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 for two children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

A monitoring visit was carried out on 26 January 2021. At that visit, several shortfalls were identified in relation to how well children are protected and how the home is managed. A restriction notice and two compliance notices were served on the home, alongside a number of requirements and a recommendation.

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Information about this children’s home

This visit was carried out to monitor the provider’s adherence to the restriction notice and to review the steps taken to address the compliance notice.

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Information about this children’s home

One child was living at the home at the time of this monitoring visit.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted is aware of the challenges that COVID-19 (coronavirus) is currently posing to those it regulates. During this visit, the inspector took into consideration the impact of any measures being taken to slow the spread of COVID-19 by the home.

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This monitoring visit

On-site monitoring activity included discussions with managers, staff and the child. Some records were reviewed remotely.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have made good progress in addressing the shortfalls identified at the last visit. They have fully complied with the restriction notice and taken all necessary steps to address the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

The provider was able to demonstrate that safe recruitment practices are used. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2592228 2 Staff have now completed the necessary mandatory training, including first aid and de-escalation training. This training equips staff with the knowledge and skills to respond safely to emergencies and challenging behaviour.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have taken appropriate steps to ensure that children are safer online. The staff have also undertaken additional training in internet safety.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have worked with the child to establish better routines. These routines have enabled the child to increase engagement in his online learning and start to build relationships with staff.

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This monitoring visit

An independent advocate has now been identified for the child.

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This monitoring visit

The management of the home is stronger. The manager has introduced better systems to monitor and address staff performance. He has provided training for staff to ensure that they have a better understanding of how to deliver high-quality care. Staff report that the training has been extremely beneficial. Staff have demonstrated the capacity and willingness to learn from the concerns and shortfalls raised at the last visit.

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This monitoring visit

Although sufficient improvement has taken place to meet compliance notices, the requirements and recommendation set at the last visit remain in place. These will be reviewed again at the home’s next inspection.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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. (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 May 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 May 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2592228 4 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

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. (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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; 14 May 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2592228 5 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. (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. (Regulation 31 (1) (2)(a)) 14 May 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. (Regulation 44 (1) (4)(a)(b) (5))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, this is to ensure that the visits provide a rigorous and impartial assessment of the operation of the home. 14 May 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2592228 6

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Recommendations

 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 working at the home and used to

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Recommendations

record the ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of staff – including the home’s manager. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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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.

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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

Sonia Hay, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2592228 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 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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