Children's Home run by BTTLR Limited in West Northamptonshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2556338 1 Registered provider: BTTLR LIMITED

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and provides care for one child who may require support with emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in 2023. They are suitably qualified. They are dual registered with another setting of the provider.

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Information about this children’s home

One child currently lives at the home and was able to share their views as part of the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: This home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 5 and 6 June 2023. Serious and widespread failures were identified in the leadership and management of the home and the protection of children. This resulted in Ofsted issuing a restriction of accommodation notice. Inspection report for children’s home: 2556338 2 On 31 August 2023, Ofsted issued a second notice restricting accommodation, to prevent any new children being admitted to the home.

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requires improvement to be good

During a monitoring visit on 5 October 2023, adequate improvements were found and the notice restricting accommodation was lifted.

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requires improvement to be good

A child was not cared for at the home between June 2023 and June 2024. During this period, a new registered manager and responsible individual were appointed. Both were evaluated as suitable by the regulator. Inspection report for children’s home: 2556338 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/06/2023 Full Inadequate 12/04/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/05/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2556338 4

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, one child has moved into the home in a planned manner. However, the home has been slow to establish good enough care for the child. This is due in part to an inexperienced staff team. The child’s progress and experiences are impacted because they have not yet built a relationship with staff and are not yet provided with adequate structure, boundaries and routines.

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improvement to be good

Staff show care to the child but lack the skills, knowledge and confidence to provide them with a stable and consistent environment. This means that the child has not yet settled into the home and is not making notable progress.

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improvement to be good

The child is not in full-time education. External agencies are identifying a suitable alternative provision. Staff are using this opportunity to support the child’s independence skills and preparation for independent living. However, as the child has not yet built positive relationships with staff, this support is limited. The child is not making sufficient educational progress at a crucial point in their childhood.

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improvement to be good

The child is registered with local health services. However, the child does not attend all required health appointments. Staff continue to liaise with the professional network and encourage the child to attend appointments to ensure that their health needs are met.

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improvement to be good

Opportunities for the child to voice their opinions, wishes and feelings are inconsistent. Staff do not record all conversations and support provided to the child in a detailed manner. The manager does not yet provide consistent oversight of the recordings, which compounds the issue. As a result, the child’s records do not fully reflect the work being carried out or any additional actions undertaken.

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improvement to be good

The child receives lots of support to spend time with family and friends, which the child enjoys. A pet cat and rabbit are important to the child. Help was provided to ensure that these pets could arrive at the home with them. The child is responsible for the animals’ welfare, giving the child a sense of responsibility, with staff offering help where needed.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand some of the risks posed to the child and know how to respond to such risks. Of significance for this child is the risk of self-injurious behaviours. However, risk assessments are not regularly reviewed and updated, which means not all emerging risk factors have been considered or shared with staff and the wider safeguarding network.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not record safeguarding incidents in sufficient detail. When incidents occur that require actions, these are not always completed and recorded. Inspection report for children’s home: 2556338 5 The manager does not yet consistently review and provide oversight of all incidents. This limits learning for everyone. Furthermore, concerns about the welfare of the child during incidents are not always shared in a timely manner with relevant safeguarding professionals.

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improvement to be good

Despite the known risks for the child, staff do not always complete a room search as a safeguarding response. When staff have completed searches, these are not recorded in sufficient detail. There is no management evaluation, outcome recorded, or next steps referenced. It is not clear how risks are being managed and staff are not sharing with the professional network when items of concern are found. This limits the oversight of the multi-agency safeguarding network.

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improvement to be good

There are robust safe recruitment procedures in place that ensure staff working with the children are suitable to do so.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager knows the strengths and areas for development. The manager is striving to establish clear expectations for staff. He is ambitious for the development of the home and has identified several key areas for improvement. This includes the strengthening of staff recording and management evaluation. This is not yet embedded and, therefore, does not yet provide staff with opportunities to reflect and develop their care practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff receive regular supervision. However, safeguarding is not routinely discussed in supervision. This does not provide staff with the opportunities to reflect and discuss specific and wider safeguarding issues for the child. This limits the impact of reflection and learning outcomes for staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The staff team is developing. All staff are new to their employment and only one staff member has the required qualification. This impacts on the staff team’s knowledge and skills. The manager has recognised this and has organised additional training in case recording and how to effectively use the provider’s online recording system. This will help the staff team expand its knowledge base.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager and deputy manager are using role modelling to demonstrate good practice to the team. Staff report being happy in their work and having confidence in leaders. The team is committed to its role and to the child’s care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Three statutory requirements and one recommendation have been made at this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: 2556338 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 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

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 to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

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

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This is with specific reference to the regular review and update of risk assessment documents. Also, this relates to staff 22 January 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2556338 7 understanding and following children’s risk assessments and care plans in relation to known safeguarding risks.

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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

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;

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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

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)(b)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This is with specific reference to leadership in the home. This relates to ensuring there is an appropriate skill and experience mix throughout the staff team who are qualified and experienced to work with children. It also relates to a lack of robust management monitoring and review systems, which impacts on the quality of children’s care. 22 January 2025

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

engage with them; and 22 January 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2556338 8 take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to maters affecting the child’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

is enabled to provide feedback to, and raise issues with, a relevant person about the support and services that the child receives. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(ii)(b)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to staff building a positive relationship with the child and regularly identifying their wishes and feelings in relation to their care.

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Recommendation

 The registered person must have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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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: 2556338 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Office 3, Ground Floor, Michael Way, Raunds, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire NN9 6GR

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Inspector

Caroline Coop, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2556338 10 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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