Children's home run by Northamptonshire County Council in West Northamptonshire

Interim inspection report children’s home: SC035364 1 SC035364 Registered provider: Northamptonshire County Council Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by Northamptonshire County Council. It is registered for up to seven young people. It provides a therapeutic environment for young people based on the MST-FIT model (Multi Systemic Therapy/Family Integrated Treatment). The MST-FIT model identifies key behaviours that are having a detrimental impact on family dynamics and relationships resulting in the young person being unable to live in the family home.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager’s post has been vacant since November 2018. There is currently an acting manager in post who has yet to submit his application to Ofsted.

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Judgement at last inspection: outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged outstanding at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Senior managers in the local authority directed the home’s managers to admit a child to the home. The home’s management had stated clearly that they could not provide safe care for the child, but were overruled. During her placement, the child suffered significant harm. Interim inspection report children’s home: SC035364 2 Insufficient staffing levels contributed to the poor experiences of the child. Staff failed to follow her risk assessment and did not take effective actions to keep her safe.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have been unable to manage challenging, violent and damaging behaviours. Although these behaviours were known prior to admission of the child, effective strategies were not developed to support the child when she was angry or upset. This, at times, compounded behaviours that were already challenging. For example, on one occasion staff locked the child out of the home while they waited for police to arrive and provide support.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Senior managers in the local authority have now acted on the concerns that were identified. This has resulted in the child moving to an alternative placement.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Senior managers in the local authority also failed to mitigate the adverse impact on other children who live at the home. These children have experienced an extremely unsettled period. Significant damage has been caused to their home. They have also witnessed staff being assaulted on several occasions. This does not provide a secure and nurturing environment for children who have already had traumatic life experiences.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the time of the inspection, other children reported feeling frightened. They have witnessed frequent visits from the police and incidents of volatile and violent behaviours. One young person said, ‘It’s mad being here. Normally when you live at home with your family you would not feel frightened. But here you are scared. You have to be alert at all times because you just do not know when something will kick off.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The impact of the situation on staff has been severe. Staff are understandably anxious and upset. They were tasked with caring for a child with very complex needs with minimal planning or preparation. At the time of the inspection, a staff member said, ‘We cannot meet the young person’s needs. Members of staff who have worked here for years are on edge. The atmosphere is terrible in the house because we are all scared.’ Consequently, staff morale is extremely low.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Despite the above obvious shortfalls, young people who have been at the home for some time report having good relationship with staff. One young person said, ‘Staff are really brilliant. I like them a lot and I know they would help me with anything I needed.’

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/08/2018 Full Outstanding 12/07/2017 Full Good 17/01/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 14/09/2016 Full Good Interim inspection report children’s home: SC035364 3

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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, 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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(ii)(iv)(v)) 15/04/2019

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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

that the home's day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as 15/04/2019 Interim inspection report children’s home: SC035364 4 to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (1)(2)(b)) 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— that staff—

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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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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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

managing relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii) 15/04/2019

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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 promotes their welfare.

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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 have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for 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 15/04/2019 Interim inspection report children’s home: SC035364 5 quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(c)(d)(f)) 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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)) 15/04/2019

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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. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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 whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

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

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’.

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Children’s home details

Interim inspection report children’s home: SC035364 6 Unique reference number: SC035364

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Northamptonshire County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Camrose Early Years Centre, Tenby Road, Northampton, Northamptonshire NN5 7DF

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Inspector(s)

Davinia Lawton, social care inspector Interim inspection report children’s home: SC035364 7 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(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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

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