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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC484242 1 SC484242

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Information about this children’s home

A private company operates this home. It provides care for up to 5 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection 3 children lived in the home. One child was spoken with during the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager at the home since 18 October 2024. The new manager has applied to register with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

An assurance inspection took place on the 3 March 2026. At this visit, the inspector found serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care and protection of children. Following a case review, a compliance notice was issued under regulation 12, the help and protect standard, and a restriction of accommodation notice was also issued.

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This monitoring visit

A monitoring visit took place on the 1 April 2026, in response to senior managers providing additional information indicating they were ready for new children to move into the home. This monitoring visit reviewed the progress made. Ofsted made the decision on 1 April 2026, for the restriction of accommodation to remain in place.

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This monitoring visit

A child protection investigation remains ongoing relating to 2 children. Both children continue to be registered as living at this home. However, one child is being cared for in a different location by staff, to keep both children safe while a new home is found.

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This monitoring visit

Some progress has been made in relation to the steps in the compliance notice; however, not all steps have been met. Staff have completed attachment training relevant to the children’s needs, and the manager has completed additional Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC484242 2 management training. This helps to increase staff’s understanding of children’s needs and supports the manager’s ongoing development.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has reviewed children’s risk assessments and has shared a new template with staff that is aimed at providing staff with clearer direction to keep children safe. However, this is not yet embedded into practice and therefore, it does not yet provide staff with the strategies to support children and reduce risk.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has started a learning review of care practices and how they contribute to meeting the children’s needs, but this is not fully completed. This means that the manager has not yet identified a plan of learning and development to be assured that staff have the knowledge and skills to care for the children effectively.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have been brought together to reflect on recent challenges of working in the home and meeting the children’s needs. Managers and staff have spoken openly about their experiences and started the process of addressing divides in the team and weaknesses in practice. Staff are feeling more motivated in their roles.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are making progress in supporting children’s education. Children with no previous daily structure now have better routines and are engaging with staff and one child has started to engage in home learning programme. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC484242 3

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Recent inspection history

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 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC484242 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, Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’. The registered person must comply with 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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)) 20 May 2026

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

manage and review the placement of each child in the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)) 20 May 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC484242 5 In particular, the registered person should ensure that a full review of care planning for children is undertaken, including of their move into and out of the home. Any shortfalls must be clearly identified with evidence of lessons learned and actions to be taken to ensure that there is effective care planning for children moving forward.

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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

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’s workforce provides continuity of care to 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)(e)(f)(h)) 20 May 2026

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Requirement Due date

*This requirement is subject of a compliance notice.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC484242 6 This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC484242 7

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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 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC484242 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 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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