Children's home run by Castle Homes Care Limited in North Northamptonshire

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged Good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has improved effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people make real and positive progress during their time living in this home. Since the last inspection, some young people have moved to semi-independent accommodation. Such moves have been very well planned and supported by the staff team and managers. By fully including young people in discussions and planning, transitions have been successful, with no unplanned endings of placements from this home. This reflects the commitment and skill of the staff team in working with young people and placing authorities to ensure that young people move on from this home at the right time, to the most appropriate accommodation.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

For those young people who remain living in the home since the last inspection, their progress has been very positive. From their starting points, they fully engage in education and training provisions and have clear aspirations for their futures. Staff and managers fully support and encourage them to set goals for their futures, with commendable outcomes. Young people complete their formal education and continue into further education. With staff support, some young people do voluntary work in the local community, to increase their skills and confidence in preparation for adult life. Staff and managers work closely and proactively with education providers and the local authority to ensure that young people receive their entitlement to education and support. An education officer from a placing authority stated: ‘What the home have done for the young person is amazing. They are calmer, more focused, and have a positive future ahead of them now.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people enjoy regular and positive contact with family members and significant others, fully supported by the dedicated staff team. They form peer relationships in the local community and enjoy spending time with friends and family. One family member stated: ‘The staff have been amazing in supporting our contact. I cannot say a bad word about them, they are all great and have fully supported contact on a regular basis.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people fully understand how to make a complaint and feel confident in how managers respond to any issues of concern they may raise. There have been very few formal complaints made since the last inspection. The manager responds very quickly to them, ensuring that young people feel listened to and that they know how complaints have been considered and are satisfied with the outcome. This reflects the commitment of staff and managers to ensuring that young people feel listened to on all aspects of the care and support they receive.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The use of restraint is minimal and reflects the ability of the staff team to work with young people on any concerning or potentially risky behaviours they may present. Young people learn how to manage their behaviours and express their feelings and feel able to speak with staff about how to manage their feelings. As one placing authority stated: ‘The young person is much calmer since moving to this home, able to consider their actions and behaviours in a more constructive manner and is maturing. It is a pleasure to see how much they have come on.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There is excellent and close partnership working between the staff team, managers and other involved agencies and professionals. Staff and managers act as very strong advocates for young people, appropriately challenging any failures of other agencies in a confident and timely manner. Managers demonstrate a clear understanding of how the needs of young people should be met and work hard to ensure that they and other agencies provide the support and services needed. This is particularly evident in relation to meeting educational needs. The manager has consistently challenged providers and proactively sought out information to support young people in making decisions about their education and training needs. As a result of this, young people feel valued and engage well in relation to their training and employment.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

One requirement and two recommendations were made as a result of the last inspection. These have all been fully met by the manager. There is clear and positive evidence of staff and managers chasing missing information from placing authorities and ensuring that educational issues are addressed. There have been no missing from care incidents since the last inspection, but clear systems are in place now to ensure that return interview reports will be provided to the manager. Staff have now received specific training in relation to self-harmful behaviours to increase further their skills and competence. No shortfalls were identified as a result of this inspection.

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Information about this children's home

This privately run children’s home is registered for three children or young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/03/2015 Interim Sustained Effectiveness

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service 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. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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