Children's Home run by Children & Adolescents Placement Provisions Ltd in West Northamptonshire

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2594233 1 Registered provider: Children & Adolescents Placement Provisions Ltd

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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. It provides care for up to four children with social and emotional needs.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a manager in post who is not yet registered with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

The registered manager’s position has been vacant since 22 November 2022. A compliance notice was issued on 7 August 2023 that the manager must submit a complete application to register with Ofsted by 30 October 2023. An application has been received, which is being reviewed.

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Information about this inspection

At these inspections, 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: 2594233 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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Findings from the inspection

The four children continue to live in the home who were resident at the time of the last inspection. At that time, the manager was managing this home in addition to another of the provider’s homes. In August 2023, she moved over to be based at this home full time. Both deputy managers have left since the last inspection. There have also been several other staff leave. The manager has worked hard to recruit staff and there are several new staff members about to join the team. Staff and one child report improvements with staffing. Agency staff are no longer being used. This has improved the consistency of care that children experience.

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Findings from the inspection

One staff member said that they now build more meaningful relationships with the children. Children can talk to staff. One child said that they had more than three staff members who they could talk with. Another child identified improvements in the care and efforts that staff make. For example, they have provided boxing equipment to help them to relieve stress and made the home ‘more homely’. This shows the children that they are valued.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff have supported two children to find diverse ways of managing some difficult times. This has led to a reduction in damage to the home.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager recognises the importance of children having an education in building good routines. She is working with other agencies to identify a suitable alternative provision for two children who are not currently in education. Not all children living in the home have established healthy routines. While staff have developed individual plans to achieve this, they are not routinely successful when prompting children to get up. One staff member said that children go to bed late and it is hard to motivate them.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff have challenges in supporting one child to stay safe due to the close proximity of the one of the provider’s other homes. This has led to several incidents involving children from both homes. One child has become unsettled as a result and has had short periods of going missing from the home. Staff from both homes attend joint team meetings when they review the action needed to help children to stay safe.

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Findings from the inspection

It has been a difficult time for the home, with some incidents that indicate that children face high levels of risk. Risk assessments still require improvement. The manager agrees that they can be confusing as there are several documents that are replaced by another and cover different areas. This makes it difficult for staff to identify and manage risks to children. One member of staff did not know about a significant incident in the home. More oversight is needed to address the accuracy of recording and for staff to be clear about what is expected of them each day in keeping everyone in the home safe, such as conducting bedroom searches. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2594233 3 The manager has dealt with allegations and staff practice concerns. Disciplinary processes are followed. Two incidents have occurred where staff have not managed their own responses appropriately when children have shown behaviour that is

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Findings from the inspection

challenging. Leaders and managers need to ensure that the staff are well prepared and supported to manage challenging situations and support children effectively when their behaviour makes them and others unsafe.

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Findings from the inspection

A requirement has been set in relation to supervision at each inspection since May 2022. Staff say that they receive supervision every two or three months. The responsible individual and manager recognise that staff do not yet receive supervision with sufficient frequency or consistency. The manager has handwritten notes of supervision sessions that are not recorded or available to the staff that she has supervised. Therefore, staff have limited opportunity to reflect on, learn and develop their skills with a manager. Staff say that the manager is available to them for informal discussions between formal supervisions.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager is recruiting for the deputy managers’ posts. They then plan to develop the skills of deputy managers and senior support workers, who will carry out supervisions.

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Findings from the inspection

The responsible individual has investigated a complaint about recent incidents in the community involving children from this home and another of the provider’s homes nearby. He has reflected on the information available when planning for children moving in to either of the homes due to their close proximity to each other. He is mindful that these incidents have affected community relations, and has raised the matter with the director.

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Findings from the inspection

There continues to be crossover between this home and the other home that the manager was responsible for. The two homes have shared team meetings, and some staff move between the homes. The incidents involving children from both homes connects them further.

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Findings from the inspection

All requirements have been reviewed, of which one has been met. The responsible individual and manager are putting a plan together to meet the remaining requirements and recommendations. These have been reinstated. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2594233 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/05/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 05/07/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/05/2022 Full Inadequate 15/06/2021 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2594233 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, 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 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

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to ensuring that risk assessments are accurate, and any advice is followed. This requirement was made at the last inspection and is re-stated. 28 February 2024

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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

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 specifically refers to ensuring that robust quality assurance and monitoring systems are in place, used regularly and recorded. This requirement was made at the last inspection and is re-stated. 28 February 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if— 28 February 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2594233 6 the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children; the child’s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance;

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Requirement Due date

so far as reasonably practicable in the light of the child’s age and understanding, the child is informed in advance of the intention to do the monitoring or surveillance;

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically refers to following the regulations prior to the use of the installed CCTV. This requirement was made at the last inspection and is re-stated.

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

and have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to the supervision of staff taking place in line with the organisation’s policy. This requirement was made at the last inspection and is re-stated. 28 February 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff provide a nurturing environment that is welcoming, supportive, and provides appropriate boundaries in relation to children’s behaviour. Homes must also meet children’s basic day-to-day needs and physical necessities. Staff should seek to meet the child’s basic needs in the way that a good parent would, recognising that many children in residential care have experienced environments where these needs have not been consistently met– doing so is an important aspect of demonstrating that the staff care for the child and value them as an individual. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2594233 7  The registered person should recognise that in some instances, a child may express wishes that are not always in their best interests or may conflict with the

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Recommendations

views of other children in the home. In such circumstances, the responsible adults will have to balance the wishes of the child against what they judge to be in the best interests of the child and reach a reasonable view about the best way forward in the interests of all. The reasons for reaching any decision will need to be carefully explained to and understood by the child or children concerned. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 22, paragraph 4.9)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that where children placed in a home are not participating in education because they have been excluded or are not on a school roll for some other reason, the registered person and staff work closely with the placing authority so that the child is supported and enabled to resume full-time education as soon as possible. In the interim, the child should be supported to sustain or regain their confidence in education and be engaged in suitable structured activities. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15)

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Recommendations

 The registered person is responsible for maintaining good employment practice. They must ensure that recruitment, supervision, and performance management of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2594233 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Children & Adolescents Placement Provisions Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Barratt House Office G3a, Kingsthorpe Road, Northampton NN2 6EZ

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Pradip Panchmatia

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Inspector

Helen Gronhaug, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2594233 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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