Children's Home run by Wakefield Council in Wakefield

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2850622 1 Registered provider: Wakefield Council

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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 run by a local authority. It provides care for up to 3 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties. Children move into this home to assist in the planning for their move on to permanent care arrangements.

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Information about this children's home

The home was registered with Ofsted in October 2025. The manager registered at the same time and has oversight of this home and another of the provider's registered homes.

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Information about this children's home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living in the home, and 2 children have moved to permanent care arrangements. During the inspection, the child was away from the home and the inspectors were unable to speak with them.

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This monitoring visit

This home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 14 and 15 July 2026. Serious shortfalls were identified in the help and protection of children and the leadership and management, which directly affected the safety and wellbeing of children. In response, Ofsted raised requirements under regulation 12, the protection of children standard and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard. The provider immediately implemented an action plan to address the identified shortfalls.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to review the provider's practice in response to the identified actions and requirements.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have made changes to strengthen staff's understanding of the children's needs and have ensured that staff have access to children's care plans. Children are cared for by members of the core staff team, rather than casual staff. There has been a reduction of significant incidents, including missing-from- home incidents, for some children before they moved on from the home. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2850622 2 Leaders and managers have introduced new systems and monitoring checks that aid their timely oversight of incidents. Staff have accessed additional support to develop their awareness and understanding of behavioural management support. This has helped to ensure that staff only use physical restraint techniques that are in line with children's plans and the home's procedures.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have implemented checking systems to review the home environment. However, during the visit, a potentially hazardous item was evident in the garden. Additionally, a document containing the child's information was left on a window ledge and not stored securely, meaning that others, including visitors to the home, could read this record.

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This monitoring visit

When children go missing from the home, staff take the necessary action as detailed in children's plans. However, incident records do not consistently record when other significant people or agencies were informed of a child's missing period. Additionally, staff failed to seek a child's views on their return home from being missing. The registered manager has not escalated concerns to ensure that children have the chance to speak with an independent person. These gaps in practice limit the children's chance to share their experience or any concerns and also prevent others from understanding why children go missing from the home.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have not always been able to de-escalate children's behaviours effectively. This has resulted in children being distressed and detained overnight by police. These incidents have been distressing for all concerned and resulted in the criminalisation of children. Incident records fail to confirm all actions taken by staff. The registered manager has not taken timely and effective actions to address any practice shortfalls and implement learning.

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This monitoring visit

Some areas of the requirements and recommendations from the last inspection have not been fully met and are reissued. Some requirements have been met, and one new recommendation has been raised. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2850622 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/07/2026 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2850622 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

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

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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)(iv)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that staff are aware of all actions that they are required to take to support children in line with their plans. The registered manager must ensure that shortfalls in staff practice are effectively explored and discussed with staff in a timely manner.

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Requirement Due date

Additionally, the registered manager must ensure that staff make attempts to talk with children after periods of being missing from home and that incident records detail all actions taken by staff, including updating significant others. 18 October 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2850622 5 Some steps within this requirement are restated from the last inspection.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that when children return home from being missing they are provided with the opportunity to have an independent return home interview from someone independent from the home. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 45, paragraph 9.30)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children's records are stored securely to maintain confidentiality. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 62, paragraph 14.3)

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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: 2850622 6

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: County Hall, Bond Street, Wakefield WF1 2QW

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Inspectors

Gina Lightfoot, Social Care Inspector (lead) Laura Roberts, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2850622 7 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

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

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