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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2616670 1 Registered provider: Northamptonshire Childrens Trust Limited Full inspection 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 inspection, one child is living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager post is vacant. An acting manager has submitted their application to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered provider has recently appointed a new responsible individual, and we are currently checking this person has the relevant capacity, experience and skills to carry out the role.

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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: The home was judged inadequate at the last inspection in April 2025. Ofsted served a restriction of accommodation notice and compliance notices under regulation 12 and 13. Inspection report for children’s home: 2616670 2 On 18 June 2025, Ofsted identified that insufficient action to address the steps outlined in one of two compliance notices had been made. A further compliance notice under regulation 13 was served and the restriction of accommodation notice remained. Inspection report for children’s home: 2616670 3

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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: 2616670 4

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improvement to be good

At the time of the inspection, one child is living at the home. The inspector spent time with the child through their daily routines.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers are actively implementing improvements to address the shortfalls identified during the full inspection in April 2025. While the child is having some positive experiences, the overall quality of care remains inconsistent. Individual poor staff practices continue to undermine the support provided. As a result, the child is not yet receiving good help and protection.

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improvement to be good

Staff have recently revised the placement plan for the child. The child’s health, daily routines and preferences are thoroughly considered. However, guidance for staff around developing and supporting the child’s communication skills lacks necessary depth to guide staff effectively.

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improvement to be good

The home is generally well-appointed. The child’s bedroom is personalised in accordance with their preferences. Leaders and managers now ensure that there are regular maintenance routines in place to address any emerging issues. However, kitchen cabinets are water damaged and need replacement. Several windows around the home continue to show signs of wear and markings. This detracts from what is otherwise an appropriately decorated and welcoming home.

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improvement to be good

The child is engaging well in their education and has high attendance at school. Staff ensure that there are effective levels of communication with school staff to support the child’s learning.

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improvement to be good

Staff support the child to undertake practical tasks to help build their independence skills. Staff use individualised approaches that are tailored to the child’s development stage. This ensures the child makes progress at a pace that is comfortable to them.

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improvement to be good

Staff are motivated and committed to providing the child with a positive range of experiences. The staff offer activities that enhance the child’s interests and expand their social opportunities. This has included swimming, visits to animal parks and a recent caravan holiday.

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improvement to be good

On one occasion, staff did not supervise the child in accordance with their agreed plan, resulting in the child being placed at increased risk of harm. Leaders and managers addressed this concern with the staff involved. However, leaders and managers did not refer these staff practice concerns to the local authority designated officer in a timely Inspection report for children’s home: 2616670 5 manner. This reduces external oversight and deviates from agreed safeguarding procedures.

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improvement to be good

Recording of incidents has improved in both detail and quality. However, one incident was not documented by staff for four days. This reduced leaders’ and managers’ oversight and delayed their ability to review and adapt risk assessments to mitigate future risks for the child.

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, there have been several examples of leaders and managers following safeguarding procedures appropriately. However, recent concerns about staff practice have been identified. This includes poor medication handling and night staff failing to carry out their delegated duties. Leaders and managers are currently investigating an allegation of harm involving a child raised by external professionals. While appropriate responses are being made, the recurring nature of these concerns indicates that children are not consistently receiving the help and protection they need.

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improvement to be good

Recruitment checks have recently been strengthened. Full employment history and verification of why staff left previous roles involving the care of children or vulnerable adults is now obtained.

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improvement to be good

Risk assessments and behavioural management strategies for the child are regularly updated. These identify proactive diversion and distraction techniques to help the child manage their feelings. The effectiveness of these de-escalation strategies mean that incidents for the child are minimised.

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improvement to be good

Staff are clearer about their roles and responsibilities in relation to whistle-blowing procedures and have an improved awareness of the child’s additional vulnerabilities. Leaders and managers have recently ensured that all staff training in safeguarding practice has been refreshed.

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

There has been no registered manager in post since December 2023. A new manager started their role in March 2025 and is currently in the process of applying to be registered. The manager is supported by a newly appointed responsible individual who is experienced in social care. Recently, leaders and managers have taken effective action to address previously identified shortfalls. As a result, there are no longer serious concerns regarding the leadership and management of the home. Leaders and managers demonstrate awareness of remaining weaknesses and have plans in place to address these.

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

The child’s social worker, independent reviewing officer and an educational professional provided positive feedback about their confidence in the new management arrangements, the quality of support provided and the effective levels of communication with staff. However, the child’s parent has reported that communication with staff is less effective, resulting in delays in the sharing of important information with them about the child’s care. Inspection report for children’s home: 2616670 6 All staff now receive regular and reflective supervision discussions that focus on children’s needs. However, annual appraisals for staff have not yet taken place. Leaders and managers have a plan to address this shortfall.

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

An appropriate number of staff currently hold the required Level 3 qualification. Four staff members continue to have not achieved this within the expected timeframe.

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

Since the last inspection, managers have strengthened the scope of internal quality of care reviews. External monitoring by an independent person now provides an appropriate level of scrutiny to influence continuous improvement in care. However, the exploration of the child’s views within these quality assurance processes could be further developed to ensure their views are consistently considered.

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

Regular staff meetings are well attended and support a more unified approach to care. Staff now receive suitably planned training that equips them with the skills they need to meet the child’s individual needs.

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

Leaders and managers have addressed all the steps that were set out in the remaining compliance notice. The restriction of accommodation served by Ofsted has now been lifted. Inspection report for children’s home: 2616670 7

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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

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

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must:

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff adhere to agreed supervision levels for children;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that referrals to the local authority designated officer are made when there are indications that staff have acted in a way that poses a risk of harm to children;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff complete incident records without delay. 5 September 2025

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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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)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and has been restated. 12 September 2025

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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— 12 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2616670 8 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 (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and has been restated.

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that levels of communication are established, agreed and adhered to with parents. 12 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2616670 9

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that there is a nurturing and homely environment. Specifically, they should repair kitchen cabinets and resolve issues with several window markings around the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that children’s plans provide detailed guidance for staff in how to meet children’s individual communication needs. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.4)  The registered person should make best use of information from external and internal monitoring to ensure continuous improvement. This includes obtaining and reflecting on the views of children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)

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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: 2616670 10

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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: 2616670 11 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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