Children's Home run by BTTLR Limited in West Northamptonshire

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2556338 1 Registered provider: BTTLR 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 is privately owned. The home provides care for one child who may be experiencing emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since January 2022.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 5 and 6 June 2023. Serious and widespread failures were identified in the leadership and management of the home and the protection of children. On 9 June 2023, Ofsted issued a restriction of accommodation notice to prevent any new children from being admitted to the home. This notice is in place until 31 August 2023.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to monitor compliance with the restriction notice. There were no children living in the home at the time of this visit and therefore the organisation is complying with the restriction.

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This monitoring visit

The home has undergone a thorough clean and redecoration while there have been no children living there.

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This monitoring visit

The home has been without a registered manager since January 2022. The responsible individual has appointed a new manager who has submitted his application to register with Ofsted. He started in post on 28 June 2023. A dual application has been made for this home and another home run by the same provider.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual has failed to safely recruit the new manager. Essential recruitment checks prior to his appointment were not undertaken to a satisfactory Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2556338 2 level. It is of concern that the responsible individual appears not to fully understand the requirements of safe recruitment and continues to make repeated errors in this area. Leaders have not assured themselves that the new manager is suitable to work with children.

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This monitoring visit

Many of the staff are said to be working elsewhere during this period of restriction. Some staff have been placed on statutory lay-off. An accurate picture of staff available is difficult to ascertain from leaders. Conflicting information makes it difficult for the regulator to evaluate the experience and qualifications of the staff who work for the provider.

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This monitoring visit

The current statement of purpose is not an accurate reflection of the service provided to children. A revised document was requested following the previous inspection, but this is not yet available. This means a thorough evaluation of the proposed service for children is not possible at this monitoring visit.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders cannot yet demonstrate that staff have the essential skills and experience to care for children competently. Most staff are new to residential care and have not completed all key training courses. Records of training are not accurate and remain difficult to evaluate. The responsible individual acknowledged the repeated errors identified by the inspector and advised improvements would be made.

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This monitoring visit

Opportunities to learn from previous failings have been missed. Leaders have failed to demonstrate that they have supported staff effectively to understand shortfalls in children’s care and to develop in their roles. Leaders were unable to demonstrate that all staff have had access to supervision and team meetings to reflect on their practice. This has impacted on any potential to make improvements to the service.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual lacks the skills and experience to lead the children’s home. Ofsted will undertake a full evaluation of her suitability. It remains Ofsted’s view that the current leadership, management and staffing arrangements are not sufficiently robust. As a result, the restriction notice will remain in place to allow for further evaluation.

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This monitoring visit

Progress against the requirements made at the full inspection was not reviewed at this monitoring visit so they will be considered at the next inspection.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/06/2023 Full Inadequate 12/04/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/05/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2556338 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, The 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 with 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

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

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;

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This is with specific reference to staff understanding and following children’s risk assessments and care plans in 31 August 2023 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2556338 4 relation to known safeguarding risks. It also relates to ineffective safeguarding practices when the child was being cared for away from the children’s home.

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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;

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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;

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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)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This is with specific reference to leadership in the home. There has been no registered manager since January 2022. The current post holder has resigned. This impacts on stability for both children and staff.

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Requirement Due date

This also relates to ensuring an appropriate skill and experience mix throughout the staff team of adults who are qualified and experienced to work with children. It also relates to a lack of robust management monitoring and review systems, which impacts on the quality of children’s care. 31 August 2023

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— 31 August 2023 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2556338 5 receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to leaders welcoming into the home only children whose known and presenting risks and needs can be met. It also relates to the delivery of care being in line with the statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose. (Regulation 16 (5)) 31 August 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

medicines kept in the home are stored in a secure place so as to prevent any child from having unsupervised access to them;

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Requirement Due date

medicine which is prescribed for a child is administered as prescribed to the child for whom it is prescribed and to no other child; and

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c)) 31 August 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home (Regulation 27 (1)(a)) 31 August 2023 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2556338 6 The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (3)(d)) 31 August 2023

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction. (Regulation 33 (1)(a)) 31 August 2023

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)— 31 August 2023 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2556338 7 has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)(iv))

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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: 2556338 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Office 3, Ground Floor, Michael Way, Raunds, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire NN9 6GR

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Shamiso Ringisai

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Inspector

Rachael Sprigg, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2556338 9 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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