Children's Home run by Ar Curam Limited in South Tyneside

Inspection report for children's home: 2840440 1 Registered provider: Ar Curam Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately operated home. 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

The home registered with Ofsted in July 2025. The registered manager left their role on 7 October 2025. An acting manager is overseeing the home but has yet to apply to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Four children were living at the home at the time of the inspection. Two children were spoken with by the inspector.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children's home: 2840440 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This home is large and well presented. There is lots of space for children to live and relax together with staff. Equally, the layout of the home gives children enough space should they want to spend time on their own. The decor of the home is maintained to a high standard. The large kitchen and dining room offers children and staff a comfortable space to enjoy mealtimes together. Furthermore, the sizeable garden is enjoyed by children where they play games and have fun.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from a variety of activities, including going to the gym with staff regularly. Additionally, children are encouraged to engage in their own hobbies and interests. One child regularly goes to his favourite football team’s matches. Another child has started horse-riding lessons. Seasonal activities such as Halloween parties give the children opportunities to engage with one other in a positive way. This has helped create positive relationships with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has made notable progress since arriving in the home. This child follows their planned daily and evening routines that help them to have a more fulfilling day. This progress reflects the positive effect of the structured and nurturing environment that is provided by the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have good attendance at education and are making steady progress. However, there have been recent challenges with attendance for some children. Plans are in place to address this, and staff are working closely with education providers to re-engage children in their learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have strong and open relationships with parents and professionals. One professional said, ‘Communication is brilliant, staff want to speak to you about the positives, they celebrate the little things.’ This collaborative approach supports consistency and stability for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Admissions of new children to the home are planned and managed well. When this needs to happen quickly, staff do so in a caring and nurturing way, to minimise the effect moving at short notice can have on a child. Children are able purchase new items for their bedroom that help them feel more settled. However, this is not consistent, as not all children’s bedrooms are personalised in a timely way.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Bedroom door alarms have been used as a supervision method for one child in particular. This is not in line with the home-from-home environment that staff want to provide, or the child’s care plan. The unnecessary use of door alarms does not help children to feel trusted or comfortable in their home. Inspection report for children's home: 2840440 3

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

Staff respond to concerns raised by children effectively. Staff listen when children want to make a complaint and ensure that they receive an outcome. This gives children closure on their concern and confidence to speak up when they have a worry.

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

Staff are aware of children’s plans and keep them up to date when they are reviewed. Reviews of risk assessments are thorough and reflective of the children’s changing needs. Staff talk with the children to try to better understand their feelings and how these affect them day to day. When children become overwhelmed and go missing from the home, staff follow plans that clearly guide their practice that help them to return children safely to the home.

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

Staff provide structured routines and boundaries for children and there have been minimal behavioural incidents since the home opened. Children feel safe living in the home. However, recent changes to the group dynamics have created some changes in those feelings of safety in children, and this has seen an increase in some unsettled behaviours. The acting manager has good insight into this problem this and is ensuring that children are listened to, and is guiding staff to help the children to feel settled again.

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

Staff have utilised the locking of doors as a way of containing children’s unwanted behaviour, when there has been disruption in the home. This institutional practice does not help children develop their own skills to cope with their emotions.

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

A report regarding a missing-from-home incident was not completed by staff. The acting manager discussed this incident during the inspection and demonstrated how they took appropriate steps to manage this. However, gaps in recording place limitations on the manager’s oversight.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Senior leaders’ decision to move a child into the home amidst significant changes to the management team was not in the best interest of the staff and children. Senior leaders were aware of emerging practice issues in the team. Some measures were taken to address these. However, these measures did not go far enough, and the additional pressure placed on staff had an effect on their practice and care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Delegated authority has not been completed or signed for some children by those with parental responsibility. This means that staff cannot lawfully care for children in instances such as if serious medical treatment was needed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff do not receive regular and effective practice-related supervision to support them in their roles. Prior to the new manager starting, there have been a number of missed opportunities to support staff’s decision-making. The new manager is addressing these shortfalls. Inspection report for children's home: 2840440 4 The new manager is settling into their role and is quickly getting to know the children’s needs, including oversight of the escalation of behavioural incidents. Where documents are not completed fully or areas of staff practice need to be addressed, the manager does so in a clear and supportive way with staff. The manager understands the need to review strategies to manage difficult behaviour when children first arrive. The manager reflects on what works for the children and communicates this to the team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager is aware of the areas for improvement that are needed and has support in place from senior leaders to manage this. The manager can articulate their vision for the home and how they plan to achieve this. Inspection report for children's home: 2840440 5

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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 must comply within the given timescales.

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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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)) 17 December 2025

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 21(c)(ii)) 17 December 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(d)) 17 December 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)(c)) 17 December 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2840440 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that each child’s placement plan includes permissions that their placing authority has delegated to the registered person. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 30, paragraph 6.2)

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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: 2840440 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 37-38 Market Street, Ferryhill, Durham DL17 8JH

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Inspector

Gary Smithson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2840440 8 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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