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

Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2608968 1 Registered provider: Northamptonshire Children’s Trust Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home was operated by a local authority. It was re-registered as part of a new children’s trust. The home provides care for up to six children who are currently unable to live with their family.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has overseen the home for over 10 years. He is suitably qualified.

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Information about this children’s home

This inspection was carried out because concerns were raised with Ofsted about the care and safety of children.

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 15 November 2022

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2608968 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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The care of children

The staff form warm and nurturing relationships with children. Most staff have a genuine regard for the children in their care. Staff know the children well. They feel passionately about providing children with good care. Staff value the views, wishes and feelings of children. For example, a child has expressed her wishes about the way she wants to have contact with her parents. This has been agreed and implemented.

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The care of children

Children are supported to attend school or college. One young person has worked hard to complete an apprenticeship. Staff support children with their independent living skills and help them to move into supported accommodation or independent living when they are ready.

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The care of children

Children now receive better healthcare. For example, staff asked for a medical opinion when there was a concern about medication that had been prescribed for a child who was, at times, misusing illegal substances. This medical information meant that staff could ensure that the child received the right medical care and attention.

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The care of children

Information about children, such as in care and planning documentation, provides good information for staff. This enables staff to provide good care for children.

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The safety of children

Some children are presenting with behaviours of concern, such as drug use and self- harm. One child’s behaviour has deteriorated greatly over the last few months. Staff and managers are very concerned. Staff follow a good safety plan and the child has been taken on a short holiday to give him a break from his worrying behaviours. When it is no longer considered possible to keep a child safe, the managers make difficult decisions about whether the placement is still viable.

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The safety of children

Children who take illegal substances are provided with good support to help them reduce or eliminate their drug use. External agencies provide carefully targeted therapeutic interventions to support children with childhood trauma that has resulted in drug use. A multi-agency approach means that this child is very well supported and risks are well known. Safety plans are implemented to help keep the child safe.

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The safety of children

Risk management plans help to mitigate risks for children. They provide good information for staff. Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2608968 3 Staff have a good understanding of their role when children go missing from the home. Some staff tend not to go off shift until a child who is missing returns home, even if that means staying in the home until the early hours of the morning.

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The safety of children

Children who harm themselves receive a therapeutic response from staff who have a good understanding of the child. Staff have received good training in self-harm and suicide ideation. This has helped staff to respond better to children who harm themselves.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The management team is very experienced. Managers lead the staff team well and staff say, overall, that they are very well supported. A member of staff said that she feels she can call the managers at any time and they will respond.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Managers have good monitoring systems to ensure that they have a good understanding of the home’s strengths and weaknesses. There are good plans to address any shortfalls and to continue to improve practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Some staff have expressed concerns about the management of the home and the care and safety of children, through Ofsted surveys and in a complaint. Ofsted has found no basis to these concerns. However, concerns have not been raised through the organisation’s whistle-blowing procedures. This demonstrates that some staff do not have a good understanding of this process, which could put children at risk of harm through not using the systems designed to help and support children and staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Some staff have raised concerns that managers overrule some decisions they make, particularly about consequences given to children. There is no evidence of this. However, sometimes, managers say they will ask children to complete other tasks to earn back what they lost through a consequence imposed as a punishment. This is good practice, commonly known as restorative practice. Staff are not familiar with this approach and would benefit from the appropriate training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Any concerns about staff practice are now robustly investigated and monitored. This means that staff practice has improved where it has previously fallen short.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Requirements and recommendations raised at the last inspection have all been complied with.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/11/2022 Full Good 20/10/2021 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2608968 4

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs and should understand the key role they play in the training and development of staff in the home. Specifically, staff should be supported to gain a better understanding of whistle-blowing procedures and restorative approaches. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11) Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2608968 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: One Angel Square, Angel Street, Northampton, Northamptonshire NN1 1ED

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Inspector

Joanne Vyas, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children's home: 2608968 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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