Children's home run by Northamptonshire Children’s Trust Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2608892 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

This home is run by a local authority and is registered to care for up to four children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is led by an experienced registered manager who registered with Ofsted on 29 October 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, there were two children living in the home.

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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 good

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good

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

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good

Date of last inspection: 7 February 2023

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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: 2608892 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/02/2023 Full Good 07/03/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2608892 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The leaders and manager are undertaking a full refurbishment of the home. The aim is to improve the home environment for the children. The manager has ensured that children are not exposed to any health and safety risks. Work being undertaken is carried out while the children are at school.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have trusting and secure relationships with children. Staff use various child- centred methods to help children to participate in the day-to-day and more complex decisions about their care. Moving on plans for children are child-led and provide children with positive experiences. Some children have chosen to keep in touch with the staff after they have moved out.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are in good physical health. Their emotional and psychological well-being is promoted through positive relationships with staff. This is because children can share their problems with staff, and they feel listened to.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that children have access to necessary mental health services. The manager ensures that staff have training to develop their understanding of the effects of trauma and attachment. Therefore, children’s care meets their developing needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are ambitious for children in their education. Children are attending school full time. Children are provided with opportunities that enrich their lives. This is because staff encourage and support children’s interests, activities and hobbies. For example, one child has been successful with her aspiration to work with horses. Another child was supported to write a book, which was published.

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

Staff help children to understand risk and they provide opportunities for children to develop their resilience. Staff implement clear boundaries for children. Staff are proactive in their response to keeping children safe.

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

The number of times children go missing from the home is low. When this happens, staff take swift appropriate action to find children quickly. Staff are usually successful in encouraging children to return home. Staff ensure that they follow the procedures and requirements to protect children.

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

Children are supervised according to their vulnerability and need. Children were able to identify a trusted adult they could talk to both at home and at school. This helps to ensure that children’s safeguarding needs can be met. Inspection report for children’s home: 2608892 4 The relationship between children and staff is good. Staff have a good understanding of children’s emotional needs. This enables them to manage children’s risk-taking behaviours well. Staff support children through distraction and playfulness techniques. As a result, staff’s use of physical intervention is rare.

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

The manager and staff complete good and comprehensive risk assessments for each child. These are reviewed and amended by staff in response to the children’s changing needs. Children who may be at risk of harming themselves receive support to help manage and reduce this type of behaviour. Consequently, children are safer.

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

The staff are caring and nurturing towards children. The conduct of staff is to a high standard, and they model good behaviour for the children. The manager makes sure that they recruit staff in accordance with safe recruitment practices. The manager monitors and reviews the conduct of staff regularly. In the event conduct falls below expectation, the manager takes appropriate and timely action.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is highly ambitious for children and staff. He has a clear vision to ensure that he and the staff promote individualised care for the children. Children are encouraged and supported to pursue their dreams and achieve their goals as set out in their respective care and placement plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager makes child-centred decisions when deciding whether a child’s needs can be met by staff. Where children are not settling at the home, the manager will adjust and change plans for children or secure additional services to help children settle and make progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is confident in his staff and deploys them in a manner which best uses their strengths. Staff are provided with regular training, and he actively supports staff’s professional development and career opportunities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are provided with regular and effective supervision sessions and monthly team meetings. Staff described the manager as easy to talk to. The manager is well supported and has a good support network in place. The manager receives regular, effective supervision from the responsible individual.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A good proportion of staff have the required statutory qualification. However, this remains outstanding for some staff. The manager has a plan to ensure that these staff members achieve these qualifications promptly.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager leads by example and has a good understanding of the strengths and vulnerabilities of the service. He uses a range of monitoring and reviewing tools to ensure that he keeps good oversight of the home. He ensures that the home is properly staffed and resourced. He has been persistent in his bid to obtain the agreement for the much-needed refurbishment of the home. This has involved the manager being a strong advocate for the children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2608892 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

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 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 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 specifically refers to staff completing their necessary qualification. 31 August 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2608892 6

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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: 2608892 7

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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

Angela Duffus-Palmer, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2608892 8 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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