Children's Home run by BTTLR Limited in West Northamptonshire

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2592228 1

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BTTLR Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for two children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The registered manager post is vacant. One child was living at the home at the time of this monitoring visit. The home has not previously been inspected or visited.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted is aware of the challenges that COVID-19 (coronavirus) is currently posing to those we regulate. During this monitoring visit, the inspector took into consideration the impact of any measures being taken to slow the spread of COVID-19 by the home. Monitoring of this home was carried out remotely.

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This monitoring visit

This home was registered in May 2020. This remote monitoring activity took place as a result of whistle-blowing complaints made to Ofsted. The complaints made reference to the oversight by leaders and managers, the experience and competence of staff and the way finances were managed in the home.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit did identify a number of shortfalls which reflected the concerns raised in complaints. There were also concerns about the lack of progress of the child living at the home and potential safeguarding risks.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have not supported the child to establish good routines and, as a consequence, the child is not making good progress. The quality of care provided is poor. Staff have not ensured that the child is fully engaged in education and reaching his potential. The child has a poor diet and there is a lack of skill and support in meeting his healthcare needs. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2592228 2 Staff have not monitored the child’s mobile phone or online gaming activity. Staff have not recognised the risks and have not had the skills to support the child appropriately.

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This monitoring visit

Staff do not have the qualifications, training or skills to protect children from potential harm. A lack of records meant that it was not possible to determine whether staff have had training in first aid or physical intervention. There is a risk of harm if there are no first-aid trained staff on shift. There is also a risk that incidents could become unmanageable and unsafe if staff do not have the training and skills to de-escalate and respond safely to challenging behaviour.

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This monitoring visit

The home employs a small number of staff. The provider was unable to demonstrate that safe recruitment practices are used.

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This monitoring visit

Poor retention of managers and staff fails to ensure that children receive consistent care.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have only recently begun to identify these shortfalls, which had not previously been identified through internal management monitoring or through the independent visitor. Leadership and management at the home is weak. Internal and external management monitoring systems are ineffective.

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This monitoring visit

Due to the seriousness of the shortfalls, two compliance notices have been issued. Ofsted has also issued the provider with a restriction of accommodation notice.

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Recent inspection history

Not previously inspected Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2592228 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

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

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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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

(Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically includes the need to ensure that staff understand the purpose of care. It also refers to ensuring that children receive a range of nutritious meals to promote their health and development. 14 March 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. 14 March 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2592228 4 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

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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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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;

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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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(b)(d))

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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

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 work as a team where appropriate; 14 March 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2592228 5 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;

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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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the employment of any person on a temporary basis at the children’s home does not prevent children from receiving such continuity of care as is reasonable to meet their needs.

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Requirement Due date

at all times, at least one person on duty at the home has a suitable first aid qualification.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 31 (1) (2)(a)) 14 March 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person’s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 44 (1) (4)(a)(b) (5)) 14 March 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2592228 6 Specifically, this is to ensure that the visits provide a rigorous and impartial assessment of the operation of the home.

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should have a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20). The plan should detail the necessary management and staffing structure, the experience and qualifications of staff currently working within the staffing structure and any further training required for those staff, to enable the delivery of the home’s statement of purpose. It should detail the processes and agreed timescales for staff to achieve induction, probation and any core training (such as safeguarding, health and safety, and mandatory qualifications). It should detail the process for managing and improving poor performance. It should detail the process and timescales for supervision of practice (see regulation 33 (4) (b)) and how appropriate records for staff in the home are kept. The plan should be updated to include any new training and qualifications completed by staff while

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Recommendation

working at the home, and used to record the ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of staff – including the home’s manager.

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Recommendation

(‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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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: 2592228 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: BTTLR Ltd, The Old Stone Factory, 4 Shirley Road, Rushden, Northamptonshire NN10 6BY

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Inspector

Amanda Ellis, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2592228 8 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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