Children's Home run by Northamptonshire Children’s Trust Limited in West Northamptonshire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2616670 1 Registered provider: Northamptonshire Childrens Trust 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 operated by a children’s trust on behalf of a local authority. It provides care for up to six children with autism and learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this visit, one child is living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The post for a registered manager is vacant. A manager is currently filling the role and is in the process of registering with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

This home was deemed to be inadequate at the last full inspection on 30 April 2025. Following the inspection, Ofsted served a restriction of accommodation notice and two compliance notices in relation to the help and protection of children and the leadership and management standard.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the restriction of accommodation and establish the provider’s progress in meeting the steps set out in two compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit identified that the provider has taken insufficient action to meet all the steps set out in one of the two compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has complied with the restriction of accommodation. No children have moved into the home. Since the last inspection, two children have moved on. Both children moved on to adult residential care. Although these moves were planned, senior leaders made the decision to move these plans forward. Staff supported introductory visits and provided social stories for children to assist them with their moves. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2616670 2 Leaders and managers have not ensured that all staff have the necessary skills to meet the individual needs of the child. Some staff have now completed appropriate training in supporting the child’s communication needs. However, there continue to be staff training gaps in this area. Training for staff in accordance with the home’s wider model of support is planned but has not yet taken place.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have now ensured that all staff have received safeguarding training. However, not all staff have completed a course in safeguarding children with disabilities. Consequently, staff may not be vigilant to the specific vulnerabilities of the child. This undermines staff’s ability to provide safe and informed care.

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This monitoring visit

Two quality-of-care reviews have been compiled by leaders and managers. However, reviews are descriptive and lack in-depth analysis and evaluation of the support provided. Reviews do not include scope to obtain feedback from children, parents and staff.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, there have been several concerns raised in relation to poor staff practice. Leaders and managers have responded to safeguarding concerns and allegations against staff appropriately. Referrals to the local authority designated officer have been made when necessary. Suitable protective measures have been implemented to safeguard children and staff while investigations take place.

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This monitoring visit

Whistle-blowing procedures have been emphasised in team meetings and staff supervision sessions. Staff are now more confident to raise any concerns they may have.

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This monitoring visit

Staff now record daily body charts and identify any markings or bruising found on children. These records are reported to leaders and managers, who review and explore potential causations and share these findings with social workers. This process increases the necessary safeguards for children.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have introduced daily monitoring checks. This includes observations of staff practice, the environment and a review of documentation. When poor staff practice has been identified, this has been addressed by leaders and managers. This increased level of managerial oversight is more likely to be effective in overseeing the appropriate care of children.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have ensured that all potential hazards in the home have been removed. Children’s bedrooms have been redecorated, and a child’s shower room floor has been replaced. Further maintenance works are planned to address the wider issues previously identified. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2616670 3 Several requirements and recommendations raised at the last inspection were outside the scope of this visit and were not reviewed. These are restated and will be reviewed at the next inspection. The restriction of accommodation notice remains in place. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2616670 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/04/2025 Full Inadequate 23/09/2024 Full Good 25/10/2023 Full Good 17/05/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2616670 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 with the given timescales.

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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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(f))

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Requirement Due date

leaders and managers must source and ensure that staff receive training in the Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children in accordance with the home’s model of support.

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Requirement Due date

leaders and managers must ensure that all staff have completed safeguarding children with disabilities training. 24 July 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2616670 6 leaders and managers must undertake a review of the quality of care. This must include scope to ascertain and evaluate feedback from children, parents and staff.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2.

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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

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Requirement Due date

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. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(d) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b) 23 July 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2616670 7 The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience;

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)(c)) 23 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

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

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)) 23 July 2025

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

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Requirement Due date

A visit by the independent person to the home may be unannounced. (Regulation 44 (2)(a) (3)) 23 July 2025

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Requirement Due date

*This requirement is subject of a compliance notice. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2616670 8

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that any limitation on a child’s privacy is informed by a rigorous assessment of that individual child’s needs and is kept under regular review. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.10)  The registered person should ensure that children are fully prepared to move into adult care. Children’s targets and progress towards being more independent should be systematically monitored and supported. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.27)

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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: 2616670 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Northamptonshire Childrens 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

Mark Anderton, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2616670 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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