Children's Home run by Active Young People Limited in Stockton-on-Tees

Inspection report for children's home: 2625941 1 Registered provider: Active Young People Limited

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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 operated by a private provider. It provides care for up to 9 children with learning disabilities.

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Information about this children's home

Four children and one young person were living in the home at the time of the inspection. Four children were observed or spoken with during the inspection.

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Information about this children's home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2023.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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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: good

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

During an assurance inspection on 10 February 2026, inspectors found serious and widespread concerns. Failures in safeguarding practice and the leadership and management of the home negatively affected the children's safety and protection. In response, Ofsted issued 3 compliance notices under regulation 12, the protection of children standard, regulation 13, the leadership and management standard, and Inspection report for children's home: 2625941 2 regulation 32, fitness of workers. Several additional requirements were issued. Ofsted carried out a monitoring visit on 9 March 2026 to assess the provider's progress in meeting the steps in the compliance notices. Following a case review, it was agreed that the compliance notices were met. Inspection report for children's home: 2625941 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/06/2025 Full Good 07/08/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 28/06/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 25/05/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home: 2625941 4

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Summary of findings

Children's progress and daily experiences have been inconsistent since the last full inspection. Although improvements are emerging, they remain at an early stage and have not yet led to sustained positive outcomes for children.

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Summary of findings

Children have not always received consistent care, but staffing arrangements are now more stable and children are developing positive relationships with familiar adults.

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Summary of findings

The registered manager has strengthened oversight and introduced new systems to monitor care practice and quickly address any identified shortfalls. Staff report clearer structure and ongoing improvements. As these systems are still developing, their effectiveness in driving sustained improvement is not yet known.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children to maintain relationships with their families and those who are important to them, including one young person's family dog. Family members are welcomed into the home. Most relatives report feeling informed and involved, but this is not consistent and some family members expressed that communication could be improved.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand most children's health needs, and children are generally in good health. However, shortfalls were identified in the oversight of one child's oral health and there are emerging concerns regarding another child's personal hygiene. These shortfalls delay children receiving the support they need and increase the risk of avoidable health issues.

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improvement to be good

Staff communication with external professionals is usually positive. However, staffing changes have led to periods of inconsistency. One professional expressed disappointment in the home's contribution to evidence gathering for a child's diagnosis, and a parent shared the same concern. These inconsistencies reduce professionals' confidence in the home's ability to work collaboratively and proactively.

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improvement to be good

One child has moved into the home since the last full inspection. The home was not sufficiently staffed and relied heavily on agency workers. This contributed to a poor quality of care for the children. The registered manager has since reflected on this and has provided assurances that no further children will move into the home until a full, competent, skilled and stable staff team is in place.

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improvement to be good

Children benefit from a range of enjoyable activities, both in the community and in the home. Staff take children to the park, bowling, swimming and local museums. Children also take part in home ‑ based activities, such as arts and crafts, movie nights and garden Inspection report for children's home: 2625941 5 barbeques. One child recently experienced a seaside holiday, which they enjoyed. These experiences promote children's social development, confidence and sense of fun.

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improvement to be good

All children attend school or an alternative educational provision. Staff support one child to access home tutoring. Children are generally well prepared for their school day, even when travelling long distances. Most children enjoy their education and benefit from staff encouragement. As a result, children maintain regular attendance and make steady educational progress.

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improvement to be good

Children's plans and assessments are detailed and provide clear guidance for staff to meet children's needs and keep them safe. While most staff understand these plans, they are not always followed consistently. Feedback from an internal professional visitor to the home has identified shortfalls, which are currently under investigation. This inconsistency reduces the reliability of children's day-to-day care and increases the risk of their needs not being met.

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improvement to be good

The registered manager has strengthened the approach to recording and exploring any marks or bruises on children. Managers now provide increased oversight and ensure that relevant professionals are informed. However, one record did not reflect the child's needs accurately. This limits the effectiveness of safeguarding monitoring and reduces confidence in the accuracy of information used to protect children.

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improvement to be good

Children require staff support to understand and manage their emotions and behaviour. Not all staff are confident in recognising the underlying reasons for children's behaviour, which leads to inconsistent responses. The registered manager is working with the in- house positive behaviour support team to introduce targeted training and support to improve staff knowledge. One member of the behaviour team indicated an overuse of restrictive and reactive approaches, including unintentional threats. This reactive culture reduces children's opportunities to learn safer, more positive ways of expressing themselves.

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improvement to be good

Staff use physical intervention when necessary to keep children and others safe. Records now provide a clearer rationale for these interventions. However, children are not offered opportunities to share their views of incidents, and it is not always evident whether medical checks are completed. Staff involved in interventions are not routinely offered post-incident discussions. These gaps limit learning, reduce accountability and hinder the registered manager's ability to evaluate whether interventions are proportionate and effective.

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improvement to be good

One young person has chosen to vape, but staff provide limited educative conversations to help them understand the associated health risks. As a result, the young person is not fully supported to make an informed decision about their wellbeing. Inspection report for children's home: 2625941 6 There has been one allegation made by a child since the last inspection. The registered manager responded promptly, consulted with safeguarding agencies and ensured that the child received support and reassurance. This demonstrates an appropriate safeguarding response and helps to maintain children's trust in the adults caring for them.

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improvement to be good

The registered manager has overhauled recruitment processes to ensure that safer recruitment is consistently applied. Mandatory checks are now completed before staff work with children, strengthening safeguarding practice and reducing the risk of unsuitable adults working with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Oversight by the management team of incidents remains inconsistent and lacks meaningful evaluation. Managers sign incident forms but do not routinely analyse the actions taken, identify patterns, or highlight learning. As a result, opportunities to improve staff practice and prevent repeat incidents are missed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Written records remain difficult to follow and contain institutional language, which does not support effective oversight or child-centred practice. This also affects children's ability to understand their own records should they wish to view them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager recognises when external professionals do not fulfil their responsibilities, particularly regarding pathway planning for children approaching adulthood and statutory documents. However, the absence of formal guidance limits her understanding and ability to challenge effectively or escalate concerns to the responsible individual. For one child, the lack of signed delegated authority means that there is no assurance the home is providing the care it is legally permitted to deliver. These gaps reduce the home's ability to secure better outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The quality of supervision is variable. Some sessions include detailed discussions about children, changes to plans and safeguarding scenarios that strengthen staff understanding. Others lack reflection and focus, missing opportunities to develop staff practice. This inconsistency reduces the effectiveness of supervision as a tool for professional development and accountability.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager demonstrates a clear commitment to improving the quality of care and has responded to feedback and external scrutiny. However, the registered manager's most recent quality of care report did not include children's views. This omission reduces opportunities to embed children's voices in the home's development and ensure that improvements reflect children's lived experience.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Children enjoy positive and warm interactions with the registered manager. They frequently seek her out and observations show they are relaxed and happy in her company. One child, in particular, values spending time with her over a cup of tea to 'put the world to rights'. Children clearly view the registered manager as a trusted adult, which strengthens their sense of safety and belonging. Inspection report for children's home: 2625941 7

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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 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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)) 31 July 2026

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children's home's overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; and

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children's needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

provide personalised care that meets each child's needs, as recorded in the child's relevant plans, taking account of the child's background;

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Requirement Due date

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child's relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice. 31 July 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2625941 8 (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(iv)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child's behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 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 secure the input and services required to meet each child's needs; 31 July 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2625941 9 if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority's or a relevant person's performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child's needs are met in accordance with the child's relevant plans. (Regulation 5(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 30 September 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children's home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (5)) 30 September 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2625941 10

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff are undertaking and recording direct work with the children to help them to develop and prepare for independence. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,' page 16, paragraph 3.14)

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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: 2625941 11

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Children's home details

Registered provider: Active Young People Limited

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: 1 Suffolk Way, Sevenoaks TN13 1YL

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Inspectors

Claire Webster, Social Care Inspector (lead) Cat Makel, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2625941 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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