Children's Home run by North Yorkshire Council in North Yorkshire

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC034189 1 SC034189

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a local authority using the ‘No Wrong Door’ model. It provides care for up to 6 children with social and emotional difficulties. The home can also care for a further 2 children in separate accommodation for up to 28 days.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, the home was providing care for one child they were spoken with as part of the inspection process.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since May 2025

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 26 and 27 May 2026. Compliance notices were issued under regulations 12 and 13, and a restriction of accommodation notice was served. This monitoring visit took place to consider the actions taken to meet the steps outlined in the compliance notices issued. The inspectors found that not all steps in the compliance notices were met.

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This monitoring visit

Weaknesses in management oversight have allowed shortfalls to continue. Although action plans have been introduced, they lack depth and have not improved staff skills or competency. This has compromised children’s safety, progress and day-to- day experiences. Managers have not taken effective action to address previously identified safeguarding concerns. They do not provide sufficient challenge to secure the changes needed to ensure that children received safe, quality care.

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This monitoring visit

Processes for assessing children’s needs when they move into the home have been reviewed. However, they still do not fully consider children’s vulnerabilities or evaluate the impact for children before decisions are made. They also fail to consider whether staff have the skills and experience to meet children’s needs. Managers have also not explored why one child has felt so unhappy and unsafe living at the home and how they feel about new children moving in. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC034189 2 Staff still do not consistently challenge children’s substance misuse or set clear expectations and boundaries. When children have continued to smoke cannabis and use vapes in the home, staff tell them to do this outside. This response does not help children to understand why what they are doing is not appropriate for their health. Staff also attribute these rules to expectations set by Ofsted rather than

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This monitoring visit

reinforcing boundaries that vaping and drug misuse is not appropriate. As a result, children continue to engage in harmful behaviours and staff have still not developed a clear plan to reduce these risks.

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This monitoring visit

Staff do not have the skills to respond to children’s well-being and presenting behaviours consistently. During one significant incident, it is not clear whether staff completed welfare checks on a child when they were at increased risk of harm. Furthermore, they do not consistently follow advice given to them by medical professionals. Managers have not identified these practice failures or taken action to address them.

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This monitoring visit

Managers do not provide effective oversight of staff practice. They do not always identify when staff responses and decision-making during incidents have not adequately protected children. In their review of records managers did not identify that a child made an allegation against a staff member. As a result, they did not notify relevant professionals and ensure that advice was taken about what next steps were required. There are therefore missed opportunities to safeguard children, improve practice, and reduce future risk.

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This monitoring visit

Some steps have been taken to upskill staff in some areas. For example, staff have completed learning and development sessions on bullying, and the manager has updated the bullying policy to strengthen staff’s knowledge about how to promote positive relationships between children. As a result, staff now have clear guidance to follow to help them respond to bullying incidents should they occur.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders have also strengthened staff training and development in line with the home’s model of care, as outlined in the statement of purpose. Staff are now provided with regular supervision sessions. This has improved support provided to them. Staff have also received training to promote the use of caring, trauma- informed language. Records now use less stigmatising language and better reflect children’s underlying needs and progress. This supports more respectful recording and a greater understanding of children’s experiences. The training staff have received needs to be fully implemented in practice.

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This monitoring visit

Repairs and redecoration have taken place to improve the home environment for children. Children have input into how their bedroom are decorated and furnished. These changes have created a safer, more welcoming and homely environment Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC034189 3 The inspectors did not consider the remaining requirements because the due dates had not passed. An additional requirement was issued under regulation 28.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 26/05/2026 Full Inadequate 08/04/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 15/05/2024 Full Good 12/12/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC034189 4

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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, 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 with 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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)) 16 August 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC034189 5 *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

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’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; 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)(b)(c)(e)(f)(g)(h)) 16 August 2026

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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

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; 31 July 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC034189 6 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. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(iii)(iv) (b)(i)) The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(iv)) 31 July 2026

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being;

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well- being;

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(i)(iv)(c)) 31 July 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC034189 7 The registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised. (Regulation 21 (b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)) 31 July 2026

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(iv) 31 July 2026

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Requirement Due date

A person may only manage a children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

having regard to the size of the home, its statement of purpose, and the number and needs (including any needs arising from any disability) of the children—

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Requirement Due date

the person has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills to manage the home effectively and lead the care of children. (Regulation 28 (1)(b)(i)) 16 August 2026

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC034189 8

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff are carry out and record conversations with children following incidents that could be seen as serious. In particular, staff should have conversations with children around risks associated with fire setting. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 16, paragraph 3.14)  The registered person should ensure that records of the administration of all medication, which includes occasions when prescribed medication is refused, are accurate. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC034189 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: North Yorkshire Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: North Yorkshire County Council, County Hall, Racecourse Lane, Northallerton DL7 8AD

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Inspectors

Laura Roberts, Social Care Inspector Cat Makel, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC034189 10 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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