Children's home run by Northamptonshire Children’s Trust Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2608892 1 Registered provider: Northamptonshire Children’s 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 run by a local authority children’s trust. It provides care for up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, three children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2020.

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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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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 11 November 2024

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2608892 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/11/2024 Full Good 24/01/2024 Full Good 07/02/2023 Full Good 07/03/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2608892 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The inspector spoke to all three children living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children receive high-quality, personalised care that meets all their needs. Feedback from professionals is overwhelmingly positive, with staff from one school commenting on how impressed they are by how the home helps and supports children. All professionals spoken to said that the children receive excellent and consistent care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The stability and consistency of the staff team contribute to children’s sense of security and belonging. The staff receive support to establish strong, trusting relationships with the children. Staff know the children exceptionally well. This attuned approach is key to the nurturing culture in the home and helps children feel understood by staff. As a result, children trust staff. One child said that when they want to do something, staff make it happen. They described the staff as ‘good’ and said, ‘I really like living here.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s moves into the home are exceptionally well planned and managed. As a result, they settle quickly and have a strong sense of belonging. One child who recently moved into the home said they are happy there and that all the staff really care about them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff prioritise children’s emotional well-being when they are preparing to leave the home. They take time to understand each child’s individual circumstances and ensure that plans reflect their specific needs, wishes and feelings. Children are supported in making sense of their experiences, and staff remain available to offer continued connection and reassurance. This consistent, nurturing approach helps children feel cared for and reduces the likelihood of them feeling rejected or blamed. Staff remain in contact with children after they move out of the home. This ensures that children continue to feel loved and reassured and lessens any potential for feelings of rejection and blame.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children make exceptional progress from their starting points. One child’s social worker said that the staff went ‘above and beyond’ to ensure that their child was ready for their next step. They said that their input had a significant positive impact on the child’s experiences, progress and plan. Children say they feel comfortable sharing their concerns with the staff, who take their views seriously.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are encouraged to attend all appointments, and their education is prioritised. Staff and the manager are tenacious and consistent in their efforts to ensure that children who arrive without school placements are quickly allocated a place in a school. Staff encourage children to follow consistent routines in the home, such as getting up and going to bed at set times. This helps children adjust quickly when they start to attend their new school. Inspection report for children’s home: 2608892 4 The staff and management strive to give children lifelong memories and experiences. A child told staff they wanted to go abroad since they had never left the UK. The staff obtained a passport and took them on their first trip abroad. This was a fantastic opportunity for the child to experience a holiday, and they spoke of this trip with great enthusiasm.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s individual views are sought on a regular basis, and as staff know the children well, they can swiftly identify and address any changes in behaviour or presentation. The children can personalise the home to reflect their interests, making it feel homely and welcoming.

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

Staff know the children exceptionally well. This allows them to respond dynamically when children’s vulnerability increases. Staff’s understanding of each child’s triggers and responses ensures that they are attuned and available in their approach and able to help children to calm quickly when they feel unsafe or upset. As a result, staff rarely need to hold or restrain children.

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

Children say they can speak freely to staff about their feelings and worries. Children say that staff act on their views, which helps them to feel a sense of safety and belonging in the home.

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

Staff are proactive and use their knowledge of the children well when searching for them if they go missing from the home. When children return home, the staff offer bespoke support to meet their individual needs. This has resulted in a reduction in missing-from- home episodes for the children.

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

When allegations are made, they are taken seriously, investigated thoroughly and managed effectively, with clear rationale for decision-making. Each allegation is followed by reflection and learning to ensure ongoing practice development.

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

Children are given clear boundaries by staff, and they receive child-focused explanations. One child said that he understood what was expected of him at the home, and things were explained to him in a way he could fully understand. Promoting strong routines and boundaries in the home provides the children with feelings of safety.

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

Staff are committed to making sustained improvements to children’s lives. Risks inside and outside the home are managed and minimised through highly effective planning. Any risks are clearly acknowledged for new children who move in, and professionals report that risks are reducing for the children in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has an ambitious vision for all the children. The children have personalised plans, which are regularly updated, and all staff have a very good understanding of each Inspection report for children’s home: 2608892 5 child’s needs. Staff are proud of the children and their achievements, and they celebrate these regularly.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has implemented a ‘reverse bucket list’ for children, recognising that some may have missed out on certain early childhood experiences, such as building a sandcastle, stargazing, and jumping in puddles. This recognition and opportunity for children to participate in these experiences is testament to the reflective nature of the manager’s therapeutic approach.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff report feeling very well supported by management. The manager prioritises staff development, offering tailored opportunities for individual staff. Morale is high in the home, and staff speak extremely positively about caring for the children and working at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The managers lead by example, and they have effective monitoring systems in place, which ensures that care is of a consistently high standard. There is also a very consistent and stable staff team, which promotes feelings of permanency for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has a good understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development. He is proactive in developing the service and has challenged decisions that affect the home when required, including advocating for children to move on from the home when this was in the best interests of them and the other children in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive good-quality and reflective supervision, and the manager uses reflective opportunities to further develop practice in the home. The manager’s ‘always learning’ approach has provided a culture of learning in the home and among all staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff know and apply the home’s clear ethos of care. The manager has carried out research around love and belonging for children in care, implementing this into the home’s model of care. The manager encourages staff to share with children how much they mean to them, and this affectionate approach has helped children feel loved and cared for. Inspection report for children’s home: 2608892 6

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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: 2608892 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Northamptonshire Children’s 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

Dawn McCluskey, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2608892 8 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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