Children's home run by Young Foundations Limited in Wirral

Inspection report for children’s home: 1183911 1 Registered provider: Young Foundations Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private company. It provides care for up to 12 children who have learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, seven children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

The provider runs an independent school from a registered building adjoining the home. The inspectors only inspected the social care provision on this site.

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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/or widespread failures that mean children are not protected and their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded, and the care and experiences of children are poor.

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1183911 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/05/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/05/2023 Full Good 21/11/2022 Full Good 04/05/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1183911 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The inspectors saw all the children and spoke with three of them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The serious shortfalls identified relating to the help and protection of children have negatively affected their overall outcomes and experiences in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff do not respond to children’s physical health concerns. A review of ongoing physical health concerns for one child had not taken place for seven weeks, despite a severe deterioration in the child’s wellness and presentation. A further child complained of toothache for over two weeks without staff scheduling an appropriate appointment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children are not offered regular opportunities to discuss things that are important to them. Children are regularly asked in meetings if they know how to report if they are feeling unsafe. However, not all children attend the meetings, and recordings of conversations during these meetings are poor. When the views, wishes and feelings of the children are gathered, they are not well recorded, reviewed or responded to. There is no management oversight or feedback following the children’s meetings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The environment is not welcoming or homely. Children do not have free movement to some areas of the home, including a downstairs toilet. Certain aspects of the home and staff’s daily practices convey an institutional culture. For example, televisions are kept in secure cabinets irrespective of risk assessments, and staff routinely wear lanyards and carry digital recording devices throughout the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The information recorded in children’s documentation is poor. The language used to describe children is not kind or nurturing. Some information, such as a ‘professionals contact log’ for a child, was not available to all staff, limiting their insight and ability to support children’s needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children seek staff for reassurance. Staff were seen participating in children’s outdoor play. Professionals and family members have said they feel children are well looked after, and they did not initially raise any concerns. Children did not say how they feel about living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children’s moves out of the home are well planned. Staff have developed social stories to help children understand the move. They have included photos of their new home and the staff to help prepare for any visits. There are dedicated staff who are driving this forward and making a positive difference to children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Children are making progress with their education and are achieving their goals. There is good communication between school and the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 1183911 4

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

Staff do not take action to ensure that children are protected from harm. Children are not helped to keep themselves safe. Staff do not fulfil their roles and responsibilities, which directly affects children’s safety and well-being. For example, staff fell asleep while on shift, and a child was able to access the internet using staff equipment. Another child took an overdose of medication because staff did not follow their individual care plans.

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

When there are safeguarding concerns, staff fail to follow whistle-blowing procedures and do not highlight concerns or poor practice to the relevant people. Staff do not highlight concerns regarding the management of incidents or escalate concerns about staff’s unacceptable and disrespectful behaviours towards children. It was only when senior leaders observed this practice that these concerns were brought to the manager’s attention and investigated.

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

When children make allegations, staff do not provide the right support to children. Children are not always checked for injuries when allegations of physical harm are made. The processes for managing allegations fail to keep children updated about the outcome, provide continuous support, or validate their feelings. On one occasion, an allegation against a member of staff was made, but they worked in the home overnight without any risk assessment in place to safeguard children.

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

The management of medication is poor. There are multiple medication errors and concerns, including medication overdose. Medication is not consistently stored and administered in line with the children’s prescriptions. When medication is refused, staff do not always record this or actively seek medical guidance. When guidance has been sought, it has not always been recorded or acted on.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager has been unable to ensure safe and compassionate care for children. The manager is aware of many of the concerns raised. However, she has been unable to effect the necessary culture change in the home. Staff do not have the skills or abilities to meet children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff meetings are infrequent and poorly attended. Children’s needs and wishes are not discussed, and risks to children are not reviewed. Staff do not receive annual appraisals, and staff supervision sessions are infrequent and ineffective. The induction process for newly appointed staff is poor. One new staff member did not receive an induction, and management oversight was lacking. This does not help staff understand the expectations of their role.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff training is not completed in line with the provider’s expectations. When additional training is directed by the manager, it is not completed by the staff. Staff have not achieved the necessary diplomas within the specified time frame. The home’s statement Inspection report for children’s home: 1183911 5 of purpose is outdated and inaccurate. It does not reflect the care provided to children and does not accurately detail the experience and qualifications of staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Some areas of the home have benefited from recent redecoration, and the children’s bedrooms are personalised and well decorated. However, there are several areas of the home that require attention and maintenance to bring it up to an acceptable safe standard and promote accessibility for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

When incidents occur or allegations are made, they are not always reported to Ofsted. This reduces Ofsted’s oversight and ability to ensure that appropriate actions are carried out to protect children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Concerns regarding the leadership and management of the home have been discussed with the provider’s senior leadership team. The team has submitted a plan to provide support to strengthen the leadership and management of the home and to help ensure the safety and well-being of children. Inspection report for children’s home: 1183911 6

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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

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)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)) 9 November 2025

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Requirement Due date

*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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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services, and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles. 9 November 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 1183911 7 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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)(iv)(c))

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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; 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

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;

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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)(e)(f)(h)) 9 November 2025

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Requirement Due date

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; 15 December 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 1183911 8 use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(iii)(c)(i))

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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

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

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child. (Regulation 7 (1)(c) (2)(a)(ii)(iii)) 15 December 2025

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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

employ an individual to work at the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3). 15 December 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 1183911 9 The requirements are that—

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification, and skills for the work that the individual is to perform.

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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”); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(b) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a))

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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)) 15 December 2025

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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: 1183911 10

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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, Llangwyfan, Denbigh LL16 4LU

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Inspectors

Jo Cansfield, Social Care Inspector Rachel Moore, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1183911 11 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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