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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2616670 1 Registered provider: Northamptonshire Childrens Trust Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a children’s trust on behalf of a local authority. It is a residential home for children with autism spectrum disorder and moderate to severe learning disabilities. There are currently three children living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home’s registered manager is currently absent from work. An experienced covering manager and assistant manager led the inspection.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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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: 2616670 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/05/2022 Full Good 24/02/2022 Interim Declined in effectiveness 23/06/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2616670 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make substantial progress in aspects of their social, emotional and physical development. An independent reviewing officer said, ‘I’ve seen lots of progress and development for [name of child] over the years.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that care planning and practice are personalised for each child. When a new child moves into the home, the staff help the child to settle in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to access the community. Staff conduct careful planning to help children prepare for an activity. This careful planning ensures that children can participate in varied activities that are fun, safe and create positive memories.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are quick at addressing any barriers that can impact on children’s experiences. As a result, all children have opportunities to develop their social and emotional skills and benefit from these experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand children’s health needs well and seek appropriate health support when needed. Staff work closely with health professionals. This joined-up approach ensures that children continue to thrive physically and mentally.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have worked hard to improve the home environment. There has been a drive to improve the decor of the home. This has helped to give the home a fresher feel that is more child-friendly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work creatively to support children to develop their independence skills, taking into account their additional learning needs. When children do experience difficulties, there is a well-considered response to support the child to get back on track.

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

Staff are knowledgeable about keeping children safe. They know the importance of always following safeguarding policies and procedures. Leaders ensure that staff receive regular training in safeguarding, including commissioning specialised external training.

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

There is a multi-disciplinary approach to supporting children to keep them safe. Leaders and managers ensure that safeguarding processes are followed and when required, make sure that appropriate referrals are made to the safeguarding agencies.

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

Staff help the children understand risk and how to stay safe. Staff understand the need for children to become independent while balancing the need to keep them safe. Inspection report for children’s home: 2616670 4 The use of physical intervention is rare at the home. Staff are knowledgeable about the children’s individualised needs and use their positive relationships to keep children safe.

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

New members of staff are subject to safe recruitment procedures. This ensures that only adults who are safe to work with children are employed at the home.

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good

The registered manager is absent from work. This has led to a period of instability, including weaknesses in the effectiveness of leadership in the home. This has resulted in the staff not always working consistently as a team and in line with the home’s statement of purpose.

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good

An experienced manager has been brought into the home and is beginning to have a positive impact.

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good

However, staff have not been receiving regular supervision. This has meant that performance issues have not been promptly addressed.

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good

Not enough has been done to ensure that all staff achieve the relevant qualification in residential childcare in the required time frame set by regulation.

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good

Despite the shortfalls, staff continue to work well with other agencies, and families speak positively about the care their children receive. One parent said, ‘I cannot fault them; my child is very happy. I just wish she could stay there.’ Another parent said, ‘There are some fantastic staff here who go above and beyond.’

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good

Team meetings take place. These meetings enable the staff to discuss any changes in children’s care plans. Inspection report for children’s home: 2616670 5

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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 within the given timescales.

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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 promotes their welfare.

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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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to staff working consistently as a team and in line with the approach and ethos of the statement of purpose for the home. 30 November

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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 promotes their welfare.

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This refers to requiring a more robust management process to ensure that any performance matters are addressed in a timely manner. 30 November Inspection report for children’s home: 2616670 6 The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that staff supervision is carried out in accordance with the home’s policies. 30 November

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma"); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may defer the relevant date if the individual—

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Requirement Due date

does not work, or has not worked, in a care role in a home for a prolonged period; or

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Requirement Due date

works, or has worked, in a care role in a home on a part- time basis. (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b) (6)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This is escalated from a recommendation at the last inspection. Delays in staff acquiring the relevant qualification need to be addressed. 30 November Inspection report for children’s home: 2616670 7

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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: 2616670 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Northamptonshire Childrens 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: 2616670 9 regulates and inspects 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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