Children's Home run by Alentar Care Limited in North Northamptonshire

Inspection report for children's home: 2795302 1 Registered provider: Alentar Care 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 managed by a private company. It provides care for up to two children who have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Two children were living at the home at the time of the inspection, and one child was spoken to as part of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2024.

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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

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children's home: 2795302 2

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improvement to be good

This is the first inspection of the home since its registration in October 2024. Two children are living in the home at the time of the inspection. Since registration, one child moved into the home and subsequently left.

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improvement to be good

The manager and staff collate information regarding the children and their needs. However, the records are not yet sufficiently clear, and they lack child-specific information. Important information about children is not recorded in sufficient detail within the electronic forms, as required. This results in inconsistent records being produced and means staff, at times, lack the essential information needed to provide the children with effective care. For example, one child’s healthcare plan sets out a specific medical needs but does not state what this means for the child’s day-to-day care needs and how the staff can provide the care the child may require.

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improvement to be good

Children’s moves into the home have been child focused. However, the timescales for these moves have been limited, which has led to children moving without getting to know the staff prior to moving in. However, the staff have worked hard to form good relationships with children. They have spent time getting to know each child, and this has allowed positive and trusting relationships to form where the children feel cared for and supported.

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improvement to be good

Children are provided with a homely and welcoming environment. They have personalised their bedrooms according to their interests, tastes and wishes.

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improvement to be good

Staff recognise the importance of education for the children. They have worked closely with external professionals to ensure that the children’s educational needs are met. For one child, this has involved receiving additional support outside of school. This has enabled them to complete educational tests they were previously not expected to take before moving to the home.

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improvement to be good

The children have individualised sessions with staff, where staff can explore issues that are relevant to the children. Staff seek the views of children both informally and formally through key-work sessions or meetings. Staff are attentive to what the children say, and they do act if the children make a request. However, the actual voice of the children is not captured in the case recordings. This has the potential for staff to miss something that matters to the children and could make the children feel that they are not listened to or valued. Inspection report for children's home: 2795302 3

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improvement to be good

Children have individualised risk assessments. However, the risks are not recorded in a format where staff can easily identify the risks and vulnerabilities of children and how they need to respond. This places the children at increased risk because staff are not equipped with the clear and accessible guidance, they need to keep children safe.

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improvement to be good

There have been a small number of incidents in the home. A recent incident has not been recorded, and some information is held by staff and yet to be shared with the wider staff team. This delay in recording can cause difficulty for other staff in understanding presenting needs of the children, and therefore staff could unknowingly place the child at risk of harm.

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improvement to be good

Staff are not fully aware of key details relating to the children. One child has recently moved into the home and staff recorded that the child has known allergies. However, further investigation by the manager has concluded that the child does not have allergies. Inconsistent recording and incorrect information could cause the staff difficulties in knowing how best to support the child.

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improvement to be good

There have been a small number of incidents where children have been missing from care. The staff are aware of what actions they need to take when a child goes missing and staff have followed these procedures as required. This response helps to ensure that children return home as quickly as possible.

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improvement to be good

Staff know the risks that are posed to the children when they are online. They talk to children about the importance of internet safety, and staff maintain open communication with children and undertake the required checks to ensure that children are safe when online. The older child is reluctant for staff to check their phone. However, the child does share their activity when online. This reflects the safe and trusting relationship that has started to build up between the child and staff.

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improvement to be good

The staff have undertaken room searches to reduce the risk of harm to a child. However, there is no process embedded in the home regarding these room searches, nor the recording of them.

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

The manager is very dedicated to the children and is focused on providing the children with the nurture and care they need to achieve their potential. However, the manager’s vision for good care is not yet reflected across all aspects of the home’s operation. The manager understands the areas that need improvement and has a plan to move things forward.

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

Staff are caring professionals who aspire to make a positive difference to the lives of children. However, staff are not yet meeting the aims and objectives, as set out in the Inspection report for children's home: 2795302 4 home’s statement of purpose. Staff are not fully trained nor respond to the children using therapeutic approaches.

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

The staff attend the monthly team meeting. This is used as an opportunity to explore updates regarding the children. In addition, reflective supervision was in place but had to be paused on a temporary basis. It is hoped that this will recommence.

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

The staff have all had an induction period as part of their introduction to working in the home. The manager has supported the staff through this process and ensured that staff have received a regular review of their progress. Training has been part of the induction process, but some staff are yet to complete all required training. This means that staff are completing tasks they are not trained to do, and the manager has not yet rectified this.

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

During staff meeting, updates and changes to children’s care are shared, but there is no focus on providing improved support or care. The manager uses the meeting as an opportunity to share with the team about areas that require some improvements, but staff are not provided with guidance around what they need to do to improve practice.

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

To support the manager in their oversight of the home, they complete a monthly audit. The focus of the audit is to ensure that the children have the necessary documents on their files. The manager hasn’t reviewed the documents to assess the quality of information recorded. Therefore, the staff have been working with documents that do not necessarily meet the needs of the children.

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

The manager recognises the importance of children maintaining contact with key family members. Where possible, the manager actively supports children in building and strengthening these relationships. This helps children maintain a sense of identity, emotional security and continuity in their family connections.

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

One external professional commented on the progress of a child, ‘I am really proud of him and dubious we would get to this point where he can sit down and do tests and be happy at the end of the day, and this is testament to the staff and a true testament to the care and support.’ Inspection report for children's home: 2795302 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 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, plan 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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that staff record incidents in a timely manner, update any relevant documents, accordingly, support the child after an incident and ensure they remain as safe as possible. 18 July 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2795302 6 The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(b)( c))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to all records being kept up to date and the key information being consistently recorded across all forms. 18 July 2025

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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

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) (2)(b)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person should ensure that the information captured within the children’s records is personalised and reflects the children’s actual needs and how those needs need to be met. 18 July 2025

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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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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

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)(h) 18 July 2025 Inspection report for children's home: 2795302 7 This specifically relates to the registered manager having oversight of the records and devising an action plan to support the improvement of records.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that there is an appropriate home development plan that outlines what actions are going to be taken in order to develop the home over the year to ensure continuous improvement. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)  The registered person should ensure that the views of children are being captured, recorded and listened to and acted on. Staff should have the skills and confidence to communicate easily and understand the importance of listening, involving and responding to the children they care for. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.10)  The registered person should ensure that a child’s bedroom is only searched if a child has been informed or their permission requested. Immediate searching may be necessary where there are reasonable grounds for believing that there is a risk to the

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Recommendations

child’s or another person’s safety or well-being. If a child’s permission is not or cannot be sought, the rationale for this needs to be recorded. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.20)

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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: 2795302 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Alentar Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Tree Holdings Ltd, 71 Knowl Piece, Wilbury Way, Hitchin SG4 0TY

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Inspectors

Lizette Watts, Social Care Inspector Lorna Walker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2795302 9 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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