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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2709657 1 Registered provider: Courtyard 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 privately owned. It is registered to provide care for up to four children with learning disabilities and/or physical disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

There were two children living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager position has been vacant since 14 March 2025.

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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: 12 November 2024

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2709657 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/11/2024 Full Good 31/05/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2709657 3

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improvement to be good

Children are happy living at this home. They are comfortable with the staff and enjoy spending time with them.

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improvement to be good

There is a good relationship between the two children. However, there was a difficult period when another child came to live here. The needs of this child were met by creating a very minimalist environment. This impacted on the other children who enjoy more homely surroundings. Incidents between children at this time were not always recorded with enough details.

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improvement to be good

Children's care plans are clear and detailed. They give staff a good overview of the child and their individual needs. This includes their routines and how they communicate. Staff know the children well. They recognise each child’s abilities and ways they express themselves. For one child this is mainly verbal and for another staff understand gestures and noises. Pictures and symbols also help children make choices.

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improvement to be good

Children’s education is an important part of their life. Staff support children to attend specialist schools full-time. One child is taken to school out of the county each day by staff. This allows him to stay at a school that he knows well and enjoys. There is good communication between the staff and teachers.

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improvement to be good

Children are helped to remain healthy. Medication is stored safely. There are clear records of why a child takes the medication and any possible side effects. However, there have been occasional instances of medication errors. Also, procedures were not always followed regarding an allergy. This has been addressed with practice improving in these areas.

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improvement to be good

There are good one-to-one sessions between staff and children. This has recently been improved with a focus on planning the sessions. This helps children to express their wishes and learn new skills. Additional group meetings are held. This is to gain the views of children and enables them to choose activities and plan meals.

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improvement to be good

Children’s behaviour support plans are effective working documents. They are reviewed regularly. They are specific to each child. How a child may behave when sad or angry is clearly explained. Also, how staff should support the child at these times.

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improvement to be good

Staff occasionally use physical intervention to manage a child’s unwanted behaviour. This is as a last resort to keep the child or others safe. Reports following these interventions Inspection report for children’s home: 2709657 4 do not always meet regulation. Although improved recently, records have lacked important details that must be recorded.

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improvement to be good

Children do not go missing from this home. They are always supported one-to-one by staff. Additional staff support children when accessing the community. There are clear procedures for staff to follow should a child go missing.

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improvement to be good

The manager has responded to any allegations or complaints. Safeguarding professionals have been involved appropriately. However, the actions taken and outcomes are not clearly recorded.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand risks to children. They are aware of the additional vulnerabilities of children with learning disabilities. Children’s individual risk assessments include how to manage the risk. They also include an emergency plan. Risks in the local area are also assessed well. This includes contacting the local police.

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improvement to be good

The responsible individual has not ensured that safe recruitment checks are adequately recorded. There is a list that indicates the checks have been made. The documents however are not fully evidenced.

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

The leadership of the home has been affected by several changes in manager. The unsettled period is reflected in team meetings and supervisions. This is now resolved with a home manager in position and applying for registration. The manager knows the improvements that need to be made. She is positive about achieving the necessary changes. This is clear within a good workforce and home development plan.

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

The manager speaks warmly of the children. She knows them well and spends time with them. She also observes staff caring for the children. She includes this as an important part of her monitoring of the home. This includes occasional visits at night. A range of quality assurance audits are also in place. This ensures that the manager has good oversight of practice.

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

Staff receive a good induction to the home. This includes shadowing experienced carers. Also, a range of training to help staff fulfil their roles. Further training continues after induction, with a high percentage of completion. However, several staff have not achieved appropriate qualification by the relevant date.

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

The manager has not completed a review of the quality of care to timescale. A report of the review has not been sent in line with regulation. Changes to the statement of purpose have also not been sent in a timely manner.

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

Staff have received regular supervision since the new manager started. Prior to this, several staff had long gaps between supervision. This limited staff time to reflect on their practice. Also, for a manager to check on staff’s welfare and give support and direction. Inspection report for children’s home: 2709657 5 The manager feels very well supported by other managers within the organisation. This includes close support from a mentor who is a senior manager. She also values the support of an experienced responsible individual. This includes regular supervision, visits to the home and calls whenever needed. Inspection report for children’s home: 2709657 6

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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, 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

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. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(vi) and (vii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically refers to ensuring that clear and detailed records are kept of any allegations and complaints against staff and/or the care provided, and the responses to these. Also, that clear and detailed records are kept for all incidents between children. 28 August 2025

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child's behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure; 28 August 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2709657 7 the name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii) and (c)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically refers to ensuring that records of physical intervention include all of the required details in regulation 35.

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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

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

The relevant date is— 30 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2709657 8 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 (3)(d)(4)(a)(b)(5)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that all recruitment information is available as detailed in Schedule 2. Also, that all staff attain the residential childcare qualification within the required time frame. The qualification part of this requirement was made at the last two inspections and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children's home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review ("the quality of care review report").

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must— supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home. 30 September 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2709657 9 The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c)(3)(4)(a)(b) and (5))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically refers to ensuring that there is a suitable monitoring system in place and that reports are completed at least every 6 months and sent to HMCI within 28 days.

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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 (3)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically refers to any revised statement of purpose being submitted to HMCI within 28 days. 30 September 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person must have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice, 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)

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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: 2709657 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Courtyard Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 3 Siskin Drive, Middlemarch Business Park, Coventry CV3 4FJ

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Inspector

Shaun Caplis, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2709657 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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