Children's Home run by Northamptonshire Children’s Trust Limited in West Northamptonshire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2616670 1

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Northamptonshire Childrens Trust limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by the local authority, but a children’s trust has recently taken over the management of children’s residential services. Therefore, the home has been re-registered and this is the first visit to the home since the re-registration. It is a residential home for children with autistic spectrum disorders and moderate to severe learning disabilities.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was completed off site because of current restrictions in place due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. Monitoring activity was carried out in response to a complaint that was received by Ofsted about the home and to review progress made since the assurance visit in October 2020. Investigations into staff practice have been concluded. Disciplinary and legal processes are ongoing. The staff involved are not currently working at the home.

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This monitoring visit

Night shifts are not yet monitored effectively. This continues to be a concern from previous inspections of the home. The lack of effective monitoring of staff practice overnight does not ensure the safety and welfare of children.

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This monitoring visit

Children and staff are not fully protected by safeguarding processes such as suspension because there can be long delays in the suspension process. Although staff are sent home after allegations of misconduct, the formal process to prevent these staff from actions that might influence the with ongoing investigations is delayed. This continues to be a concern from previous inspections of the home.

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This monitoring visit

Recording systems to identify patterns and trends relating to children’s behaviour are not properly completed or not up to date. It is, therefore, difficult for managers to evidence understanding of the types of behaviour exhibited and any potential triggers. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2616670 2 Staff do not have formal recorded debriefs after an incident has occurred. The home’s improvement plan states that debriefs are taking place. However, these have not been formally recorded. This limits the effectiveness of debriefs as a learning tool for staff.

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This monitoring visit

Recording on incident records is sometimes not clear enough. This is particularly the case if an injury occurs. Children’s feelings about the incident are also not always recorded. Managers do not write evaluative comments on incident records.

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This monitoring visit

Communication with one school is not as good as it could be. School staff have not always had information in a timely manner because diary sheets have not been fully completed, not been completed at all or sent late to the school.

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This monitoring visit

A potential health hazard to a child was identified by a school and passed to the home through the diary sheet system. No response was received by the school about the concern and no action to minimise the potential risk has been taken.

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This monitoring visit

Children appear happy and relaxed around staff. They have good systems to help them communicate their choices. Staff respond well to children’s choices. Staff know the children well. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2616670 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 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

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

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This is with particular reference to the management of concerns, allegations and disclosures. 31/03/2021

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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. (Regulation 12 (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This is with particular reference to the management of potential hazards that staff are made aware of. 31/03/2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2616670 4 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

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to –

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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;

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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)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This is with particular reference to management monitoring of incidents, staff debriefs and children’s patterns of behaviour. 31/03/2021

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (d))

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Requirement Due date

This is with particular reference to sharing information with schools. 31/03/2021

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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: 2616670 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Northamptonshire Children’s Trust limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Northamptonshire County Council, One Angel Square, Northampton NN1 1ED

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Inspector

Joanne Vyas, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2616670 6 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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