Children's Home run by Bayleaf Care Limited in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2857068 1 Registered provider: Bayleaf Care Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private organisation and was registered in December 2025. It provides care for up to 4 children who may have experienced social and emotional difficulties, as well as special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2026. She is suitably experienced and is working towards her level 5 leadership and management qualification.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of inspection, 2 children were living at the home. Both were present and spoken to by the inspector.

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This monitoring visit

Following the last inspection, 2 compliance notices were issued requiring the provider to address breaches under regulations 12 and 13. A restriction of accommodation notice was also imposed, preventing any children from moving into the home. This restriction remains in place until 1 September 2026.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to monitor what actions leaders and managers had taken to comply with the steps outlined in the compliance notice under Regulation 12.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have taken a proactive approach to strengthen staff’s understanding of their roles and responsibilities in safeguarding children. Risk assessments have been reviewed and updated to reflect children’s current needs and known risks. Individual risk summaries, referred to as ‘grab sheets’, have been introduced. These provide staff with clear information, guidance and strategies to keep children safe. This approach promotes good safeguarding practice. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2857068 2 Leaders and managers have evaluated the staff team’s development and taken action following probationary reviews. Consequently, some staff have left the organisation, and others have had their probationary period extended. Staff strengths and areas for development have been identified. This enables leaders and managers to implement individual development plans that support improved practice

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This monitoring visit

Staff have completed additional learning that reflects the individual needs of children. Training has been delivered through face-to-face workshops and embedded during team meetings, using scenarios and gaining additional knowledge to strengthen staff’s understanding. Staff said this approach has been helpful in supporting their practice. All night staff have completed the required online training; however, they have not completed the face-to-face workshops.

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This monitoring visit

The home has undergone significant repair and provides a homely, comfortable environment for children. Children’s bedrooms are personalised, well maintained and reflect their individual preferences. At the time of the visit, one window was awaiting replacement and has since been replaced.

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This monitoring visit

The inspector found that the compliance notice under Regulation 12 had been met. The compliance notice under Regulation 13, the notice restricting accommodation and previous requirements raised at the full inspection remain in place and will be reviewed at a later stage. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2857068 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/06/2026 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2857068 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, 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 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

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;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff are professionally curious around children’s known risks and take appropriate action to mitigate risks. 21 June 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2857068 5 In particular, the registered person must ensure that all staff have the relevant skills to understand children’s needs and risks. They must act to ensure they fulfil their role and responsibilities in safeguarding children.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that the home environment is safe for children. This includes understanding children’s risk and reviewing the environment to ensure that children’s individual needs are met.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that they have robust systems for assessment in place when considering children coming to live in the home and if this is the right decision for all children and ensure that children’s risks and needs can be supported against staff ability, skills and experience.

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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

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; 2 August 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2857068 6 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)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that effective and timely monitoring and oversight occur regarding the day- to-day care children receive, their safety and incidents. This should be used to identify concerns and take swift action to improve.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff and managers are equipped and skilled to use professional curiosity to better support and safeguard children.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all staff receive regular proactive related supervision and appraisals.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that they have robust systems for assessment in place when considering children coming to live in the home and if this is the right decision for all children and ensure that children’s risks and needs can be supported against staff ability, skills and experience. 2 August 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2857068 7 *These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: 2857068 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Bayleaf Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 7 Bankside, The Watermark, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear NE11 9SY

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Inspectors

Mandy Wake, Social Care Inspector Sophie Coogan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2857068 9 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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