Children's Home run by Young Foundations Limited in Darlington

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC061439 1 SC061439 Registered provider: Young Foundations Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a private provider. It provides care for up to five children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2024. The post for a responsible individual is vacant.

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Inspection date: 13 February 2025

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 13 February 2025

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspectors evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC061439 2

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Findings from the inspection

We identified the following serious and/or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection:

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Findings from the inspection

 Leaders and managers have insufficient understanding and oversight of the care children receive and shortfalls in staff practice.  Staff do not respond effectively when children are at risk of harm.  Staff continue to use restrictive practices and restraints that are not necessary or proportionate.  Risk assessments and children’s care plans do not provide staff with all the information required to manage risk and care for the children.  Leaders and managers have not made progress against the requirements and recommendations raised at the last inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers do not have sufficient oversight of the children, staff practice or the running of the home. The manager’s monitoring systems are ineffective. Consequently, she does not have a full understanding of the shortfalls in practice that are affecting the care that children receive. Furthermore, the manager is unable to track important elements, such as incidents, risks to children, and staff supervision.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff do not respond effectively when children are at risk of harm. When children go missing from the home, staff do not always carry out a search of the local area or visit known addresses where the children may be. When children are injured, staff do not act to ensure that they follow professional advice so that children receive any necessary medical care. The manager has not supported staff effectively so that they respond appropriately and in line with children’s care plans or any medical advice given. This leaves children at risk of harm.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff use holds and restrictive practices without sufficient justification. The children’s care plans direct staff to employ these strategies, which increases the inappropriate use of restrictive practices and physical interventions. The manager lacks an understanding of the limitations of restricting a child’s liberty and what her responsibility is in challenging this practice. This means that children are blocked or held at times when they become upset or want to leave the home, which is not always necessary or proportionate. This was noted at the previous inspection and this practice has not changed.

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Findings from the inspection

Risk assessments, care plans and behaviour management plans are not up to date. Documents do not contain all the necessary information to help staff care for children, and some information on known risks is not included. For example, children’s plans do not have information regarding their medication. Information is limited in relation to strategies that staff can employ to support children or respond Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC061439 3 to their needs and behaviours. This leads to inconsistency and confusion in how staff respond and manage risks to the children.

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Findings from the inspection

The recording and administration of medication are poorly managed. Instructions about when medication should be administered and what to do if a child refuses to take their medication are unclear. Staff do not accurately record the necessary information about whether children are taking their medication as required. Furthermore, there is no evidence of direct work carried out with the children to encourage them to take their medication. The manager does not have oversight of how medication is administered and has therefore not taken any action to address this. Consequently, children’s health needs are not being met effectively.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers are not taking effective action to address inconsistencies in practice, and staff are not working together as a team. Professionals have commented on the mixed messages from staff, inconsistent accounts of incidents or events, and that staff can appear anxious and disorganised. Staff are not clear on their responsibilities, and this leads to some actions being duplicated or missed.

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Findings from the inspection

No staff currently working with children possess the required diploma qualification. The team is very inexperienced and gaps in staffing are filled by agency staff. Too few staff have experience of working with children in care. This lack of skill and experiences contributes to the inconsistent care children receive.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager has not ensured that staff receive supervision. This means that staff do not have opportunities to reflect on their practice or explore how they might improve. It also hinders the manager in addressing practice issues and delivering clear expectations on performance. Staff who are new to working in the role do not have adequate support. As a result, staff practice is inconsistent and not aligned to the regulations and quality standards.

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Findings from the inspection

Children are making some progress. One professional said that a child settled very quickly and that their concerning behaviours have reduced. Another commented on the strength of the care team in supporting a child to feel a sense of security. Children say they enjoy living in the home. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC061439 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/07/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 28/11/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 04/10/2022 Full Good 14/06/2022 Full Inadequate Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC061439 5

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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

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

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)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has now been issued as a compliance notice. 29 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

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; 29 March 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC061439 6 and promotes their welfare.

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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 work as a team where appropriate;

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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’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; and

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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. (Regulation13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has now been issued as a compliance notice.

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Requirement Due date

*Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing—

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Requirement Due date

injury to any person (including the child);

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Requirement Due date

serious damage to the property of any person (including the child).

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(b) (2))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has now been issued as a compliance notice. 29 March 2025

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. 29 March 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC061439 7 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible; and

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(iii)(iv)(v)(viii)(x))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child; and

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(b)(c)) 29 March 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement has been raised from a recommendation. 29 March 2025

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC061439 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Young Foundations Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Alexander House, Highfield Park, Llandyrnog, Denbighshire, Wales LL16 4LU

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Inspectors

Deb Duffy, Regulatory Inspection Manager Laura Roberts, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC061439 9 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 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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Inspectors

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