Children's Home run by Active Young People Limited in Stockton-on-Tees

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2625941 1 Registered provider: Active Young People Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private provider. It provides care for up to 9 children with learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

Five children were living in the home at the time of the inspection. All children were observed or spoken with during the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2023.

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Inspection dates: 10 and 11 February 2026

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspectors evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have 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: 2625941 2

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Findings from the inspection

This assurance inspection was carried out in response to Ofsted receiving a whistleblowing complaint that raised concerns about the care and safety of children. During the inspection, Ofsted received a second whistleblowing complaint that shared the same concerns.

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Findings from the inspection

Ofsted identified serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care and protection of children at this assurance inspection. There are significant shortfalls in the care of children, responses to presenting behaviours and the accuracy of records at the home. The manager does not have sufficient oversight, as a direct result, the safety of children has been compromised.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff do not understand all the children’s plans. Some staff members were uncertain about care arrangements for one child. Some children’s plans contain conflicting information such as the level of supervision a child requires. Furthermore, one child’s risk assessment did not include information about their medical diagnosis. Therefore, children do not receive the care they need, and this leaves them at increased risk of harm.

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Findings from the inspection

Staffing arrangements to meet children’s needs are insufficient. Since the last inspection, newly recruited staff have left their employment, leading to a heavy reliance on agency workers which means a lack of continuity for children. Leaders and managers do not have effective systems to confirm that non-permanent staff are properly vetted or safe to be working with children.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers do not equip all staff to have the skills and knowledge to meet children’s needs. Staff are unaware of certain medical conditions affecting children, nor do they have knowledge around specialist forms of communicating. Additionally, non-permanent staff do not hold or are not working towards the relevant qualification for their role. This does not provide reassurances that staff have the skills and knowledge to meet children’s needs safely or effectively.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff do not receive regular practice-related supervision sessions. The non- permanent staff do not receive any supervision sessions or attend any team meetings, despite regularly working with the children. As a result, staff do not have the opportunity to be involved in discussions about children. This does not help staff to reflect on and improve their practice.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers do not have sufficient oversight of the day-to-day running of the home. Record keeping is poor, and children’s daily experiences are not well documented. Some handwritten records are difficult to read, and others contain insensitive or judgemental language. These records are not helpful for children now, nor will they be in the future. Additionally, some records are inaccurate and incidents involving children are not recorded accurately. This significantly compromises the manager’s ability to have oversight and challenge practice. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2625941 3 Body maps are completed routinely, but some records contain conflicting information about the cause of the injury to the child and where it happened. Leaders and managers are not professionally curious about the explanations provided by staff. This leaves children at risk of harm.

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Findings from the inspection

Restrictive practice in the home is not effectively recorded or monitored by leaders. Some children frequently have their hands held during times of distress to stop them hurting themselves or others. Records do not include essential detail about the length of the hold or children’s welfare afterwards; some are not recorded at all. This means there is no oversight as to whether any holds are necessary, proportionate, or effective. Furthermore, staff use guides to divert children when necessary. However, some holds are not approved or recorded in children records.

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Findings from the inspection

Children’s experiences and progress are mixed. One child has been supported to gain life skills such as travelling to local shops independently. However, one child has regressed. A professional described the child’s low mood and that the child is unable to carry out tasks that they previously could. The manager is equally concerned about the child’s regression and has consulted with specialist agencies.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers do not follow safeguarding procedures when complaints are made about staff. One parent raised concerns about the conduct of a staff member, after multiple incidents. Safeguarding professionals were not informed, and the manager was unaware that a parent had raised these concerns. This demonstrates that leaders and managers do not effectively follow safeguarding processes. The manager did take appropriate action when she was made aware during the concerns during the inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

The home is large and spacious which allows children to spend time together or on their own. Most food is stored in a large commercial kitchen that can only be accessed by staff, despite the home having small kitchenettes in communal spaces. This prevents children from making independent choices. Furthermore, one child has increased levels of surveillance during the night which involves a staff member sitting by the child’s bed throughout the night. The manager has not considered the potential risks or reviewed the necessity and appropriateness of this arrangement.

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Findings from the inspection

There have been several changes to the staff team. The statement of purpose has not been sent to Ofsted when changes have made. This prevents the regulator from having the necessary oversight of the home between inspections.

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Findings from the inspection

Children enjoy a variety of activities in the community aligned to their interests. For example, going to a local farm, the swimming pool, enjoying theme park rides, and visits to local parks to feed the ducks. These enjoyable experiences help children to have fun and have opportunities to develop their coping skills in less familiar surroundings.

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Findings from the inspection

Family time is well promoted, and children are helped to spend time with those people who are most important to them. Parents are also welcomed to visit their Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2625941 4 children at the home. Staff provide parents and professionals with regular updates to keep them informed about their child’s progress.

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Findings from the inspection

All children attend school or engage in alternative education in the home through a tutor. Well managed daily routines help children to prepare for their day ahead to maintain their levels of attendance and engagement. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2625941 5

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/06/2025 Full Good 07/08/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 28/06/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 25/05/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2625941 6

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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 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)) 8 March 2026

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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 promotes their welfare. 8 March 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2625941 7 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 has sufficient staff to provide care for 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)(d)(f)(h))

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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).

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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

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(b)(d)) 8 March 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2625941 8 For the purposes of this regulation, “the appropriate person” is the registered person, an officer of HMCI, an officer of the local authority in whose area the home is located or a police officer.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appro- priate experience. (Regulation 33 (3) (4)(b)) 30 March 2026

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Requirement Due date

the privacy of children is appropriately protected;

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

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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 intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised. (Regulation 21 (a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)) 30 March 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(a)(b)) 30 March 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2625941 9 Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must establish a procedure for considering complaints made by or on behalf of children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39 (1) (3)) 30 March 2026

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way. 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) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2625941 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Active Young People Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1 Suffolk Way, Sevenoaks TN13 1YL

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Inspectors

Cat Makel, Social Care Inspector (lead) Claire Webster, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2625941 11 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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