Children's Home run by Wakefield Council in Wakefield

Inspection report for children’s home: 2850620 1 Registered provider: Wakefield Council

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a local authority. It provides care for up to 3 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties. Children move into this home for a period of assessment to assist in the placement planning for their move on to permanent care arrangements.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in October 2025, and the manager registered at the same time. This is the home’s first inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living in the home, and 3 children have been supported to move to permanent care arrangements. The inspectors spent time with the child and made attempts to speak to other children but were unable to ascertain their views.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2850620 2

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Summary of findings

Children develop positive relationships with staff and enjoy living in the home. Staff know the children’s needs and offer individualised care that helps the children to make progress.

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Summary of findings

Staff have not always taken timely and effective actions to prevent risk of harm to children and ensure their welfare. Leaders and managers have also not acted in accordance with the provider’s allegation management policy. Despite ensuring that allegations are shared with the necessary safeguarding agencies, the timing of this has been delayed, and leaders’ and managers’ oversight and responsive actions are unclear.

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Summary of findings

Leaders and managers have reviewing and monitoring systems in place and have a good understanding of the children’s individual needs and plans. Staff feel supported by leaders and managers and receive support to develop their skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is relaxed in the home and has formed trusting relationships with staff. Staff know the children well and are committed to providing them with sensitive and individualised care. Professionals said that the care offered by staff helped children to make progress and feel settled. Children gain a sense of belonging before moving on to their permanent care arrangements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children confidently share their wishes and views that help to inform their daily care. Children have enjoyed a variety of activities, including trips to the seaside and to adventure parks, going shopping and playing board games with staff. These opportunities help children to form relationships and develop their social and emotional confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children’s health needs, ensuring that children are registered with health services. Staff seek advice from specialist services relating to children’s medical and emotional wellbeing needs. Additionally, children can access emotional wellbeing support about their individual needs and mental health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Engaging children in education is challenging for staff. Changes to children’s education provision create barriers for children sustaining their attendance and progress. Staff work closely with education professionals to identify and address these barriers. Staff offer children alternative learning opportunities, such as educational trips to museums and focused sessions about independence skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager and staff carefully plan children’s moves into the home, reducing children’s uncertainty and anxieties. Staff actions also help children to experience Inspection report for children’s home: 2850620 3 positive moves on from this home. Staff support children to visit and settle into their new home and will maintain their relationships with children to help build a positive support network.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand children’s individual needs and associated risks. Staff spend time with children, meaning children have the chance to develop relationships and have a trusted adult whom they can talk to about any worries.

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improvement to be good

Children have detailed risk assessments that are regularly reviewed. However, leaders and managers have not ensured that staff have access to all the information relating to children’s known associated risks. This can be confusing for staff, and leaders and managers are unable to be assured that staff have all required information to help them keep children safe.

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improvement to be good

Staff have not always taken timely and effective actions to prevent risk of harm to children. Staff have failed to follow guidance detailed in one child’s plan and supervise the child while they were out in the community. On 2 further occasions, staff delayed removing items from children that could cause them significant harm. On these occasions, no harm came to the children. However, management oversight failed to highlight shortfalls in staff practice and failed to ensure that timely actions were in place to prevent repeated incidents.

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improvement to be good

Concerns about staff practice are recognised and investigated. However, on occasion, leaders and managers have not ensured timely reporting and oversight of allegations, resulting in a delay in sharing information with significant agencies, including Ofsted. Additionally, it is not always clear that timely actions were in place to mitigate any potential risk to children while investigations were ongoing. Actions taken by leaders and managers have not been in accordance with the provider’s allegation management policy, and the arrangements in place have not ensured children’s welfare.

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improvement to be good

Staff provide children with clear boundaries about safe and acceptable behaviour. Staff physically restrain children as a last resort to keep the child and others safe and only when other de-escalation techniques have been exhausted and unsuccessful. Staff spend time with the children helping them to talk about and understand their emotions, behaviours and responses during incidents, including the action taken by staff. This helps reduce known associated concerns and helps children strengthen their relationships.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager knows the children well. They understand their plans and are committed to supporting the children to experience positive care. The registered manager works closely with the deputy manager and staff, who are equally committed to supporting the children to live in a nurturing environment. Inspection report for children’s home: 2850620 4 The registered manager understands the home and uses monitoring and reviewing systems to support their oversight of the children’s care. However, the reviewing systems did not recognise the evident shortfalls at this home. Leaders and managers are reflective and have started to take actions during the inspection to help support clearer recording of information. In addition to this home, the registered manager is also registered to manage another home for the local authority.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff talked about feeling valued and supported. Staff consistently receive reflective supervision sessions. Staff noted that they benefit from the opportunity to discuss the children’s needs and reflect on their own learning and development. Newly appointed staff and agency staff receive a structured induction that assists their understanding of the children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers support staff to have the necessary skills to meet the individual needs of the children. The registered manager has a detailed workforce development plan and is committed to staff development. Staff have regular reviews of their development needs. Additionally, they access regular team meetings that support reflective discussions that help improve the quality of care offered to the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager ensures that the home is well maintained and welcoming for children. During the inspection, the registered manager took immediate action to address fire doors being propped open. These actions need embedding into practice to ensure that the home environment adheres to the provider’s health and safety assessments, including fire safety. Inspection report for children’s home: 2850620 5

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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

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff have access to updated risk assessments that cover all known associated risks for children. The risk assessments must provide clear information on the actions that staff are required to take to reduce risks to children. 23 August 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

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Requirement Due date

promotes their welfare. 23 August 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2850620 6 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that their systems support the effective reporting, oversight and recording of actions taken in accordance with the provider’s allegation management policy. In addition, they must ensure that management oversight of significant incidents is effective.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)) 23 August 2026

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that fire doors comply with health and safety regulations. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.19)

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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: 2850620 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, Bond Street, Wakefield WF1 2QW

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Inspectors

Gina Lightfoot, Social Care Inspector (Lead) Emma Gauden, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2850620 8 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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