Children's Home run by Active Ark Limited in Westmorland and Furness

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1266838 1 Registered provider: Active Ark Limited

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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 run by a private company. It provides care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 25 April 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, no children were living at the home.

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This monitoring visit

An assurance visit took place on 8 July 2025 due to escalating concerns regarding the safety of children and the management of the home. The inspector identified serious and widespread shortfalls in relation to safeguarding practices and ineffective leadership and management arrangements. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1266838 2 Following the inspection, two compliance notices were issued under Section 22A of the Care Standards Act under regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard. A restriction of accommodation notice was also served.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out to monitor the provider’s compliance with the restriction of accommodation notice and progress with the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

Following a case review held on the 29 September 2025, it was agreed that the provider has taken sufficient action to manage and reduce the risk of harm to children. Therefore, the restriction notice has been lifted.

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This monitoring visit

Risk management plans include clear and comprehensive strategies designed to help staff effectively handle risks. The registered manager is responsible for regularly reviewing and updating these plans, ensuring that they offer strong and practical guidance that assists staff in protecting children and promoting their well-being. Leaders and managers have clarified their roles and responsibilities to enhance the effectiveness of decision-making. Additionally, the newly implemented monitoring and review systems offer improved management oversight.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has completed a thorough and evaluative quality of care review, which demonstrates reflective practice and a commitment to continuous improvement. The review is of a good standard and is scheduled for submission within the required timescales.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has a clear understanding of the procedures for notifying the regulatory body of serious incidents and ensures that such notifications are made promptly and without delay.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have undertaken additional safeguarding and child protection training, which has enhanced their ability to identify and manage risks to children effectively. This reflects the setting’s commitment to maintaining a safe and protective environment. Staff knowledge is routinely tested through team-based quizzes and further explored during individual supervision sessions, ensuring that staff remain competent and confident in applying safeguarding procedures and protocols.

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This monitoring visit

All staff and managers sign in at the start of each shift. This ensures that there are clear systems in place to record who is on duty, including the presence of management.

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This monitoring visit

Staff spoken to demonstrate a clear understanding of how to identify and respond appropriately should a child present under the influence of alcohol. They are aware of the correct procedures, including contacting NHS helplines without delay. This approach is supported by a recent update to the organisation’s safeguarding policy. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1266838 3 Monitoring and review systems have been strengthened. The responsible individual and registered manager undertake regular weekly and monthly audits to review incidents and oversee day-to-day operational management. In addition, the deputy manager provides consistent oversight of the daily monitoring and evaluation of the quality of care, offering an additional layer of scrutiny and assurance.

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This monitoring visit

Revised processes have been implemented to help leaders, managers and staff to consider the known and potential risks and vulnerabilities for new children moving into the home. These strengthened processes also help leaders, managers and staff to consider the risks posed to the children already living in the home.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have demonstrated a reflective and proactive approach to improving staff practice. They have thoroughly analysed and evaluated previous weaknesses in the management of safeguarding incidents and have implemented targeted actions to address identified shortfalls. This has led to improved staff understanding and more robust safeguarding responses.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s time in the community is regularly reviewed to ensure that it remains appropriate to their age, stage of development and individual needs. Staff are supported to record key information relating to these activities, enabling effective oversight. Where concerns arise, they can be escalated to the on-call manager, who provides guidance and supports decision-making, including when a notification to Ofsted under Regulation 40 is required.

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This monitoring visit

Reflective sessions have been embedded into team meetings, providing staff with opportunities to discuss practice and learn from safeguarding experiences. Staff report increased confidence in their roles, and they acknowledge that leaders and managers now provide more robust oversight of safeguarding practice, contributing to a safer and more responsive care environment.

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This monitoring visit

The home has recently undergone a full redecoration, resulting in a more welcoming and homely environment. This contributes positively to the overall atmosphere and supports children’s sense of safety and emotional well-being.

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This monitoring visit

The requirements raised at the full inspection were not reviewed at this visit. These will be reviewed at the next full inspection. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1266838 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/04/2025 Full Good 22/05/2024 Full Good 20/06/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/08/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1266838 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(s) 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

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(b)) 21 September 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

promotes their welfare. 21 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1266838 6 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; 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. (Regulation 13 (1)(b) (2)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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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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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure; 21 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1266838 7 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)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. Specifically, the manager should speak with the existing group of children’s social workers and seek information from professionals and family members of the referred child where appropriate to do so. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)  The registered person should have a system in place so that all serious events are notified, within 24 hours, to the appropriate people and the regulator. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.13)

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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: 1266838 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Active Ark, Unit E, Baron Way, Kingmoor Business Park, Carlisle CA6 4SJ

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Inspector

James Meeks, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1266838 9 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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