Children's home run by Stockton on Tees Borough Council in Stockton-on-Tees

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC456710 1 SC456710 Registered provider: Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

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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 operated by a local authority. It provides care for up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Three children were living at the home at the time of the visit.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is not currently in post. An acting manager is overseeing the running of the home.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 10 and 11 September 2025. Following the inspection, Ofsted issued two compliance notices under regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard. Ofsted also raised a further three requirements. Actions taken to address these further requirements have not been considered as part of this monitoring visit and have been restated.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit took place to review the progress made against the steps in compliance notices issued under regulations 12 and 13. Ofsted found that the provider had taken sufficient action to meet all the compliance notice steps.

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This monitoring visit

Following the inadequate judgement, the provider gave written assurances to Ofsted that no children would move into the home. The provider has honoured this, with no children moving into the home since the full inspection took place. The same three children continue to live at the home.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have taken steps to update the children’s risk assessments and care plans, making them easier to follow and more personalised to the child. Current and emerging risks are appropriately identified, and managers follow up on Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC456710 2 the actions staff have taken. Consequently, staff are clearer on what actions they need to follow to manage and reduce risks for children.

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This monitoring visit

There is an improvement in how incidents are responded to in the home. Leaders and managers have implemented a new process to have consistent oversight of incident records and challenge staff practice where this is required. This has resulted in children receiving a better response from staff, in line with their plans.

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This monitoring visit

Staff understand children’s vulnerabilities and are proactive in working with them around a range of subjects relevant to their individual risks. When incidents have occurred, staff follow them up with discussions to educate children. Furthermore, new monitoring systems have helped managers identify where staff have not held discussions with children promptly to ensure that this has been actioned. This helps children to better understand risks and keep themselves safer.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have reflected on shortfalls from the previous inspection and have been proactive in implementing learning. The manager has worked well with the deputy manager to complete a full overview of their oversight and monitoring of the home.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, leaders have implemented better systems to promote staff accountability, staff development and management oversight. These include a more robust handover between shifts, and improved quality of staff practice-related supervision and team meetings. This improved communication helps staff understand children’s needs and respond to them consistently.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has implemented a new staff rota to address shortfalls. Additionally, new staff who have started to work in the home have been supported by more experienced staff. This has enabled the manager to focus on the leadership of the home, knowing that this support is in place. This improves consistency of care for children. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC456710 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/09/2025 Full Inadequate 01/10/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 03/07/2023 Full Good 16/08/2022 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC456710 4

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)) 31 December 2025

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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 each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(iii)(iv)(v)(ix)(x)) 31 December 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date; and 31 December 2025 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC456710 5 are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: SC456710 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Municipal Buildings, Church Road, Stockton-on- Tees TS18 1TW

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Inspector

Natalie Clark, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC456710 7 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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Inspector

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