Children's Home run by THR SERVICES LIMITED in West Northamptonshire

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2735355 1 Registered provider: THR Services 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 owned by a private provider. It is registered to provide care for up to two children with social and emotional needs.

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Information about this children’s home

One child currently lives in the home, and they were present during this visit.

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Information about this children’s home

The home does not currently have a registered manager but appointed an interim manager in June 2024. They were present during this inspection, supported by the responsible individual.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to monitor compliance with a restriction notice and to review whether the conditions of a compliance notice had been met. No more children have come to live at the home and the home is working in accordance with the restriction notice. A new responsible individual has been appointed and therefore the home has met the compliance notice regarding this matter. Two other compliance notices remain in place and will be reviewed at the next inspection.

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This monitoring visit

Progress is being made. Children’s care plans have been updated and reviewed, although some essential information is yet to be provided to the home by a placing local authority. Leaders and managers are taking steps to try and obtain the information. They are currently looking at getting an advocate for the child to further support them in accessing this information.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have had additional training in the home’s policies and procedures and in safeguarding. More training is scheduled, to further develop staff skills and understanding. Regular team meetings have been held to share information and learning from incidents and events. This is supporting the staff to have a better understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2735355 2 There has been a review of how documents are stored and shared, and a new system is in the process of being implemented. Staff have received training in how to use the new system, but this has yet to be tested in practice.

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This monitoring visit

A new interim manager has recently been appointed, after the previous manager was dismissed following a safeguarding concern. This has been investigated and the outcomes shared with external safeguarding professionals. Management arrangements are temporary while a new permanent manager is recruited.

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This monitoring visit

All the statutory requirements made at the last inspection are outside the scope of this visit. They will be reviewed at the next inspection.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/04/2024 Full Inadequate 06/02/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2735355 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who-

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them 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

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to children’s plans being relevant to the child, reviewed, updated and known to staff. 12 July 2024

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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 understand how to keep safe; 12 July 2024 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2735355 4 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

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)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to children having a relevant and current risk assessment which is known and understood by staff. This also relates to fully documenting any incidents of missing from care, including details of the return of the child. In addition, rotas should accurately reflect who has worked in the home and when.

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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

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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 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

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on-

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and 12 July 2024 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2735355 5 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)(c)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to implementing systems and processes that allow for monitoring, quality assurance and oversight of the home. This also relates to ensuring the statement of purpose accurately reflects the home and is known to staff.

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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. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(c)) 12 July 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the behaviour management policy") which sets out-

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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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

a description of the measure and its duration

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use 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")-

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure;

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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 12 July 2024 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2735355 6 confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (1)(b) (3)(a)(iv)(vii)(b)(i)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to effective management evaluation of restraint reports by a suitably qualified person and ensuring all restraints are properly documented, and ensuring debriefs are undertaken with children and staff by the registered or authorised person.

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on-

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure-

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Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(x))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to children having relevant and current support plans which are known and understood by staff. It also relates to staff being provided with opportunities to reflect on their working practices. 12 July 2024

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children-

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Requirement Due date

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- 12 July 2024 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2735355 7 that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for who 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

Restraint in relation to a child is only permitted for the purpose of preventing-

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Requirement Due date

injury to any person (including the child);

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Requirement Due date

serious damage to the property of any person (including the child);

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Requirement Due date

restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (1)(a)(b) (2))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to ensuring any restraint of a child is in line with legislation and guidance, and ensuring staff are aware of this. 12 July 2024

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: 2735355 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: THR Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Room 2 First Floor, Main Road, Middleton Cheney OX17 2PW

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Inspector

Sarah Orriss, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2735355 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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