Children's Home run by WPS Care Ltd in Wakefield

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2812360 1 Registered provider: WPS Care Ltd

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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 owned by a private company. 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

No children were living in the home at the time of this visit.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and the manager registered with Ofsted in March 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager was absent at the time of the visit. The provider’s business manager supported this monitoring visit.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 2 and 3 July 2025. Inspectors found several regulatory breaches that impacted on children’s safety and their welfare. In response to these serious and widespread concerns, Ofsted immediately suspended the service on 3 July 2025. Ofsted also issued two compliance notices under regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard.

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This monitoring visit

On 19 August 2025, a visit was carried out to monitor the suspension notice and review the action taken by the provider to address the compliance notices. The compliance notices were not met, and the suspension notice remained in place.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out to further monitor the suspension notice and to continue to review the effectiveness of the action taken by the provider to address the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has recently appointed a business manager. In the absence of the registered manager and a responsible individual, the business manager is managing the improvements in the home. The business manager has insight into the changes Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2812360 2 required and has developed an action plan to actively respond to the steps detailed in the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

Following the resignation of the registered manager, the provider is actively recruiting to appoint to this position. A number of core staff have already been recruited. These staff are currently working from home. They have been tasked with carrying out the provider’s mandatory and additional training to ensure they can meet the needs of children. Staff have not participated in staff meetings or supervision sessions. There are plans in place for these to commence once further staff are recruited into senior positions.

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This monitoring visit

Following previous intervention from the Fire and Rescue Service, the provider has continued to rectify concerns regarding fire safety in the home. Further work to maintain fire safety in the home is required, as detailed in the fire risk assessment and the provider’s policy and procedures.

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This monitoring visit

The home is not furnished or maintained to a good standard. It does not provide a homely or nurturing environment for children or protect them from avoidable hazards. Work is continuing in the home to address issues, including damp, decoration and replacement of the damaged furniture and carpets. A window remains boarded up, and the absence of window coverings impacts on children’s privacy. The home continues to be dirty and dusty following fire safety and maintenance work. However, the business manager recognises the level of upgrading, painting and decoration that is required.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have not taken sufficient action to address the steps set in the compliance notices. Requirements that were restated at the last inspection are outside the scope of this visit. These will be reviewed at the next inspection. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2812360 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/07/2025 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2812360 4

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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

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)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 23 November 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2812360 5 *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

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)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 23 November 2025

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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 an explanation is given to each child as soon as reasonably practicable after the child’s arrival about— 23 November 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2812360 6 the children’s guide. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(d)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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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

There is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 23 November 2025

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should reduce unnecessary police involvement for children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 47, paragraph 9.40)  The registered person should ensure that staff are respectful of children’s bedrooms, and that bedroom window coverings provide children privacy and maintain their dignity. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 16, paragraph 3.17)  The registered person should ensure that a child’s bedroom is generally not entered without their permission. Usually, a child’s room should only be searched if the child has been informed or asked for their permission. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 17, paragraph 3.20)

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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: 2812360 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 10 Cliff Parade, Wakefield WF1 2TA

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Inspector

Jo Cansfield, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2812360 8 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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