Children's Home run by BTTLR Limited in West Northamptonshire

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2556338 1 Registered provider: BTTLR Limited

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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 post for a registered manager has been vacant since December 2024. An operations manager and a deputy manager are providing interim arrangements.

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Inspection date: 7 January 2025

Date of last inspection: 29 October 2024

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Inspection date: 7 January 2025

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 7 January 2025

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, 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. The inspector has 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: 2556338 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 child has started to build relationships with staff. Staff provide structure, boundaries and routines, which has helped the child to settle into the home. The child is making progress. As a result, safeguarding incidents in the home have significantly decreased.

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Findings from the inspection

Opportunities for the child to voice their opinion, wishes and feelings are provided. Staff record conversations in a detailed manner. They identify and act on the child’s wishes and feelings. However, there has been an occasion when staff have not responded in a timely manner. This means that the child has experienced a delay in accessing the right support to meet their needs.

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Findings from the inspection

The child is not in full-time education. However, managers have worked with the wider professional network and advocated on behalf of the child. This means that the child now receives increased hours of education.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager knows the strengths of the team and areas for development. The manager has supported staff in their understanding of the importance of clear and consistent recording of information. Staff have improved the quality of their recording, which allows opportunities to reflect on and develop their care practice. However, this is not yet consistent and therefore remains an area for further development.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff undertake training in safeguarding and have completed additional training to expand their knowledge base and meet the child’s specific needs.

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Findings from the inspection

Some progress towards meeting the statutory requirements made at the full inspection has been made. One requirement has been met, two requirements have been restated and a further requirement has also been made. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2556338 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/10/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 06/06/2023 Full Inadequate 12/04/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/05/2021 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2556338 4

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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 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)) 1 April 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2556338 5 This specifically relates to ensuring that risk assessments are regularly updated and that staff understand and are following the most relevant risk assessments and care plans.

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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 relates to ensuring a consistent management monitoring and review system is in place. 1 April 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must provide a copy of the statement of purpose to HMCI and make a copy of it available upon request to—

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Requirement Due date

a child, or a child for whom accommodation in the home is being considered; 1 April 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2556338 6 a parent of a child, or a parent of a child for whom accommodation in the home is being considered;

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d) (3)(a)(b))

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Recommendation

 The registered person should have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their 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) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2556338 7

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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 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2556338 8 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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