Children's home run by Spark of Genius North East LLP in Stockton-on-Tees

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1159884 1 Registered provider: Spark Of Genius North East LLP

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and managed by a private company. It provides care for five children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There were three children resident at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since December 2023.

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This monitoring visit

An assurance inspection took place on 11 December 2024. At this visit, the inspector found serious and widespread concerns. Following a case review the same day, it was decided that two compliance notices would be issued in relation to regulations 12 and 27 and a restriction of accommodation notice was imposed. This monitoring visit was undertaken to review the provider’s compliance with the notice of restriction and their progress on the compliance notices issued under regulations 12 and 27.

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This monitoring visit

The manager relies heavily on agency staff who are not permanently employed by the provider. The manager has adopted strategies to minimise the impact on the children. However, the high number of agency staff used means that children are cared for by staff who do not know them well. One child commented on being unhappy with the agency staff, describing them as ‘random people in the home’.

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This monitoring visit

Risk assessments are updated regularly and reviewed by staff. However, the two agency staff on duty were not fully aware of the children’s risks. This means that staff are not able to safeguard children effectively in line with their care plans and risk assessments. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1159884 2 Staff are not working proactively to help children manage their behaviour. Key-work sessions often respond to incidents or times of crisis. There is insufficient time spent trying to help children to manage strong feelings. Children continue to have significant periods of time when their behaviour is not well managed. This can make children feel that staff are unable to keep them safe.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders’ and managers’ oversight of the quality of care provided to children has improved. However, the process used by the manager to monitor and review practice is not yet embedded. This prevents the manager from being able to evaluate and understand what is needed to improve how staff care for children.

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This monitoring visit

Supervision is not taking place regularly with all staff. This prevents the manager from being able to work with each member of staff to develop practice and be confident in their ability to meet the children’s needs.

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This monitoring visit

A manager has been appointed, but has not yet applied to register with Ofsted. The provider has not admitted any more children to the home.

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This monitoring visit

Following a case review held on 29 January 2025, it was agreed that the compliance notice issued in relation to regulation 27 has been met. However, the provider has not met the steps within the compliance notice issued under regulation 12 and this has been reissued. The restriction of accommodation notice remains in place. The requirements issued at the last inspection have not been reviewed and are therefore reissued. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1159884 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/09/2024 Full Good 22/08/2023 Full Good 15/02/2023 Full Good 24/01/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1159884 4

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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 with 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

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This compliance notice has been reissued. 2 March 2025

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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

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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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; and

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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. (Regulation 13 1(b) (2)(d)(e)(f))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been reissued. 23 March 2025

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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 23 March 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1159884 5 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

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

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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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been reissued. 23 March 2025

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Requirement Due date

*This requirement is subject of a compliance notice.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that children’s homes are nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children. Children’s homes must comply with the relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food, Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1159884 6 hygiene, etc.). Homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a homely rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to The Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1159884 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Spark Of Genius North East LLp

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: King Edwin School, Mill Lane, Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland TS20 1LG

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Inspector

Lisa Gordon, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1159884 8 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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