Children's Home run by Alfa Care and Protection Limited in West Northamptonshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2835073 1 Registered provider: Alfa Care and Protection Limited

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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 two children with emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There was one child living at the home at the time of the inspection. The child contributed to the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

This is the home’s first inspection since it registered in June 2025.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is being led by an acting manager who is not registered.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children and young people’s welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and/or the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2835073 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

There has been considerable instability in the home’s management team, and this has affected the care of the child. Staff have struggled to manage the child’s behaviour, and this has led to the child not always being safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

There is a healthcare plan for the child that considers all aspects of their health. However, not all medication is recorded in the plan. Medication administration records are not strong or sufficiently detailed. As a result, it is not clear to staff what medication the child should have and when it should be taken.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Staff hold one-to-one sessions with the child. The records of these sessions are brief. They mostly discuss the child’s behaviour that staff struggle to manage. They are not useful for understanding the child’s wishes and feelings or how staff can support the child to improve their behaviour. The new manager has recognised this, and a new structure of planned key work is being introduced.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child is not engaging in formal education. Staff attempt to provide the child with learning and development activities to ensure the child has structure to the day. The child enjoys activities including going to a arts studio and roller-skating and ice-skating.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

Some areas of the home have been damaged, and repairs have not always been completed in a timely manner. The garden is not well maintained. Potentially dangerous items have been left in the garden and in sheds that have been left unlocked. This does not provide the child with a homely or comfortable home environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: inadequate

The child’s care plan is detailed. It provides staff with the guidance they need to care for the child. There are additional plans for the child’s health and personal care, and these documents support the staff in caring for the child.

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

The child’s individual risk assessments are clear, and they give examples of how staff should control and mitigate risk factors or vulnerabilities for the child. However, staff have not always followed these assessments to keep the child safe. The child sometimes displays behaviour that can be harmful to themselves and staff. At times, staff have not acted quickly to prevent the child causing harm to themselves. Additionally, following incidents of self-harm, the staff have not acted quickly to search the child’s bedroom to ensure this is a safe environment and to remove dangerous objects. This has the potential to pose risks to the child.

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

Following incidents of more concerning behaviour by the child, the records completed by staff are brief and fail to detail what took place, especially following the use of physical intervention. Details of holds used by the staff are not recorded clearly. It is not clear if Inspection report for children’s home: 2835073 3 the techniques used to hold the child were approved holds. The records do not detail how staff have used behaviour management techniques with the child in accordance with the regulations. Managers have not held debriefs with staff and the child following incidents. Consequently, the staff have not been supported by managers to reflect on incidents and learn from situations so they can adapt their practice if required.

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

Ofsted has not been informed following serious incidents in the home. For example, several incidents have required police intervention. There have been other serious incidents involving the child that have not been reported. Failing to report serious incidents to Ofsted means that the regulator cannot be assured that the organisation is taking the right action to safeguard the child.

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

The child is subject to a legal order that restricts their liberty. This order has not always been followed diligently by staff. For example, the monitoring of the child when visiting friends and in the community has not always been stringent and could increase the child’s risks and vulnerabilities.

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

When allegations have been made about staff behaviour, these allegations have not always been managed appropriately. Serious allegations were made in a complaint and not followed up. Leaders and managers have not involved external safeguarding professionals when required, to ensure the right actions were taken to keep the child safe. The actions taken have not been recorded, so it is difficult to understand what took place.

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

The child has specific plans that focus on their emotional regulation. These plans include setting out the objectives to be achieved that would indicate improved emotional regulation. The plans set out the direct interventions required as well as measurable outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager left the home within the first month of the home being registered. The responsible individual also left soon after. A new manager has been appointed and recently started in the home. A responsible individual has not yet been appointed. This has meant that staff have not had managers to support them. Additionally, the statement of purpose has not been updated to show the changes in the management team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have not ensured that an independent visitor has been appointed. Therefore, there have been no visits to the home. An independent visitor is a statutory requirement and provides a valuable contribution to ensuring the home is providing good and safe care to children. This shortfall needs to be rectified quickly.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager has not ensured staff have been supported appropriately. New staff have not always had an induction to the home. Staff have not received regular and individual supervision. This has limited the opportunity for staff to learn from more experienced staff members. Inspection report for children’s home: 2835073 4 The manager and leaders do not have good-quality assurance systems in place. There are no records of checks being made, such as health and safety checks. There is no learning from incidents, and the manager and leaders are not yet monitoring staff practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager has recently introduced team meetings, which had not been held before the new manager started. Only one team meeting has been held since the home registered. The manager has also started daily meetings with the staff on duty. These are effective meetings and are well recorded.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The staff rota does not accurately record staff working times. Arrangements for night cover are decided by the staff, but the actual hours are not recorded on the rota. Staff are working parts of the night in the middle of two full day shifts. This does not give staff the appropriate time to rest and can hamper the quality of care they are able to provide to children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2835073 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 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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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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

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;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health; and

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(d)(e)) 9 November 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2835073 6 This specifically refers to ensuring that the child is monitored at all times, with staffing in line with their deprivation of liberty order. Also, that all procedures are followed following an allegation. Also, that the home and garden are kept clear of dangerous items that the child could use to self-harm. Also, that staff only used methods they are trained in when using physical intervention.

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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;

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Requirement Due date

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. 9 November 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2835073 7 (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically refers to ensuring that records of physical intervention include all the required details listed in regulation and that the required actions have been taken.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically refers to Ofsted being notified of all serious incidents. 9 November 2025

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

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)(e)(f)(h)) 9 November 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2835073 8 This specifically refers to ensuring that quality assurance and monitoring systems are used to monitor and improve the quality of care. Also, to ensure that staff are helped to develop, through an induction, supervisions and team meetings.

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Requirement Due date

An individual may only carry on a children’s home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (5).

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Requirement Due date

An organisation may only carry on a home if—

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Requirement Due date

the organisation has notified HMCI of the name, address and position in the organisation of the responsible individual.

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Requirement Due date

satisfy the requirements in paragraph (5)(a) to (c); and

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Requirement Due date

have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated. (Regulation 26 (1) (4)(ii) (7)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically refers to a responsible individual being appointed and that Ofsted is notified of the appointment and their suitability to be responsible for the home. 9 November 2025

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Requirement Due date

*The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

A visit by the independent person to the home may be unannounced.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person’s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether— 9 November 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2835073 9 children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions.

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Requirement Due date

If the independent person becomes aware of a potential conflict of interest (whether under regulation 43(3) or otherwise) after a visit to the home, the independent person must include in the independent person’s report—

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Requirement Due date

details of the conflict of interest; and

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Requirement Due date

the reasons why the independent person did not notify the registered provider of the conflict of interest before the visit.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

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Requirement Due date

upon request, the local authority for the area in which the home is located;

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Requirement Due date

the registered provider and, if applicable, the registered manager; and

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Requirement Due date

the responsible individual (if one is nominated). (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5) (6)(a)(b) (7)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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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)(b)) 9 November 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2835073 10 This specifically refers to ensuring staff have regular one-to-one supervision sessions with a manager or experienced senior staff member.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically refers to ensuring that a child’s medication is all clearly recorded. 9 November 2025

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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 keeping the statement of purpose updated, and revised versions being sent to Ofsted. 9 November 2025

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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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: 2835073 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Alfa Care and Protection Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Flat 60, Newall Court, Bronze Walk, London W12 7HX

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Inspector

Shaun Caplis, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2835073 12 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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