Children's Home run by Young Foundations Limited in Darlington

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC061439 1 SC061439

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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 privately operated. 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

At the time of this inspection, three children were living at the home. The inspector spoke with one of the children.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager in post since March 2025. A new manager has been appointed, but they have not yet registered with Ofsted.

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Inspection date: 1 October 2025

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 1 October 2025

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has 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 did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Some children have said that they do not always feel safe in the home. This is due to incidents that have occurred both inside and outside the home. Children have felt confident to discuss their worries with staff, who have listened and taken them seriously. This is corroborated by some staff members who have also raised concerns with managers about how these incidents have affected the children. The manager recognises the unacceptable nature of children’s worries and is working with partner agencies to address them.

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Findings from the inspection

Children have built positive relationships with some staff members. However, high staff turnover and the use of agency workers have resulted in children receiving inconsistent care from unfamiliar adults.

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Findings from the inspection

The staff carry out detailed risk assessments that provide a clear breakdown of each child’s needs. Risk assessments are regularly updated, and these risks feed into children’s individual care plans. However, children’s care plans do not provide staff with sufficient information, and not all known risks are included. This does not equip staff with the knowledge they need to provide effective care to children.

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Findings from the inspection

When children become distressed, staff follow children’s risk assessments. On some occasions, children need to be held by staff. These holds are proportionate and used to prevent harm to everyone. The severity of some incidents has required police involvement. This is because some strategies used by staff have been unsuccessful, and staff were unable to manage the risks. This means incidents escalate and increase the risk of harm to children.

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Findings from the inspection

The change in staff has disrupted the manager’s vision for staff development. The manager remains focused on staff practice to enhance their skills to meet children’s needs. This is done through regular supervision sessions, training and team meetings.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager identifies areas for further development in the home. This includes the quantity and quality of key-work sessions for children and the use of restorative consequences. The manager accepts that some aspects of development will take time due to new staff members.

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Findings from the inspection

Children are supported by staff to engage in education and are making progress. One child has returned to full-time education after a considerable period of absence. This is through effective encouragement and support provided to the child by the staff. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC061439 3 A professional spoke highly of the home. They described the communication as ‘exceptional’ and said that staff attend children’s meetings on a regular basis. The professional said that the child is happy living at the home. They said that staff do a good job at keeping children safe despite some difficult incidents. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC061439 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/06/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 16/07/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 28/11/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 04/10/2022 Full Good 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(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

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

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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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. (Regulation12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(b)) 3 December 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; 3 December 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; 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. (Regulation13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(e)(f))

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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.

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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

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 3 December 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC061439 7 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 recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”). (Regulation 32 (1) (4)(a)) 3 December 2025

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Recommendation

 The registered person should agree procedures and guidance on police involvement with the home to reduce unnecessary police involvement in managing unwanted behaviours and the criminalisation of children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 47, paragraph 9.4) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC061439 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Alexander House, Highfield Park, Llangwyfan, Denbigh LL16 4LU

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Inspector

Kerry Chater, 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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