Children's Home run by Waypoint Care Ltd in Doncaster

Inspection report for children's home: 2789434 1 Registered provider: Waypoint Care Ltd

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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 private provider. It provides care for up to 3 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties or have a learning disability.

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Information about this children's home

There is no registered manager in post, and the role has been vacant for over 3 months. There is an acting manager overseeing the running of the home who is also registered at one of the provider's other homes. The provider has yet to recruit a permanent manager.

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Information about this children's home

Two children have moved out of the home since the last inspection. At the time of this inspection, 2 children were living in the home, and both were spoken with.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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good

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

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2789434 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/06/2025 Full Good 28/01/2025 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2789434 3

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Summary of findings

Children have generally made good progress. They enjoy spending time with staff, and staff are kind and considerate when communicating with the children. Any moves into and out of the home have been planned while considering children's wishes and feelings. Children's known risks are well documented, and staff help children to manage their behaviours by encouraging them to speak about how they feel.

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Summary of findings

Management and staff arrangements are not currently stable, and children do not always know who will be caring for them. Staff do not consistently receive supervision sessions, and new team members have not always received effective review and monitoring of their practice. There are also gaps in management oversight that do not promote continuous improvements or staff development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work closely with children to identify a wide range of activities that reflect the children's interests, abilities and needs. These experiences help to broaden the children's knowledge, develop their social skills and help them build confidence. Staff use creative and engaging approaches to encourage children to participate, ensuring that activities are enjoyable and tailored to each child. Furthermore, children's achievements and positive behaviour are celebrated, and this contributes to a warm and nurturing environment where children are happy and secure.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education is a clear priority in the home. Children have made measurable progress since moving in and are supported to develop positive attitudes towards learning. Staff demonstrate commitment and creativity in helping children engage with education, including producing bespoke worksheets and learning resources to meet individual needs while encouraging children's participation.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from trusting relationships with staff that promote open and honest communication. Staff support children sensitively through change and uncertainty. When staff stop working at the home, children are informed in a thoughtful and age- appropriate manner that helps them to understand and process these changes. In addition, the provider's psychologist offers valuable guidance, training and consultation to staff. This enhances staff practice and has supported staff to have meaningful conversations with children about moving on, helping children to feel reassured and supported.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Moves into and out of the home have been well planned. Staff work with placing authorities and other relevant professionals effectively to gather information, assess children's risks and needs and ensure that children moving into the home, as well as those already living there, are considered. Children are provided with helpful information Inspection report for children's home: 2789434 4 about the home before they move in, including a child-friendly guide that supports them to understand what life at the home will be like.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home provides a warm, welcoming and nurturing environment with children's photos displayed throughout communal areas, helping children develop a sense of belonging. Bedrooms are personalised to reflect children's individual preferences, and children are actively involved in choosing the colours and decor. Children also benefit from access to well-maintained outdoor spaces that offer a range of activities and opportunities for play, recreation and social interaction.

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

Children are supported by caring and attentive staff who help them to feel relaxed, safe and protected. This promotes a positive atmosphere in the home. Children can identify trusted adults who they can talk to about any worries or concerns. Staff take children's views seriously and invest time in building positive relationships with them. As a result, children feel comfortable sharing their feelings and experiences.

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

Staff promote children's safety through appropriate safeguarding measures, including age-appropriate restrictions relating to internet access and streaming services. Children receive guidance and support to develop their understanding of online safety and how to use technology responsibly, helping them to reduce potential risks.

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

When children experience overwhelming emotions, staff respond sensitively and use effective de-escalation strategies to manage situations safely. Restraint practice is used when necessary, and staff prioritise calm, positive approaches that help children feel secure and supported. This contributes to a nurturing environment where children are helped to talk about how they are feeling and develop safe coping strategies.

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

Staff have a good understanding of children's individual risks. Risk assessments are detailed, are regularly reviewed and provide clear guidance for staff on how to respond to known risks and safeguard children effectively. This helps to ensure that children receive consistent and safe care.

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

Not all staff have completed basic or refresher first-aid training. This means that staff may not always have the necessary knowledge and skills to respond to a medical emergency safely. Although children are generally safeguarded well, this has the potential to affect staff's ability to meet children's health and safety needs fully.

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

The acting manager provides appropriate oversight of incidents and significant events. Their monitoring following incidents is effective. However, one serious incident identified during the inspection had not been notified to the regulator as required. While this omission has not had a direct effect on children's safety, it prevents external scrutiny and oversight. Inspection report for children's home: 2789434 5

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

Since the departure of the registered manager, arrangements for leadership and management have lacked consistency and stability. Changes in staffing and management have contributed to weaknesses in oversight and have affected the quality and consistency of care provided to children. High levels of staff turnover and the reliance on non-permanent and agency staff have limited children's opportunities to develop stable and trusting relationships with those caring for them.

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

Not all staff have received regular supervision sessions or annual appraisals of their practice, which reduces opportunities for reflective practice and professional development. In addition, concerns raised by staff about workload pressures and feeling overwhelmed have not been responded to effectively. As a result, some staff report feeling unsupported and that their views are not listened to.

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

Staff receive training that supports them to fulfil their roles. Some staff have the required qualification that supports their learning and development of working within a children's home, and some are working towards achieving this.

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

The home provides children with a homely, comfortable and spacious environment. However, the use of the office as a sleeping area for staff does not provide them with comfortable or appropriate facilities and does not reinforce or recognise consideration for staff wellbeing.

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

The quality of care review was not submitted to the regulator within the required timescales and did not contain sufficient feedback from children. These shortfalls demonstrate weaknesses in monitoring systems and management oversight and have reduced the manager's ability to thoroughly evaluate the quality of care provided.

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

The acting manager has identified areas requiring improvement and demonstrates commitment and determination to improve practice. Early action has been taken to improve the support for staff and their development. These changes are at an early stage, and it is too soon to see their full impact Inspection report for children's home: 2789434 6

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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

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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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 has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home's workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(c)(d)(e)) 30 October 2026

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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;

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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. 30 October 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2789434 7 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) (3)(b) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a))

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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 any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter;

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Requirement Due date

must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40 (1)(a) (4)(e) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must notify the regulator of all incidents that are deemed to be serious, including those that are not identified as current risks for children . 11 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. 30 October 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2789434 8 After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”).

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed. (Regulation 45 (1) (3) (4)(a))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that at least one person on duty at any given time has a suitable first-aid qualification. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 34, paragraph 7.13)  The registered person should ensure that they have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards' page 61, paragraph 13.2)  The registered person should ensure that all staff have their performance and fitness to carry out their role formally appraised at least once annually. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 61, paragraph 13.5)  The registered person should ensure that the design of the home provides staff that

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Recommendations

sleep in the home overnight with appropriate accommodation and facilities to do so. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards' page 17, paragraph 3.26)

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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 Regulation, including the quality standards'. Inspection report for children's home: 2789434 9

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: 38 Freemans Way, Harrogate HG3 1DH

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Inspector

Lisa Richards, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2789434 10 regulates and inspects 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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