Setting run by Gateshead Council

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2873356 1 Registered provider: Gateshead 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 is registered to provide care for up to 3 children who have social and/or emotional difficulties and/or mental disorders, excluding learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager and the home were registered in November 2025. The home has not previously been inspected.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, there were no children living in the home. The inspector spoke with one child who previously lived in the home.

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Inspection date: 19 February 2026

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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Inspection date: 19 February 2026

Judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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Inspection date: 19 February 2026

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable

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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 has 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: 2873356 2

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Findings from the inspection

This inspection was carried out in response to Ofsted receiving information that suggested potential breaches in regulations. The responsible individual also informed Ofsted of their intention to close the home temporarily, stating they were no longer able to keep children safe. This decision also formed part of a wider review of the home’s staffing arrangements. The registered manager also informed Ofsted of their intention to voluntarily cancel their registration.

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Findings from the inspection

We identified serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Two children were living in the home when the home was registered. The inspection highlighted that children’s progress had deteriorated over time. Children were not receiving good quality of care and did not have a positive experience living at this home. Children received inconsistent and disorganised care.

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Findings from the inspection

Senior leaders recognised that they could no longer ensure children’s safety. Consequently, the children were supported to move on from the home in a planned way prior to this inspection. The inspector spoke with one child who had recently moved on, who said that they feel safer in their new home and expressed relief at having left the home.

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Findings from the inspection

There have been staff absences resulting in significant staffing shortages. This has led to the children receiving inconsistent care from a high number of staff, and a high reliance on agency staff. There were occasions when there were more agency staff on duty than permanent staff. This impacts on children’s ability to form relationship with adults that care for them. When referring to staff, one child said: ‘Most of them are useless and most of them didn’t care about me.’

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Findings from the inspection

There has been a significant increase in serious incidents. Staff lacked the necessary skills and confidence to support children when their behaviour became increasingly challenging. Staff did not intervene early or use effective de-escalation techniques. As a result, the police were called regularly to manage incidents that should have been addressed by the staff team. Both children were arrested on more than one occasion, placing them at risk of unnecessary criminalisation and limiting their future life chances.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff did not understand their roles and responsibilities, including being familiar with and adhering to children’s plans . This failure resulted in one child being unlawfully deprived of their liberty on multiple occasions. As a result of this, the child lost trust in staff and became increasingly frustrated.

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Findings from the inspection

Leadership and management of the home are ineffective. The registered manager prioritised direct work with children over their managerial responsibilities due to staffing shortages. The absence of any deputy managers further contributed to significant gaps in oversight of day-to-day practice. Staff had not received Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2873356 3 supervision or opportunities to meet as a team, limiting their ability to reflect, learn or improve practice.

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Findings from the inspection

Management oversight of incidents was poor. The registered manager failed to identify the serious shortfalls in staff practice that compromised children’s safety. On one occasion, a child sustained an injury during an incident and did not receive any medical follow-up. This represents a serious failure to protect and safeguard children.

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Findings from the inspection

The registered manager also failed to take effective action when one child raised complaints and made allegations against staff. Records relating to these concerns were poorly maintained and were not shared with all relevant agencies, preventing thorough investigations from taking place. This lack of action exposed children to further risk of harm.

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Findings from the inspection

Following the inspection, a 3-month condition was imposed with the agreement of the provider. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2873356 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 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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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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

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;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child's health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(vi)(b)(d)) 29 May 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— 29 May 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2873356 5 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

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 work as a team where appropriate;

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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

ensure that the home's workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour.

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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

meet each child's behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child's relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child's respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children's previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have 29 May 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2873356 6 the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iv)(vii)(ix)(x)(xi))

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing—

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Requirement Due date

injury to any person (including the child);

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Requirement Due date

serious damage to the property of any person (including the child).

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Requirement Due date

Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(b) (2)) 29 May 2026

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation (33 (1)(a) (4)(a)(b)) 29 May 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2873356 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Adults, Children and Families, Gateshead Council, Group Secretariat, 1st Floor, Regent Street, Gateshead NE8 1HH

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Inspector

Claire Webster, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2873356 8 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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