Children's Home run by Active Ark Limited in Westmorland and Furness

Inspection report for children’s home: SC439956 1 SC439956 Registered provider: Active Ark Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in May 2012 and is operated by a private provider. It offers care for one child 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 in the home. The child shared their views with the inspector.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2024.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 16 December 2025

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC439956 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/12/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 02/09/2025 Full Inadequate 02/07/2024 Full Good 22/08/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC439956 3

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Summary of findings

The child is making good progress in their education, engaging in positive activities and learning new independence skills. Staff know the child well and are able to support them effectively in overcoming barriers to learning and preparing for their future.

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Summary of findings

The child feels safe and has trusted relationships with carers. These relationships have had a positive impact, enabling the child to express their views confidently. This helps to keep the child safe.

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Summary of findings

There is effective multi-agency communication, with strong working relationships between staff and external professionals. External agencies are complimentary about the support provided by staff and recognise the progress the child has made.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to settle into the home, helping them to adjust and make progress in all areas of their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have positive relationships with the child, which helps to keep them safe. These supportive relationships encourage the child to share their experiences, both positive and negative, with staff. This helps staff to understand the child’s needs and provide effective, individualised care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child engages in education and has made considerable progress. Staff ensure that consistent routines are in place, helping the child to maintain good attendance and achieve positive outcomes. Education professionals value the support provided by staff and recognise the positive impact this has had on the child. Clear and achievable plans are in place to ensure that the child continues to succeed in the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage the child to participate in activities that promote their emotional wellbeing. Where specialist support is required, staff ensure that the child can access appropriate services. This helps the child to develop coping strategies while also having access to additional support when needed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have supported the child in preparing for independence. They have created a child- friendly ‘My Plan’ that is written in language the child can understand. Transition planning is supported through professional meetings, ensuring that appropriate support is in place for their future. As a result, the child feels equipped with the skills needed to move on and is well prepared for this transition. The local authority has confirmed that all identified goals have been achieved, acknowledging the child’s progress and noting that they are thriving. Inspection report for children’s home: SC439956 4 The child says that living at the home has been a success for them and that it has changed them as a person. The child feels safe with staff and says that they are always there for them.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Missing-from-home incidents have reduced significantly, and the use of restraint is rare. When restraint is necessary, there is oversight from the manager, and follow-up discussions with the child take place. This helps the child to understand why particular actions were taken, ensures that they feel valued and listened to and supports the maintenance of positive relationships.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff help the child to navigate relationships and ensure that family time arrangements are appropriate. When concerns escalate, staff respond promptly and work in partnership with other professionals to keep the child safe. The support from the staff ensures that the child remains safe while spending time with those who are important to them.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff encourage the child to participate in child-friendly risk assessments. This helps the child to feel involved in decision-making and understand their plans. Risk assessments are supported by a tracking tool that demonstrates positive progress, helping staff to monitor changes and remain aware of emerging risks.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff carry out key-work sessions tailored to the child’s specific needs. The sessions are monitored and reviewed during regular management meetings, ensuring that interventions remain consistent and relevant.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Behaviour support plans are updated; however, not all staff are familiar with them. Although risk assessments are revised in response to changing risks, some plans lack sufficient detail and do not anticipate potential concerns. This can lead to an over- reliance on staff judgement during missing-from-home incidents, which may increase risk, particularly when unfamiliar staff are on shift.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are committed to the child and dedicated to ensuring that they make progress and have positive experiences while living in the home. The manager is actively involved in the child’s care and consistently seeks their views. The child knows they are important to both the manager and staff, meaning their voice is heard and they feel valued.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has a warm, homely atmosphere, providing the child with a welcoming environment, stability and a sense of belonging. The physical environment is well maintained, and there is a good outdoor space that the child can use for recreation, exercise and seasonal activities. As a result of the strong relationships and nurturing environment, the child describes where they live as their ‘home’. Inspection report for children’s home: SC439956 5 The manager and staff have developed positive relationships with external professionals and families. Feedback is consistently positive; professionals describe the care provided as ‘exemplary’ and recognise its contribution to improved outcomes for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say that they value the support provided by the manager, recognising that they are approachable and available when needed. Staff development is encouraged, and all staff have access to regular supervision and training. This helps to ensure that staff have the skills and confidence required to support the child effectively. However, this is not always consistent, as some supervision records lack reflective discussion or sufficient focus on the child. This may result in missed opportunities for learning and professional development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers do not consistently provide appropriate challenge to the local authority. Following a missing-from-home incident, important information was not adequately followed up or shared with staff. In addition, work to prepare the child for their transition into adulthood has not been carried out. These shortfalls reduce the effectiveness of staff support and limit the child’s resilience and preparedness for adulthood. Inspection report for children’s home: SC439956 6

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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 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

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

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)(vii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that risk assessments and care plans accurately reflect the needs of children in their care and that staff are fully aware of the risks that children face. 31 July 2026

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)) 31 July 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC439956 7 In particular, the registered manager must provide appropriate challenge to the placing authority when services or support are not delivered in line with children’s needs.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that effective systems are in place so that all staff, including the manager, 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: SC439956 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit E, Baron Way, Kingmoor Business Park, Carlisle CA6 4SJ

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Inspector

Shaun Martin, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC439956 9 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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