunities to gather intelligence, assess known associates and addresses, undertake room searches and disrupt potential criminal exploitation have repeatedly been missed.

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

Staff do not respond effectively when the child is missing or absent from the home without authority. The child is absent on most days, often with unknown whereabouts and limited contact with staff. Agreed missing-from-home procedures are not followed consistently, and staff have delayed or have not reported the child missing to the police. On a couple of occasions, staff were not aware the child had been missing throughout the night until they returned in the morning. This demonstrates poor oversight of the child’s whereabouts and leaves the child vulnerable while away from the home.

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

Episodes of the child going missing are not consistently followed by meaningful debriefs, return home discussions or evaluation of emerging risks. Staff do not sufficiently explore where the child has been, who they have been with or whether the child has been harmed or exploited. As a result, important safeguarding information is not gathered, and patterns of risk are not identified. This limits the home’s ability to take Inspection report for children’s home: 2854963 4 effective action to reduce future risk and means that safeguarding practice is largely reactive rather than preventative.

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

Staff do not demonstrate sufficient professional curiosity in response to the child’s substance misuse. When the child has been under the influence of substances, staff have not consistently sought medical advice or completed clear assessments of the child’s physical wellbeing. Similarly, substance misuse and indicators of criminality are not challenged by staff.

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

Inspectors also observed cannabis, drug-related paraphernalia and multiple mobile phones in the child’s bedroom. Staff and leaders were unable to demonstrate sufficient curiosity about these items or explain how they had considered their significance in relation to the child’s known risks.

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

Management oversight of safeguarding concerns is poor. Serious incidents involving episodes of the child going missing, drug or substance use, unexplained money and indicators of criminal exploitation have not consistently been subject to robust review or analysis. Records do not always evidence management evaluation, staff reflection or effective information-sharing with safeguarding partners.

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

There has been a lack of curiosity and exploration with the child. Leaders have failed to identify patterns of concern and ensure that risk assessments and safeguarding plans are updated when risks change or escalate. The cumulative impact of these shortfalls is significant. The child is not consistently protected from harm, and staff do not provide a coordinated or effective response to the risks the child faces. This is compounded by the child’s view that staff do not care and that the child does not know who they would speak to if they had a worry or concern.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There has been no registered manager since the previous manager left on 7 August 2026. Leaders failed to ensure that effective interim management arrangements were put in place, and oversight of the home has been insufficient. Weaknesses in safeguarding practice, staff competence and the quality of care have not been identified or addressed quickly enough.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Management oversight of safeguarding incidents and known risks is ineffective. There is insufficient scrutiny of serious incidents and limited evidence of management evaluation or effective follow-up action. For example, the child told staff that they had experienced a seizure after using nitrous oxide, but there was no record of this incident. There had also been no targeted key-work or evidence that external professional support had been sought to reduce the risks associated with the child’s substance misuse. These failures mean that significant safeguarding concerns are not consistently understood, reviewed or addressed. Inspection report for children’s home: 2854963 5 Leaders have failed to ensure that staff are suitably qualified, experienced and trained to care for the child safely. At the time of the inspection, no permanent staff held a relevant Level 3 qualification, and there were significant gaps in both mandatory and child-

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

specific training. Staff had not received training in child criminal exploitation or therapeutic behaviour management despite caring for a child with known and significant vulnerabilities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Management monitoring systems are ineffective. Supervision and team meetings have not taken place consistently, and poor practice has therefore not always been identified or challenged. Staff demonstrated an inconsistent understanding of safeguarding procedures, including how to respond when the child is missing from the home. The responsible individual was unable to provide sufficient assurance that staff are suitably experienced and competent to safeguard the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The workforce is unstable and lacks the experience and capacity required to meet the child’s needs. There are significant staff shortages, planned staff departures and concerns about the competence of some staff. Staff acknowledged that they feel ill- equipped to manage the child’s behaviours and safeguarding risks. Support from leaders and managers is poor and staff have not received sufficient guidance or professional development to improve their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders have also failed to maintain robust recruitment and workforce monitoring arrangements. Recruitment records were not readily accessible, and checks, including right-to-work documentation and sponsorship forms, had not been consistently maintained. This limits leaders’ ability to demonstrate that safer recruitment procedures are being applied effectively and that those working in the home are suitable to care for vulnerable children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The responsible individual has recognised some of the weaknesses in management oversight, staffing and training and has begun to develop plans for improvement. However, these actions have not yet started and have not yet resulted in demonstrable improvements for the child. Inspection report for children’s home: 2854963 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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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

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 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)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(d)) 14 October 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2854963 7 In particular, ensure that staff understand the risks to children and have the experience and skills to take the appropriate action to ensure the safety pf children. Leaders should ensure that staff are aware of safeguarding protocols and procedures when a child is at risk.

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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

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to 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;

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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)(c)(d)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that there are clear and suitable leadership and management arrangements in the home to ensure clear and consistent oversight. Staff should be appropriately experienced and skilled to meet the needs of children. 14 October 2026

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who— 14 October 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2854963 8 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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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

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1) (2)(i)(ii)(iv)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensuring that the environment is safe and suitable for children living in the home. Children should also receive individualised care to support their known risks and promote their welfare and progress.

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and 14 October 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2854963 9 well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children are receiving support and services to help their health and wellbeing.

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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

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Requirement Due date

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

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home;

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home;

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Requirement Due date

that the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(i)(ii)(e)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that a child’s move into the home is positive, including staff being prepared and skilled to care for the child and their needs. Leaders should advocate and raise concerns when the child is at risk if harm to ensure they are receiving adequate support and care. 14 October 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; 14 October 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2854963 10 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; and

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that inadequate care and support for children from the placing authority is challenged. This includes maintaining contact and a professional relationship to ensure the child receives the right support and care.

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children’s home. (Regulation 25 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that there is safe and appropriate fire safety equipment in the home to ensure the safety of children and staff. This includes checks to ensure the environment is fire safe due to fire risk hazards identified in a child’s bedroom. 14 October 2026

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Requirement Due date

satisfy the requirements in paragraph (5)(a) to (c); and

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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. (Regulation 26 (7)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the responsible individual has the capacity and skills to support the management and oversight of the children’s home. 14 October 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— 14 October 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2854963 11 a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child —

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Requirement Due date

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

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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)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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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: 2854963 12

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: P4F HOMECARE CHAMPIONS LTD

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 39 West Main Street, Armadale, Bathgate EH48 3PZ

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Inspectors

Eleanor Quanbrough, Social Care Inspector Tazim Akhtar, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2854963 13 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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