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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2821627 1 Registered provider: Heartly 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

This home is operated by a private provider and provides care for up to two children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered in April 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

One child was living at the home at the time of the inspection and was spoken to during the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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Requires improvement

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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Requires improvement

The effectiveness of leaders and managers Requires improvement

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Requires improvement

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

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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Requires improvement

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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Requires improvement

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2821627 2

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improvement

This is the home’s first inspection since registration. Since then, two children have moved into the home and one child has moved out of the home.

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improvement

Transition planning for the first child moving into the home was poor. Insufficient attention was given to ensuring a smooth and supportive move. Important aspects of the transition, including individualised support, effective communication with the social worker and consideration to what was important to the child, were lacking. The transition was not in line with the home’s statement of purpose. This lack of effective planning contributed to staff being unable to meet the child’s needs and instability, which led to the child moving to another setting after a short period of time.

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improvement

The child who has moved on from the home was unable to build positive relationships with staff. The child spent long periods of time their bedroom. The child who has recently moved into the home has started to build relationships with staff and spoke positively about the home and staff.

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improvement

The child who previously lived at the home did not engage in activities with staff. However, the child did spend time with a friend, which was facilitated by staff. The child living at the home has been on a range of activities, including going to parks, the seaside, fun fairs, high ropes and swimming.

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improvement

Time spent with family is promoted. A family member spoke positively about the staff and home. They felt welcomed to the home and feel confident that the child is happy and more relaxed since moving to the home.

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improvement

The child who moved on from the home had not been in education before moving to the home and was starting to build a relationship with a tutor. The child living at the home has not been in education for a prolonged period and is awaiting confirmation of an education placement. In the interim, private tutoring and home schooling will bridge any gaps before a school placement is secured.

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improvement

The child who moved out of the home made it clear that they were unhappy living at the home. Their views around moving out were listened to. The child visited the new home with staff and their social worker before moving there.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The child living in the home said that they feel safe. Staff have completed appropriate safeguarding training. Staff understand and implement safeguarding procedures, which help to keep children safe. Inspection report for children’s home: 2821627 3 There were two missing-from-home incidents with the child who has moved on from the home. Staff followed the child and managed the incidents well. Children have clear missing-from-home protocols. The child living at the home had a high number of missing-from-home incidents before moving to the home. Since moving in, the child has not been missing from the home.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

One child who had self-injurious behaviours before moving to the home has not had any self-harming incidents. Staff have completed appropriate training to support the child should an incident occur.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Important key-work sessions have been completed with children around exploitation, staying safe online and safe relationships. Educating children helps them to understand how to recognise and reduce risks.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Children’s risk management plans do not consider all relevant risks. While this has not had a negative effect on children, it could mean that staff may not know how to minimise some risks to children if not addressed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement

The manager is registered and is working towards a relevant qualification. She has recently appointed a deputy manager and has support from an experienced responsible individual. Despite this, there are shortfalls in leadership and management in respect of poor care planning, children’s records and transition planning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement

A professional shared their concerns about the care provided and that communication was poor. This contributed to a decision to move a child on from the home only a short time after moving in.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement

Care plans are basic and not individualised. Plans do not give a real sense of who the child is or their aspirations. A lot of important information is missing, including health, cultural needs and information about family time. In one of the plans, there is child- blaming language around one child’s risks. In one plan, there is another child’s initials, indicating that this plan was copied from another child’s plan.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement

The manager completed impact risk assessments for the children before they came to live at the home. However, the assessment lacks important, relevant information. Subsequently, not all the children’s individual needs have been considered or planned for. For one child, this had a significant impact and contributed to some of their needs not being met.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement

The manager and responsible individual have completed a lesson-learned exercise following the child leaving. The managers recognised that the transition and care planning was poor. Managers recognised that there was not enough interaction with the child, communication with the social worker was minimal and clear discussions and Inspection report for children’s home: 2821627 4 information-sharing was needed. The learning from the exercise included appropriate actions. However, the effectiveness of the actions could not be tested at this inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement

Staff, generally, have good-quality training and regular supervision. Staff either have or are working towards a relevant diploma. However, not all staff have had training that is relevant to the provider’s therapeutic approach. The training is planned, but the approach is not yet fully embedded.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement

Staff feel well supported by the manager. Staff said that she is approachable and open to ideas. Staff said that the manager has helped to develop their practice and knowledge. Inspection report for children’s home: 2821627 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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that transitions for children moving into the home are well planned and in line with the home’s statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that there is effective communication and planning with the child’s social worker before a child moves into the home and throughout the child’s time living at the home.

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that children’s individual needs and views are fully considered before moving into the home. 21 November

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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— 21 November Inspection report for children’s home: 2821627 6 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))

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Requirement Due date

children’s risk management plans are accurate and include all relevant risks and how the risks will be minimised;

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Requirement Due date

children’s impact risk assessments are carefully considered, and include all relevant information, such as how children’s individual needs will be met; and

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Requirement Due date

children’s care plans are detailed, individualised and use child-friendly language and recordings are good quality. Inspection report for children’s home: 2821627 7

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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: 2821627 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Heartly Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Bridge House, 9-13 Holbrook Lane, Coventry, Warwickshire CV6 4AD

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Inspector

Amy Miles, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2821627 9 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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