Tees Valley YMCA

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Tees Valley YMCA 1 Tees Valley YMCA Registered provider: Tees Valley Young Men’s Christian Association

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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provider

A private provider owns and operates this supported accommodation service. The service can accommodate up to 31 children in a shared or group living premises that are either single occupancy or group living that are not limited to accommodating only looked-after children and care leavers.

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provider

At the time of the inspection, the service provided support for 8 children aged 16 and 17 years across one site.

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provider

The provider and the service manager registered with Ofsted in December 2023.

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provider

Inspection dates: The inspection was announced on 27 July 2026 and started that day. The inspectors were on site from 29 to 31 July 2026.

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Outcome

Serious or widespread weaknesses lead to significant concerns about the experiences and progress of children. Leaders and managers must take urgent action to address failings. The next inspection will be within approximately 6 months.

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Summary of findings

Leaders and managers do not operate this service in line with the Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023.

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Summary of findings

Some children have been admitted to this service who are not ready to move on to independence. This means that some children receive aspects of care, or their safety is not guaranteed.

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Summary of findings

Leaders and managers have failed to ensure that identified support and follow-up work with children is completed consistently after significant incidents. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Tees Valley YMCA 2 Staff are not given clear, written guidance in children’s risk assessments on how they should best support children to enable them to become safer.

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Summary of findings

Weaknesses in the management oversight have failed to take full accountability for some decision-making, identify the service shortfalls and make timely improvements.

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Summary of findings

Leaders and managers accept that improvements are needed and they have started to address the shortfalls.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children’s experiences vary considerably as some children receive aspects of care. When children’s needs mean that they are ready to live more independently, they make progress. However, placing decisions that are influenced by a local authority means that leaders and managers have accepted children with complex needs. These children are placed at increased risk of harm as they do not receive the level of care that they require.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

The level of stability for some children varies as the planning of children’s support is inconsistent. Some children have experienced good levels of support and positive moves into independence. However, other children have moved on from the service quickly as managers and staff have not had the skills or ability to support children effectively.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children’s support plans show how their needs will be met by staff and include the priority areas of support for the child. While some plans indicate the children’s progress, they do not set further targets for children to aspire to. Children’s support plans are not dated, so it is not clear when they have been reviewed or updated. Furthermore, when support work or follow-up work with children has been identified after significant incidents, staff have not routinely completed this. This prevents children from learning what they could do differently.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children benefit from positive relationships with staff, who have invested time in getting to know them well. Staff are committed and show genuine care for the children, who are happy living in their homes. Children know how to make a complaint and can talk to staff about any concerns or worries.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff ensure that the children can access primary and specialised health services promptly to meet their physical and emotional needs. Children whose first language is not English are provided with information about the service in familiar languages to them. Staff use translation tools to communicate with children and help them to understand the English language. Additionally, staff support children to visit places of worship and embrace their identity and heritage. Children are also helped to maintain positive connections with suitable family members and friends.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff support children to access education, with varying degrees of success. Some children do not attend education, employment or training because they are not yet ready for independence. Staff help children to join in purposeful activities, such as Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Tees Valley YMCA 3 day trips out, going to the breakfast club as well as pursuing their own interests. These activities help children to socialise, build connections with other peers and staff and reduce loneliness.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children’s accommodation is well maintained. Staff encourage children to personalise their rooms, providing them with ownership and comfort.

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How well children are helped and protected

Leaders and managers have failed to consider all the children’s known risks when they agree to accept children into the service. This is despite children’s initial referral information from the child’s placing authority clearly describing the specific vulnerabilities and risks that go beyond the scope of supported accommodation. As a result, some children have been exposed to significant harm as their care needs have not been met.

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How well children are helped and protected

Children’s compatibility with one another is not assessed before they move in. This prevents leaders and managers from considering and mitigating against any potential risks that may be apparent between children living in the same environment.

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How well children are helped and protected

Children’s written risk assessments contain relevant background information and the current risks that impact on children’s lives. However, the actions that staff should take to support children to be safer are not consistently and clearly recorded in children’s risk assessments. This prevents staff from having clear guidance on how they can support children to reduce their identified risks and safeguard children.

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How well children are helped and protected

Learning from significant incidents is lost. Leaders and managers do not have an effective system in place, so that they can have oversight of all the significant incidents that children are involved in. This prevents leaders and managers from evaluating the actions of staff in supporting children to become safer, identifying any lessons learned or providing any follow-up actions needed to safeguard children. Furthermore, leaders and managers have failed to notify Ofsted about all the significant incidents involving children. This prevents Ofsted from assessing the safety of children.

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How well children are helped and protected

Although leaders and managers understand the children’s known risks well, they do not ensure that the staff consistently carry out the important safety work with children. This does not teach children about acceptable rules and boundaries and how to protect themselves. While staff do not physically restrain children, the warning system is not consistently applied proportionately.

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How well children are helped and protected

Staff understand their safeguarding responsibilities. Leaders and managers take effective action, when risks to children become apparent. However, leaders and managers have taken direction from a local authority in one incident. This resulted in one safeguarding concern not being referred to the local authority designated officer (LADO) in line with the ‘Working Together’ and the organisation’s safeguarding policy. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Tees Valley YMCA 4 The current recruitment practices are not safe and do not offer children sufficient protection from unsuitable adults, who may cause them harm. Leaders and managers have failed to assure themselves that the recruitment checks completed by a security agency on their staff meet the regulations. Furthermore, the recruitment of staff by this service is flawed. Some employment histories only include the years the applicant has worked and not the months, and references have

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How well children are helped and protected

been taken from family members. When applicants have experience of working with vulnerable children and adults, references from these employers have not been sought.

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How well children are helped and protected

Leaders and managers have failed to consider all the potential risk for children in their homes. The current health and safety checks do not include the potential risk for children should they fall from the windows that open wide on the first floor of the premises.

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How well children are helped and protected

Children who go missing from their home are supported well. Staff act appropriately to ensure that children return safe and well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The registered service manager and nominated individual have not fully understood their roles and responsibilities or taken full responsibility for this supported accommodation service. The registered service manager and nominated individual have been led by the placing authority, when deciding which children should be welcomed into the service, and what information should be referred on to the LADO.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers have failed to ensure that only those children who are ready to move on to independence live in this service. At the time of the inspection, 2 of the 8 children had a high level of need, meaning that they were not ready for supported accommodation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders’ and manager’s failure to take timely action has resulted in the escalation of risk for some children. Gaps in leadership and management oversight have failed to recognise the importance of maintaining consistent records for the children and the service. Some of the children’s records include child-blaming language, and others are not consistently child friendly.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The statement of purpose does not reflect the actual service delivery. The correct designated safeguarding lead is not included in the document. This prevents children, Ofsted, professionals and other stakeholders from having the correct information, should they wish to raise a safeguarding incident.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers have failed to submit the most recent quality of support review to Ofsted as required by regulation. The previous versions of the review did not meet the regulation as this referred to what the service does. The review did not seek the views of children, parents, staff or professionals, or focus on how the service had improved or enhanced the children’s experiences. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Tees Valley YMCA 5 Leaders and managers could not identify where children had come from, or where they had moved on to as they did not maintain an admissions and discharge register as required by regulation. The document that was completed at the time of the inspection did not include the details of the children’s addresses immediately before and after they leave the service. The statutory provision under which the child is accommodated was also missing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The staff are well trained, feel supported, receive relevant training and have opportunities to meet up to discuss the children and service activities. However, leaders and managers have failed to ensure that there is a record of these discussions so that these can be accessed by those who could not attend.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The arrangements for formal staff support are poor. Formal supervision with the manager and staff is not carried out at regular intervals and there are significant gaps between supervision sessions. When supervision has taken place, the records lack any evidence of the reflections on practice that have taken place, or what impact the staff’s practice has had on the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Professionals share positive feedback about the service. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Tees Valley YMCA 6

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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 Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023 and the ‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards’. The registered person(s) 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 supported accommodation undertaking that puts children first and prioritises their wellbeing and development.

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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 supported accommodation undertaking in a way that is consistent with the ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the undertaking’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that arrangements are in place to manage referrals of children to the supported accommodation undertaking and admissions of children to premises used as supported accommodation, including, where relevant, emergency referrals and admissions;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that arrangements are in place for the supervision, training and development of staff. (Regulation 4 (1) (2)(a)(e)(f)(g))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

the service is operated in line with the statement of purpose and only admits children who are ready to develop further skills in preparation for adulthood;

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Requirement Due date

the children’s known needs are reflected in their support plans and that the staff work consistently in line with these plans; 2 October 2026 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Tees Valley YMCA 7 recruitment practices are consistently applied for all agency security, permanent and temporary staff who work at the service;

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Requirement Due date

formal supervision sessions take place with the managers and staff;

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Requirement Due date

they establish effective monitoring and review systems across the service and provide a clear audit trail showing how children are supported and protected.

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Requirement Due date

The protection standard is that children are enabled to feel safe and that their needs are met.

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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

are familiar and act in accordance with child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

work collaboratively with children to help them understand how to keep safe, by offering guidance and support on how to minimise any potential risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

support children to maintain appropriate and safe relationships with family, friends and other people who are important to them. (Regulation 5 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(f)(i)(iii)(v))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

children’s compatibility with each other is assessed as part of the referral process to consider and mitigate any potential risks between children living at the service;

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Requirement Due date

children’s risk assessments include mitigation to guide staff to know how to reduce the risks; 2 October 2026 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Tees Valley YMCA 8 children receive appropriate support and guidance to keep themselves safe from harm;

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Requirement Due date

the LADO is consulted in line with the safeguarding procedures;

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Requirement Due date

the detail of the DSL is accurately reflected in the statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

The accommodation standard is that children experience a comfortable and secure living environment.

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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 the premises used as supported accommodation—

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Requirement Due date

are designed, furnished and maintained to remove avoidable hazards which could pose a health and safety risk to children. (Regulation 6 (1) (2)(b)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must undertake a review and risk assess the potential harm that may be caused by the window that opens wide on the first floor of the premises. 2 October 2026

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Requirement Due date

The support standard is that children receive individual and tailored support that meets their needs.

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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

keep the child’s support under review, taking into consideration the plans for support, and relevant plans, to ensure that the child’s needs continue to be met and that the child is kept safe. (Regulation 7(1) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the children’s support plans are kept under review and include the actions that staff will take with the child. This must include any follow up support that the children may require after any incidents. 2 October 2026 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Tees Valley YMCA 9 The registered person must compile a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the following matters in respect of the supported accommodation undertaking—

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it, and

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Requirement Due date

notify the CIECSS of any revisions and send the CIECSS a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision.

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (5), the registered person must ensure that the supported accommodation undertaking is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose. (Regulation 9 (1) (3)(a)(b) (4))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify the CIECSS and any relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation or child criminal exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child and the registered person considers that incident to be serious;

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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

The registered person must ensure that a notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

any other individuals or organisations who or which have been notified;

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Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter; is made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 27 (3)(a)(b)(f) (4)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b)) 2 October 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain a system for monitoring and improving the quality of support provided by the 2 October 2026 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Tees Valley YMCA 10 supported accommodation undertaking by completing a review (“a quality of support review”) at least once every six months, which must take into account—

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Requirement Due date

the views of children, including any feedback and complaints received;

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Requirement Due date

feedback from individual children on the impact the supported accommodation has had on the child’s life, especially regarding how well prepared the child felt for transition into supported accommodation and how well prepared the child feels for transition out of supported accommodation;

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Requirement Due date

feedback from each child’s accommodating authority, staff and any relevant persons;

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Requirement Due date

any relevant research and developments in relation to the way in which the needs of children are best met.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of support review, the registered person must produce a written report setting out the actions the registered person intends to take as a result of that quality of support review.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must provide a copy of the review report to the CIECSS within 28 days beginning with the day on which the report is completed and make a copy of it available on request to each child’s accommodating authority. (Regulation 32 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d) (2) (3))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep records of other information relating to the supported accommodation undertaking set out in Schedule 3.

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Requirement Due date

maintain the records in Schedule 3, which may be kept in electronic form;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date;

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Requirement Due date

A record in the form of a register showing in respect of each child—

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Requirement Due date

the child’s address immediately before being accommodated in the premises; 2 October 2026 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Tees Valley YMCA 11 the child’s address on leaving the premises

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Requirement Due date

the statutory provision under which the child is accommodated.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 25 (2)(a)(b) Schedule 3 (1)(c)(d)(f)) Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Tees Valley YMCA 12

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children 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 Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Tees Valley YMCA 13

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider: Tees Valley Young Men’s Christian Association

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered service manager: Lynn Lambert

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Supported accommodation provider details

Email address: awennington@teesvalleyymca.org.uk

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Inspectors

Jacqueline Malcolm, Social Care Inspector Mark Cryer, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Tees Valley YMCA 14 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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Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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