Children's Home run by Spark of Genius North East LLP in Stockton-on-Tees

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC484242 1 SC484242

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Registered provider: Spark of Genius North East LLP

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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 and managed by a private company. It provides care for up to five children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There were four children living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager’s post has been vacant since October 2024.

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Inspection date: 21 November 2025

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 21 November 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 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: SC484242 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

This inspection took place following the requires improvement to be good judgement at the last inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

The home has a suitably experienced interim manager, who has applied to register with Ofsted. The manager is aware of the home’s strengths and areas for improvement. They have implemented a robust plan to improve practice. The manager completes regular, reflective supervision sessions with staff and takes decisive action when there is a shortfall in staff practice.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager has prioritised the required skills and qualifications of new and potential employees. This has driven up the ratio of staff who are qualified and assures the manager that staff are able to meet the children’s needs. However, the use of agency staff has resulted in inconsistency of care for the children.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff know the children and their risks well. All children have up-to-date care plans and risk assessments. These provide clear guidance for staff who follow these plans. Staff work with other professionals to ensure that children can access specialist services to support them in reducing the risk of children going missing from home. However, staff have not completed focused work to help children reduce substance misuse.

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Findings from the inspection

Children have experienced notable disruption, with changes in staffing and children moving in and leaving the home. Children have struggled with this ongoing change, and it has been an unsettling time for them all.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff do not have a consistently effective way of supporting children to engage with their education. Agency staff do not follow the night-time routine, resulting in children being awake into the early hours. Therefore, some children are not rested and prepared to learn. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC484242 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/06/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/02/2025 Full Good 12/12/2023 Full Outstanding 21/03/2023 Full Outstanding Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC484242 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 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 the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(e)) 30 January 2026

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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

help each child to understand how to keep safe. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(ii)) 30 January 2026

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Recommendations

 The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. (Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’ page 56, paragraph 11.4) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC484242 5  The registered person should support each child to learn and ensure that the home’s routines do not form barriers to children wishing to use the home’s resources to study. (Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’ page 29, paragraph 5.18) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC484242 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Spark of Genius North East LLP

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Dunedin House, Columbia Drive, Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees TS17 6BJ

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Inspector

Lisa Gordon, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC484242 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 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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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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