Children's Home run by Darlington Borough Council in Darlington

Inspection report for children’s home: SC037861 1 SC037861 Registered provider: Darlington Borough Council Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a local authority. It provides short breaks for up 3 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living at the home. No children were accessing the short-break service. The inspector spoke with the child.

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Information about this children’s home

The post for a registered manager is vacant. An interim manager has been appointed and has applied to register with Ofsted.

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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 inadequate

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Following an assurance inspection on 20 November 2025, where serious and/or widespread concerns were identified, compliance notices were issued under regulation 12 (the protection of children standard) and regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard). During a monitoring visit on 22 December 2025, it was Inspection report for children’s home: SC037861 2 determined that leaders had taken appropriate steps to address the issues identified in the compliance notices. Inspection report for children’s home: SC037861 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/04/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/12/2024 Full Inadequate 05/12/2023 Full Good 20/06/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC037861 4

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Summary of findings

The home is operating outside its short-break registration conditions. One child has been living at the home for the past 6 months, during which time they have made progress from their starting point and developed positive relationships with core staff. However, management arrangements have been unstable over the past year. Managers have not ensured that staff have guidance in place to protect the child and others effectively. Monitoring systems are ineffective, meaning that the manager does not have sufficient oversight of the quality of care being provided to help improve safeguarding practice. In addition, leaders and managers have been slow to respond to concerns relating to fire safety in the home. Overall, leaders and managers have been ineffective in prioritising the safety of the child and staff, and they do not demonstrate a secure understanding of the home’s areas of weakness.

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improvement to be good

The child’s overall experiences and progress are affected by shortfalls in the leadership and management of the home.

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improvement to be good

One child has lived at the home for 6 months, since the home ceased providing short- break services. A key strength of the home is the positive and trusting relationships that staff have developed with the child, which has helped them make good progress. Although the child has experienced changes in staffing and management since moving in, a core staff team has provided continuity of care.

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improvement to be good

The child is making good progress in their learning. Staff ensure that the child is prepared to engage in their learning. They provide transport and stay with the child to encourage participation. Incentives are also used to encourage the child’s attendance. Staff work effectively with education professionals and keep up to date with the child’s progress. As a result, the child is developing their reading and writing skills and learning life skills, such as DIY and cooking.

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improvement to be good

Staff ensure that the child has access to healthcare services. The child is registered with a GP, dentist and optician. When the child struggles to attend appointments, staff rearrange them to provide further opportunities for attendance. Staff also ensure that the child’s views about their health needs and medication are communicated to healthcare professionals, enabling the child to be actively involved in decision-making.

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improvement to be good

Staff engage in meaningful conversations with the child to help them understand the risks they may face. Staff speak with the child to help them learn how to stay safe in the community. Staff understand communicate effectively with the child and address important topics, such as consent, relationships and behaviour. However, the extent to Inspection report for children’s home: SC037861 5 which this work supports the child’s progress and development is not captured effectively in the child’s records.

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improvement to be good

The child engages in a range of activities both in the home and the community. They are provided with regular opportunities to pursue their interests outside the home, including fishing, go-karting and swimming. Staff accompany the child to these activities to ensure that they feel safe and supported.

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improvement to be good

Staff work effectively with family members to help the child maintain contact with their loved ones. They follow the child’s plans for spending time with family members and support them in staying in touch.

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improvement to be good

The child’s plans lack sufficient guidance for staff on how to keep the child safe. While the child’s risks and vulnerabilities are clearly identified, the actions expected of staff to protect the child and others are not always specified. On one occasion, although the manager and staff were aware of potential risks to the child and others in the community, staff did not take prompt action to search for the child or attempt to engage with them when their whereabouts became known. A lack of direction from managers limited staff’s ability to reduce the risk of harm to the child and others.

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improvement to be good

Staff generally follow the child’s plan when they are missing from the home. They actively search for the child before notifying emergency services for additional support. When the child returns, they are welcomed back warmly by staff. However, the child is not always offered the opportunity to speak with an independent person during a return home interview. This limits opportunities to fully understand the reasons for the child’s absence and to identify any learning from such incidents.

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improvement to be good

Very few physical interventions take place in the home. Staff use their skills effectively to help the child manage their emotions. On one occasion, low-level physical intervention was used after staff attempted to de-escalate a situation. While both the child and staff were given the opportunity to reflect on the incident, the child’s conversation with a manager was delayed.

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improvement to be good

Safer recruitment practices are embedded. Leaders and managers ensure that staff recruited to work in the home are subject to appropriate scrutiny to confirm their suitability to work with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The management of the home has not been stable since the last full inspection. The home has been without a registered manager for the past 5 months. A permanent manager is now in post and has applied to register with Ofsted. They are being supported by an interim manager. Inspection report for children’s home: SC037861 6 Staff have experienced significant changes. The home has been affected by staff absences, recruitment difficulties, and an investigation into management and staff conduct. There have been frequent occasions where casual staff have been used, resulting in a high number of different adults caring for the child. Despite these challenges, staff feedback is positive. They report that they now feel better supported by managers following what has been a difficult year.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home is operating outside its approved short-break registration conditions. In November 2025, leaders and managers informed Ofsted of their intention to apply to vary the home’s registration. However, despite prompts and guidance, the responsible individual has not submitted this application. As a result, the home continues to operate outside its conditions of registration.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers do not carry out effective reviews of incidents involving children. Following a serious incident, the manager’s oversight of the child’s records to understand staff actions and identify learning was delayed. In addition, some incidents are recorded in the child’s daily case notes and are not consistently reviewed by a manager. This limits opportunities for managers to reflect on staff practice, evaluate responses and improve safeguarding arrangements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have failed to prioritise fire safety in the home. Although expert reports and quotations for required works have been obtained, there have been delays in securing this information and progressing the necessary actions. Furthermore, the fire risk assessment has not been kept up to date to reflect any changes and new information. Given the significance of the works required, managers failed to seek guidance or assurance from the fire and rescue service regarding the safety of children and staff until this was requested by the inspector.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers’ monitoring systems fail to ensure effective oversight of the quality of care in the home. There are no systems in place to track children’s progress. The permanent manager is developing pilot approaches for recording incidents and enhancing managerial oversight. However, these systems have yet to be fully embedded into practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers do not act on recommendations made by the independent visitor to support service improvements. A reoccurring recommendation, to provide regular supervision for casual and agency staff, remains unaddressed. Managers lack effective systems to ensure that all staff receive regular supervision. This contrasts with permanent staff, who benefit from consistent reflective supervision that focuses on their development and practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home has a workforce development plan, which is a useful tool for monitoring service needs, including staff training, experience and skills. However, some staff have exceeded the required time frame to achieve the qualifications set out in regulation, and the plan does not clearly outline the necessary steps for them to do so. Inspection report for children’s home: SC037861 7 Feedback from staff and professionals involved with the child is positive regarding the current management arrangements. An education professional said, ‘We have noticed a marked change since the new management structure. I personally feel that [name of manager] and [name of permanent manager] are professionals that we have a strong relationship with.’ They further commented, ‘The real key is the staff that are working there.’ Inspection report for children’s home: SC037861 8

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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

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

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; and

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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)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must: ensure that an application is made to vary the conditions of the home’s registration so that the care provided to children aligns with those conditions;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that children’s plans include clear guidance to keep them safe;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s fire risk assessment is reviewed and updated whenever changes occur or new information becomes available. When there are known fire safety concerns, the registered person must consult the fire and rescue service. 17 July 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC037861 9 Appropriate action must also be taken to improve fire safety in the home;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that effective monitoring systems are in place to provide timely oversight of children’s care so that the quality of care and safeguarding practices are consistently reviewed;

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Requirement Due date

be assured that all staff, including casual and agency staff, understand children’s plans and that these plans are accessible and easy to read.

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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; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the 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

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(b) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)) 17 July 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC037861 10 In particular, the registered person must carry out an assessment to determine whether staff qualifications are equivalent to the level 3 diploma.

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Requirement Due date

Furthermore, the registered person must ensure that staff attain the relevant qualification within the necessary time frame.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or absent without permission, the responsible local authority provides them with the opportunity to have an independent return home interview. The home should consider the information obtained from such interviews when assessing risks and implementing measures to safeguard each child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  The registered person should ensure that effective systems are in place so that all staff, including the manager, casual staff and agency staff, receive supervision from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, allowing them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children in their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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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: SC037861 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Darlington Borough Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Town Hall, Feethams, Darlington DL1 5QT

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Christopher Bell

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Inspector

Joanne Wallis, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC037861 12 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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