Children's home run by YCPG Services Ltd in Walsall

Inspection report for children's home: SC063813 1 OFSTED USE ONLY

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SC063813 Registered provider: YCPG Services Ltd

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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 privately owned. It provides care for up to 6 children who may experience childhood instability which may lead to trauma and associated risks.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since July 2025. The manager who has been appointed has applied to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered provider has recently appointed a new responsible individual. Ofsted is currently checking this person has the relevant capacity, experience and skills to carry out the role.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, no children were living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 9 September 2025

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: SC063813 2 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

This home was judged inadequate at the full inspection that took place on 9 and 10 September 2025. Due to the concerns identified during the full inspection, Ofsted issued a notice restricting accommodation. Ofsted also issued two compliance notices, under regulations 12 and 13 of The Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

On 4 November 2025, a monitoring visit was undertaken to review the restriction of accommodation and the progress made against the two compliance notices raised at the full inspection. The compliance notice under regulation 12 was met. The compliance notice under regulation 13 was not met and was reissued following the monitoring visit. Inspection report for children’s home: SC063813 3 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/09/2025 Full Inadequate 09/12/2024 Full Good 12/03/2024 Full Good 17/01/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC063813 4 OFSTED USE ONLY

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have used the time while there have been no children in the home to reflect on concerns, strengthen practice and ensure that the environment and future practice align with the home’s statement of purpose.

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improvement to be good

Frequent changes of managers and staff have affected the continuity of care and safety of children. These changes have disrupted consistent practice and relationships between children and the staff who care for them. This has created uncertainty for children. Since the last inspection, three children have moved on from the home. In some cases, children have not experienced well-planned endings. Leaders and managers have reflected on this and identified learning to ensure moves in and out of the home are child-centred.

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improvement to be good

Improved systems are in place to ensure a more robust process when new children are considered for the home. Thorough consultation with the local authority forms part of this. A learning review has identified the need for more robust consideration of risks and involvement of staff in decision-making and risk management. The effectiveness of new systems and processes will be tested at future inspections of the home.

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improvement to be good

The home is well maintained and has been refurnished and redecorated throughout. It is now more homely and leaders have created more space in the home for children to relax and spend time independently. Children also have access to a self-contained flat, which they can use to help prepare for living independently. This allows children to build their confidence and independence skills, with staff support.

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improvement to be good

One child remained at the home for a short period following the last inspection. They had lived at the home for two years. During this time, they were provided with some stability. Staff supported their health needs well. There had been some concerns about their engagement at school, which led to them being supported to attend an alternative provision. Staff and managers worked well to support and progress the child’s education and healthcare needs assessment.

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improvement to be good

Safeguarding processes have been reviewed and strengthened. Staff have completed safeguarding training and have been involved in regular upskilling sessions to continue to strengthen safeguarding practice. These include guidance on whistleblowing and how to contact external agencies if concerns arise. Managers and staff now work in partnership with safeguarding agencies to agree and apply risk management strategies to support children at risk of criminal exploitation. This includes monitoring patterns of behaviour, to understand risks and develop strategies to keep children safe. Inspection report for children’s home: SC063813 5 OFSTED USE ONLY

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improvement to be good

A full review of restraint practice, de-escalation techniques and the post-incident review process has taken place, which has included input from the trainer. Learning has been disseminated across the staff team to ensure that they are clear about expectations and use restraint proportionally and only as a last resort. Staff say that there has been a real shift in emphasising the importance of de-escalation and using positive relationships with children to avoid the use of restraint. In addition, leaders have ensured that staff are no longer trained or permitted to use supine holds with children.

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improvement to be good

There has been an improved focus on assessing risk effectively from the point of referral. Detailed risk management processes have been implemented to enable in-depth consideration of children’s needs and the capacity to meet these needs safely. This improved approach contributes to ensuring children’s needs can be safely met and reduces the likelihood of disruption.

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improvement to be good

Staff have received training in safeguarding and restraint practice. This has strengthened their confidence to manage risk safely and their ability to help and protect children. Staff have a good understanding of safeguarding processes and the actions they would take if they have concerns about children’s well-being.

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improvement to be good

Safer recruitment processes are robust. Leaders ensure that they carry out due diligence before appointing new staff to work in the home. This ensures that staff are suitably vetted before working with children.

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

Since the last inspection, there has been a lack of continuity in the management team. Two managers have been appointed during this period. The responsible individual resigned and a new responsible individual has been in post since October 2025. There is now a suitably experienced and qualified manager in post. The suitability of the responsible individual and of the manager are yet to be assessed by Ofsted. The stability of the management team is improving; however, the effectiveness and impact of these recent changes has not yet been tested in practice.

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

There has been a comprehensive review of incidents since the full inspection in March 2024. The newly appointed responsible individual has analysed each incident to identify patterns, gaps in practice and opportunities for improvement. A reflective process following this review has supported the staff to understand their roles and responsibilities better. As a result, the staff team is better equipped to understand and safely meet the needs of new children moving into the home.

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

Leaders ensure that the home is appropriately staffed to meet children’s needs. Seven members of staff, including the management team, are suitably qualified and other staff are working towards the required qualification. Leaders have made changes since the last inspection to enable them to have better oversight of staff working in the home to ensure that they are suitably skilled and equipped to meet children’s needs. Inspection report for children’s home: SC063813 6 OFSTED USE ONLY

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

There has been an increased focus on staff development and measurable staff development plans. Staff reported improvements, support through supervision and training and said they have confidence in the new manager of the home. Staff are motivated to implement changes and positive about the potential of the home being operational again.

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

The review of quality of care completed since the last inspection does not meet regulation. Consultation with children is limited and it does not consider the impact of practice on children’s experiences. As a result, leaders have missed an opportunity to evidence learning and systems in place to sustain progress and ensure children consistently receive safe and effective care.

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

The compliance notice in relation to regulation 13 was reviewed and deemed to be met. The restriction of accommodation remains in place until 5 December 2025 inclusively. Inspection report for children’s home: SC063813 7 OFSTED USE ONLY

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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 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;

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Requirement Due date

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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose; ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose; protect and promote each child’s welfare. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)) 13 January 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home,

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Requirement Due date

its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c)) 13 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC063813 8 OFSTED USE ONLY

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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: SC063813 9 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: YCPG Services Limited, Unit 1, Fairground Way, Walsall, West Midlands WS1 4NU

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Inspectors

Natasha Skinner, Social Care Inspector Dean Wilton, Regulatory Inspection Manager Inspection report for children’s home: SC063813 10 OFSTED USE ONLY

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Inspectors

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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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