Children's Home run by Active Care Organisation Limited in West Northamptonshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2814661 1 Registered provider: Active Care Organisation Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in April 2025 and is owned and managed by a private provider. It offers care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2024. However, they are due to leave their role. An acting manager is in post and has applied to register with Ofsted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2814661 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Although the child has only been at the home for 10 weeks, staff are making efforts to get to know them, understand what is important to them, and learn about their likes and dislikes. One professional said that when they were considering placements for the child, this home stood out among others, as staff were curious about the child and interested in how to best meet their needs. Staff’s thorough preparation has helped the child settle in at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s transition to the home was very robust. Before moving in, staff learned as much as possible about the child and visited them. Due to this thorough planning, the child had the opportunity to begin to form relationships with staff before moving into the home, which led to a smooth transition. Professionals have observed that the child is already beginning to form trusting relationships with staff, which is helping them feel settled and supported.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is good communication between staff from the home and the child’s social worker, ensuring that professionals are working together to meet the child’s needs. Staff welcome the child’s family members into the home, and they share updates with them on a regular basis. They support regular family time and help by transporting the child to meet with their loved ones. Staff, professionals and family members provide a sense of stability and continuity for the child because they have a shared understanding of how to best care for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s views are heard and acted on. There are children’s meetings and key-work sessions where the child is encouraged to express their views and participate in the planning of activities and menus. The child is gently encouraged to discuss issues that are important to them. This is done sensitively and at the child’s pace, which helps them feel supported in relation to things that matter to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child does not yet have an education placement, although efforts are being made to source a school that can meet their needs, and staff are fully involved in this process. All the child’s health needs are being met, and staff ensure that they attend routine appointments as required.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is a court-directed order in place that limits the child’s ability to enjoy unsupervised free time. This prevents the child from having any social time outside the home, which is necessary for developing independent friendships. This is something staff are actively working towards.

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

Staff have a good understanding of the child’s needs and can meet them effectively. They are committed to learning about the child and their individual needs on a continual Inspection report for children’s home: 2814661 3 basis. Lessons learned from incidents are embedded into future practice. Following incidents where the child goes missing or is held, both the child and the staff members participate in debriefs. This provides the opportunity for the child to express their feelings regarding their care during a crisis. Subsequently, it helps the team to develop its skills and understanding of safe ways to support the child during such times.

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

Incidents are discussed during team meetings. Risk management plans are updated, and there are communication books to ensure that staff are aware of any developments in how to care for the child. This demonstrates that staff are committed to improving their practice and are willing to learn from their experience of caring for the child.

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

Staff have worked with the child to help them understand and accept the boundaries in place. This has helped the child achieve better sleep, and they are more engaged with staff. Staff use a therapeutic approach and maintain this, even in the most difficult circumstances, which gives the child a sense of acceptance. Staff ensure that they engage with the child following significant incidents, which helps them feel understood. One professional said, ‘Staff really care about [name of child]; they want to stick with them.’

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

The responsible individual is proactive in ensuring that the child is safe. She has been instrumental in ensuring that other professionals take safeguarding action. She is quick to share safeguarding information about unsafe adults in the community, which will help keep the child and other children safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager was away from the home at the time of the inspection and is due to leave their role. A new acting manager has been appointed and is overseeing the running of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have a high level of oversight of the experiences the child has at the home. They are proactive in making changes when required to build a sense of stability for the child, which will support their future progress. Staff are experienced and committed to caring for children with significant needs. They have aspirations for the child and are confident in helping them feel safe and cared for.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professional relationships are very good. Communication is regular, and information about the child’s progress is shared to ensure that all professionals can work together to meet their needs. The responsible individual is involved in the day-to-day running of the home and has formed a strong relationship with the child, which has given her insight into their needs. This assists in her leadership, as she can offer guidance and support to staff. The responsible individual is robust in challenging others when appropriate.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff enjoy working at the home. They provide a personalised care package for the child and acknowledge the benefits of using a therapeutic approach. Staff value leaders, who they say invest in them and are continuously supportive. One staff member said, ‘Every day brings something meaningful, whether it’s celebrating young people’s achievements, Inspection report for children’s home: 2814661 4 guiding them through challenges, or watching them grow in confidence and independence.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision sessions are regular, and any areas for development are acted on quickly to ensure that staff feel well supported and can work together to provide a good level of care to the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A high level of management oversight means that leaders and managers are aware of what works well and what does not, and they act quickly and decisively to make changes when required. They consider feedback from other professionals and learn from incidents. They have high aspirations and continually develop practice based on learning and listening to the child. This demonstrates that the child’s experiences have an impact on future practice, and the child is the primary focus of all improvements that leaders and managers make.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is currently undergoing a well-managed change in its registered manager. The new manager has worked together with the previous manager, resulting in a smooth transition period with minimal disruption to the child. Inspection report for children’s home: 2814661 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the child has opportunities to engage in clubs or sports outside of the home and is encouraged to participate in activities in the wider community. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 31, paragraph 6.5)  The registered person should ensure that there is a recording system that captures the child’s experiences to support their understanding and memories of their time living at the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.14)

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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: 2814661 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Active Care Organisation Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Windsor House, Bayshill Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL50 3AT

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Inspector

Karen Karlsson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2814661 7 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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