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

Inspection report for children's home: 2615067 1 Registered provider: Northamptonshire Children’s Trust Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to care for up to five children with social and/or emotional difficulties.

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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 outstanding

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good

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

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2615067 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/08/2022 Full Good 11/08/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2615067 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff quickly build positive relationships with the children. Children experience nurturing care that gives them a sense of belonging and stability in their lives. One child’s independent reviewing officer said, ‘The difference in her is huge. She knows that staff will stick with her.’ And one child said, ‘It doesn’t matter what I do, staff treat me as an individual and listen to me.’ Another child was able to move back home to their family after staff had helped to stabilise their behaviour.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work hard to make the home a nurturing environment. Children have personalised ‘soothing tools’ that help them manage their emotions. For example, one child has a communication book where she writes notes to the staff which the staff then reply to.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves into the home are well planned. Leaders and managers work closely with external agencies, clinical support, social workers and education staff to ensure that children have the right support around them from the moment they move in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive support from staff to engage in education. When a child has experienced significant disruption in their education, the staff ensure that the child has the right stepping stones put in place to enable them to begin to engage in formal learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The trusted and positive relationships between staff and children are a strength of this home. Children are encouraged to participate and share their views at regular house meetings. One child is actively involved in the children in care participation programme at both local and national level.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a wide range of activities in the home and in the local and wider community. For example, children have holidays abroad, take part in fundraising events and have themed nights and spa events.

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

Staff have a good understanding of safeguarding processes. When necessary, safeguarding concerns are appropriately referred to the relevant safeguarding agencies. Managers have good oversight of this process.

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

When physical intervention is used, it is as a last resort to ensure the safety of the child and others.

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

Children with a history of going missing from care receive support from the staff from the moment they move into the home. This early help means that children have a better understanding of the dangers of going missing. When children go Inspection report for children's home: 2615067 4 missing from the home, the staff make attempts to locate them and follow missing- from-care protocols. Staff maintain regular contact with children and encourage their safe return home. There is close collaboration with external agencies to help to better understand any contextual safeguarding factors in why children may go missing. This coordinated approach enables the staff to ensure that safety plans remain effective in safeguarding children.

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

Safe recruitment processes are professionally managed. There are clear and effective processes in place to ensure that the staff working in the home are safe to do so.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders are highly inspiring about the children in their care. Information-sharing is excellent in promoting the children’s quality of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager and their senior staff are ambitious in driving improvements, with the children’s experiences always at the heart of key decisions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders care about the staff and ensure that their well-being is considered at every opportunity. Staff understand the purpose of the home and are involved in implementing a shared ethos.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

All staff feel valued and supported. Staff value the training they receive and the quality of their reflective supervisions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders access support from the clinical team to bolster staff’s skills. There is an understanding of the importance of staff resilience in the home and the manager seeks to fully support this in staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There is a strong focus on promoting equality and diversity in day-to-day care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders take tough decisions. They know how to escalate matters when they feel that a child is not in the best placement. This has not been because of poor pre- placement assessments but more due to staff developing a greater understanding of children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Professional feedback is unanimously positive. External professionals recognise the skills that staff have in achieving progress for children quickly. One professional said, ‘Staff always speak very highly of children and are always positive.’ A social worker said, ‘[Name of child] is in a much better place since being here.’ Inspection report for children's home: 2615067 5

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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 for children's home: 2615067 6

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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

Bev Allison, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2615067 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 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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