Children's home run by Thriving Care Yorkshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2824906 1 Registered provider: Thriving Care Yorkshire

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and operated by a private provider. It provides care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

This is the home’s first inspection since the home was registered in February 2025. The manager was also registered in February 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

One child was 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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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 or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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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: 2824906 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures in how the child is helped and protected and shortfalls in the leadership and management arrangements of the home. This has significantly impacted on the child’s progress and experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child moved into the home without a thorough assessment of their needs and presenting risks. Leaders and managers did not consider whether staff had the knowledge and skills to be able to meet the child’s needs. Important information relating to the child’s vulnerabilities, which had been shared by the placing authority, were not explored or considered. Staff have not met the child’s needs, and their actions have put the child at risk of harm.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Five days prior to the inspection, the child had moved to temporary accommodation. However, there was significant damage to the home and a build-up of dirt and grime including various bodily fluids. The home had not been cleaned by staff and repairs not made.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Furthermore, changes made by leaders to the home, as well as a lack of furniture, has resulted in the home looking institutionalised. This includes increasing the height of some of the fences in the garden; and Perspex screens have been fitted in front of some windows. In the lounge, this includes a privacy screen stuck on the windows to prevent people looking in; but this also prevents the child looking out. There has been a lack of consideration of how the environment could be changed in a way to make the home remain homely, as well as complying with the restrictive order from court.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff have not promoted positive routines for the child, despite professionals highlighting the importance of this. This lack of consistent parenting has impacted negatively on the child’s mood and behaviour. The child has been regularly sleeping in the dining room on a bench. The manager and staff have not considered the driving factors behind this. Furthermore, the child often sleeps until lunch time, with limited recorded attempts to wake the child up before this. The child also regularly plays video games until the early hours of the morning. Staff do not support the child to promote better sleep routines.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

There have been significant barriers to the child accessing universal healthcare. The manager has advocated for the child; however, the child remains unregistered with a general practitioner. This has prevented the child from having medical tests, which are needed to establish the child’s physical health and well-being. More importantly, staff have not supported the child establish positive routines with their medication. This means that the child is not regularly taking their prescribed medication.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Documents and records relating to the child lack ambition and do not acknowledge needs arising from the child’s heritage. The child’s records do not represent the child’s Inspection report for children’s home: 2824906 3 complex needs, or what needs to happen for the child to make progress. Goals are not reviewed and so a lack of progress is not identified.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff are committed to the child. Despite many challenges, most staff have continued to support the child, including daily visits to them when the child was in hospital for an extended period. The child has some positive relationships with staff which was observed during the inspection, and staff supported the child to share their views with inspectors.

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

There are frequent incidents where the child becomes distressed. When staff are not able to support the child, or de-escalate the situation, incidents have regularly led to violence towards staff or property damage.

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

There have been occasions where staff have physically held or guided the child to support the child’s safety. However, it is not possible to understand whether these responses were proportionate to the risks, as the information recorded by staff is minimal. There is no recorded manager’s oversight or reflection after incidents. Conversations with the child sometimes take place, but this has on occasions been completed by the same person involved in the physical intervention. The records are often the views of adults, and not the child’s feedback. This does not ensure that the physical intervention is safe or proportionate, and that the child has a chance to discuss their views and feelings.

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

The provider’s electronic recording system is not being used effectively. As a result, record keeping is across various systems and made the required information difficult to access during the inspection. Records that were viewed were of poor quality, resulting in difficulties understanding the details of what has happened. Most documents lack managerial oversight.

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

Staff do not consistently maintain boundaries for the child. This has resulted in the child smoking and using illegal drugs in their bedroom. Staff do not appropriately respond to this and they lack curiosity around what else this behaviour may indicate.

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

Risk assessments do not address all knowns risks, and some lack strategies for staff to mitigate against these. However, staff do not always follow the guidance, even when it is outlined in the documents.

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

Staff respond appropriately when the child goes missing from home, which includes searching for the child. Staff liaise with external agencies to ensure the child returns home safely. However, the child is not receiving independent interviews when they return home. This prevents learning more about the reasons why the child goes missing and how to reduce these episodes.

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

The provider has responded swiftly and appropriately to complaints, investigating where appropriate and providing a response. When the child has made a complaint, action has been taken. However, the leaders and managers have been unable to repair the Inspection report for children’s home: 2824906 4 relationships with neighbours, which has contributed to the child having to move to temporary accommodation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager’s system of oversight of the running of the home is ineffective. This is further hindered by the electronic recording system. There was also very little evidence of any auditing by the responsible individual. This means that there are limited opportunities to learn from any incidents, to help improve staff’s practice, or consider alternative ways to support the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Not all staff have the skills to meet the communication needs of the child, such as the use of social stories. One of the specialist health team has offered to support staff on a weekly basis, but over half of these sessions have not taken place due to staff’s lack of availability. Leaders and managers have not prioritised this learning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager has not notified Ofsted of all serious and notifiable events. Information sent to Ofsted has become increasingly chaotic, which makes it hard to understand the pertinent issues and what the manager has done to address this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

When leaders and managers recruit new staff, or agency staff are used, the appropriate checks are completed to ensure that they are safe to work with children. However, not all references from care-related employees are verbally verified. Induction and probation activities for new staff is ineffective and lack probation reviews. When the manager is aware of poor practice when staff are in their probation period, this is not managed through the probation process.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff feel supported and enjoy working in the home. They receive regular supervision, and reflective team meetings take place regularly. The team meeting minutes demonstrate that some of the issues found during the inspection had already been identified by the manager, such as issues with staff’s recording. Inspection report for children’s home: 2824906 5

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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 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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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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help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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

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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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that the premises used for the purposes of the home are located so that children are effectively safeguarded;

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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; and 17 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2824906 6 that the effectiveness of the home's child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(b)(c)(d)) *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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ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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

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ensure that the home's workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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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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demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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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)((b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h)) 17 August 2025

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— 6 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2824906 7 receive effectively planned care in or through the children's home; and

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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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that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home's statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

that each child's relevant plans are followed;

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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)(a)(c)(e)(i)) 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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use this understanding to deliver care that meets children's needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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

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understand and apply the home's statement of purpose;

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understand and apply the home's statement of purpose;

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protect and promote each child's welfare;

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provide personalised care that meets each child's needs, as recorded in the child's relevant plans, taking account of the child's background; 6 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2824906 8 help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult;

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provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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

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enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home; and

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satisfies the conditions in paragraph (3).

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that the care is approved, and kept under review throughout its duration, by the placing authority;

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that the care is delivered by a person who—

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has the experience, knowledge and skills to deliver that care; and

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is under the supervision of a person who is appropriately skilled and qualified to supervise that care. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iv)(vi)(vii)(c)(i)(ii) (3)(a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)) The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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positive responses to other children and adults.

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

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that staff— 6 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2824906 9 meet each child's behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child's relevant plans;

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help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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encourage each child to take responsibility for the child's behaviour, in accordance with the child's age and understanding;

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help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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communicate to each child expectations about the child's behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child's age and understanding;

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strive to gain each child's respect and trust;

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understand how children's previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same;

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de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children;

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(v) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(viii)(ix)(x)(xi)(b)) 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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children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 6 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2824906 10 that staff help each child to—

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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 well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child's age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child's health and well-being needs; and

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understand and develop skills to promote the child's well-being;

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that each child is registered as a patient with a general medical practitioner and a registered dental practitioner; and

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that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(b)(c)) The registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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details of the child's behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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a description of the measure and its duration;

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details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure; 6 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2824906 11 within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(ii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) The registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b)) 6 October 2025

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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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a child protection enquiry involving a child —

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

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(e)there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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A notification made under this regulation—

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the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter. (Regulation 40 (4)(d)(i)(ii)(e) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)) 6 October 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2824906 12 In particular, ensure that notifications are written in a way that makes it clear what the safeguarding concerns are and what the provider has done to address these.

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: 2824906 13

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Thriving Care Yorkshire

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Inspectors

Joanna Beal, Social Care Inspector Shirin Khan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2824906 14 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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