Children's Home run by A Wilderness Way Limited in Stockton-on-Tees

Inspection report for children’s home: 2872040 1 Registered provider: A Wilderness Way Ltd

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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 organisation. It offers short-term intensive stays, typically 17 weeks, for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living in the home, and the inspector met them.

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Information about this children’s home

The home was registered on 16 January 2026. The post of the registered manager is vacant. An interim manager is in post.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2872040 2

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Summary of findings

Significant shortfalls in how staff keep one child safe have been identified alongside shortfalls in the leadership and management of the home. Leaders and managers do not have effective oversight of the child’s care or how well staff support the child. Leaders and managers do not ensure that staff are provided with guidance on how to respond to keep the child safe or provide related training when emerging risks present. The child’s continuity of care is impacted by the introduction of casual and agency staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The overall experiences and progress of children are impacted by the significant shortfalls in keeping the child safe, as well as weaknesses in the leadership and management of the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child who is living in the home lacks continuity of care. Staff changes mean that the child is introduced to casual and agency workers frequently. Core staff do not always feel well supported by these arrangements. On one occasion, the child was cared for by 2 staff that they did not know well. This can lead to a lack of consistent routine and boundaries for the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child’s health needs are not actively promoted and understood. Staff did not arrange a further appointment when the child declined to attend a health appointment. Managers and staff were also unaware of a specific health matter identified during the inspection, and what had caused this. In addition, staff have not actively engaged health professionals to understand the child’s previous involvement with specialist services, or to secure a health review.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child’s parent said that staff communication could improve. Although staff arrange for the child to spend time with their loved ones and supervise this, the parent said that they are not always kept up to date about their child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The provider uses their resources to provide the child and staff with additional education support. Home tuition is provided to the child. Although progress is slow, efforts to engage them continue. The staff and child also have access to a health and wellbeing practitioner and therapeutic consultation.

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

Managers do not clearly identify how they expect staff to respond to keep the child safe. When risks emerge or behaviours escalate, managers do not provide staff with clear Inspection report for children’s home: 2872040 3 instructions regarding what measures to take. Therefore, staff do not always respond appropriately to ensure that the child is safe.

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

Staff do not always follow the child’s safety plan. The child was able to remove a smoke alarm and have access to cigarettes and painkillers in their bedroom, despite known fire safety risks. In addition, managers do not monitor how well staff check on the child’s safety to ensure that there is a consistent and safe response if risks are present.

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

Fire safety measures are not managed effectively. The home’s fire risk assessment has not been reviewed despite there being risks relating to fire setting. The removal of the smoke alarm and the removal of fire extinguishers from their positions have not been addressed. In addition, arrangements to assess the functioning of fire doors are not effective. One fire door was propped open during the inspection and then when closed, would not close properly. Training for staff to gain a better understanding of the risks relating to fire setting is still to be provided.

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

The use of bedroom alarms is not used in line with the manager’s expectations. Although the manager expects staff to activate the child’s bedroom door alarm, the child’s plan was altered and this requirement removed without the manager’s awareness. Therefore, arrangements to alert staff that the child has left their room at night have not been consistently in place, despite this being assessed as necessary.

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

Managers and staff do not ensure that the child’s environment is safely maintained. The inspector observed two small shards of glass on the kitchen floor from an incident of damage that happened several days earlier. Rusting nails were also seen loose on the floor externally and had not been safely cleared away. In addition, the child’s bedroom raised significant concerns, with cigarettes and other fire setting equipment found, cigarette ash and a burned window restrictor.

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

Staff are trained to physically restrain the child as a last resort to keep the child and others safe. Following an incident of physical intervention, the child is not always offered an opportunity to speak with an independent person. In addition, the manager does not speak with all staff after they restrain the child to confirm the hold was proportionate, necessary, and safe

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

Managers do not understand the child’s legal status. A deprivation of liberty order was deemed by managers to have expired in June 2026, but on further scrutiny, during the inspection, the legal order had been renewed. In addition, the manager does not speak with all staff after they hold a child to confirm the hold was proportionate, necessary, and safe

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Inspection report for children’s home: 2872040 4 The home has not had stable or effective management arrangements since it was opened. The current manager is the third person to manage the home since it was registered in January 2026. The interim manager is in the process of applying to register.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There is a limited management presence in the home and this impacts the quality of leadership provided. This includes from the interim manager. Although the home cares for one child with complex needs, and there have been changes to the day-to-day management arrangements, senior leaders have not visited the home often enough to support the interim manager or to have proper oversight of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers do not know areas of weakness or where improvements are required. Although there are systems in place for quality assurance, these have not been effective. The manager was not aware of changes to the child’s plan, or how staff are recording fire safety checks. Although systems are in place, these are not reviewed to ensure that they are effective.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The staffing arrangements are unclear. In terms of who is assigned to work at this home as opposed to linked homes in the organisation. In addition, the interim manager has failed to keep the home’s statement of purpose up to date with information about the staff who work in the home and their experience and qualifications.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

During the inspection, leaders and managers responded promptly to the concerns identified and have prepared an action plan to make improvements to better protect and support children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2872040 5

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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 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

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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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; and

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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)(vi)(b)(d)) 13 September 2026

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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

promotes their welfare. 13 September 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2872040 6 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 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; 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)(c)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: 2872040 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: A Wilderness Way Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Stoneybeck Inn, Bowscar, Penrith CA11 8RP

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Inspector

Joanne Wallis, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2872040 8 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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Inspector

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