Children's Home run by BTTLR Limited in West Northamptonshire

Inspection report children’s home: 2556338 1 Registered provider: BTTLR Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run home provides care for one child who may be experiencing emotional, social and behavioural difficulties. The manager has been registered since the home opened in 2019.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 3 March 2021 to carry out a monitoring visit. The report is on our website.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report children’s home: 2556338 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not previously inspected Inspection report children’s home: 2556338 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has made good progress since she moved into the home in November 2020. Her social worker told the inspector that the child ‘is doing really well’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is a happy, family-like environment with lots of laughter. The child and staff enjoy their time together. They go out together and share meals as a family would. Having friends to visit is encouraged. This nurturing approach helps the child to feel secure and valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The care does not stop when children leave the home. A child who lived at the home previously is still in touch with staff and regularly receives support from them. He made clear progress while he lived at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are very positive relationships between the child and staff. The child feels well cared for and has a strong sense of belonging. Staff know the child very well. She trusts staff and talks to them openly about all aspects of her life. As a result, staff are able to provide her with the support and encouragement that she needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has an education package which is tailored to her needs. She has made progress, despite the COVID-19 pandemic. There are very good relationships between school staff and the home, which ensures that there is a consistent approach to the child’s learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The aim of the solo occupancy placement was to give the child an opportunity to settle in a calm, safe and homely environment. This objective has been achieved.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Joint working with other professionals is a strength of the home. This is particularly the case in relation to children’s safety. Because staff operate in an open and transparent manner, sharing information appropriately, other professionals are able to make well-informed decisions that promote the child’s safety.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff help the child to understand risk. Their approach allows the child to take some controlled risk so that she learns to take responsibility for her own safety. Following any concerning incidents, staff help the child to reflect on how she could be safer.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The staff and manager are creative in their approach to protecting the child. They produce resources which suit the child’s learning needs very well. For example, the child has willingly completed work booklets about the risks of drug misuse and smoking.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Because the child has developed a better understanding of risk, she goes missing from care less frequently. When she does go missing from care, staff take quick Inspection report children’s home: 2556338 4 action to locate her and return her to the home safely. Local police officers say that they are very impressed with staff responses to missing-from-home incidents. One officer reported, ‘I can’t praise them highly enough.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and staff have demonstrated a real commitment to children in their response to the COVID-19 pandemic. For example, some staff effectively moved into the home when other staff were required to self-isolate. This ensured that the child experienced stable care from a consistent staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There have been periods when staff shortages have meant that staff have worked excessive hours. Although staff express a willingness to support the child by working such long hours, these staffing arrangements are unlikely to be sustainable in the longer term.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager always advocates strongly for the child, as a good parent would. She listens carefully to the child’s views and ensures that these are heard by other agencies. The manager holds other professionals to account if there are any shortfalls in practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is very involved in the day-to-day care arrangements. As a result, she is able to act as a role model for staff. She has a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home and supports staff to continually improve their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff induction and training are of a good standard. As a result, staff feel well supported and confident in their roles. Staff comment that ‘the management is excellent’ and their ‘induction was super’. Inspection report children’s home: 2556338 5

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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). This is in relation to contingency planning when there are shortfalls in the number of staff needed. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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’. Inspection report children’s home: 2556338 6

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Caroline Brailsford, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2556338 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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