Children's Home run by 5ab Care Ltd in North Northamptonshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2838345 1 Registered provider: 5ab 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 emotional and social difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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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

The home is led by a registered manager.

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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: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2838345 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not previously inspected. Inspection report for children’s home: 2838345 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff have made sure that the child enjoys a homely environment. Staff and the child have developed good relationships. These have been developed by the staff demonstrating patience, empathy and providing consistent care for the child. The child trusts staff and can approach them with any concerns or worries they may have. When asked if he felt safe at the home he said, ‘Yeah, man.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s care plan is comprehensive. It shows an understanding of the child’s needs and how staff can meet these needs. It is regularly reviewed and amended in line with the child’s changing needs. Progress is recorded in areas such as the child’s health, education and behaviour, and this helps staff to know that they are on the right track to support the child to meet identified targets.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child in relation to his health needs. This includes routine medical appointments and his emotional well-being. He has been helped to learn new ways of expressing strong emotions and how he is feeling. Staff encourage a healthy diet and activities that involve exercise so that a healthy lifestyle is part of the child’s day-to-day life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has not had formal education for some time. The manager meets with educational professionals to address this issue quickly because she understands the importance of education for the child. She has developed a learning timetable for each morning to help the child develop a daily routine to aid learning when back in a formal education setting. However, staff are not always consistent on ensuring that planned sessions take place.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff spend one-to-one time with the child. These key-work sessions cover topics that are important for the child, including language the child uses, education and family relationships. Weekly meetings help staff to obtain the child’s wishes and feelings. He makes choices with regard to food and activity planning and so remains fully involved in the day-to-day decisions that affect his life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s identity is recognised and valued by the manager and staff. Staff have discussed this with the child to gain a better understanding of what this means to him. This helps staff to support the child in a more personalised way and helps to develop the relationships between the child and staff.

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

The child has an individual behaviour support plan. It combines historic incidents with current behaviours to identify patterns. What might lead to unwanted behaviours is also identified. The plan sets out for staff how they can promote positive coping strategies when faced with challenging situations, so that their response is an empathic one. Staff Inspection report for children’s home: 2838345 4 are helped, through training and development, to understand why certain behaviours may occur. They are guided in ways to appropriately respond in order to help manage these behaviours in a positive manner.

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

Risks to the child are well known. These are captured in risk assessments that are thorough and updated regularly. The assessments guide staff care practice so they can minimise risks to the child. Additionally, there is also a good location risk assessment regarding the location of the home. However, staff have not always recognised online risks to the child, and this area could be made stronger.

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

The manager ensures that allegations made by the child are taken seriously. They are responded to comprehensively. Safeguarding professionals are involved appropriately. Clear records are kept. An allegations plan ensures that the manager and staff learn from any incidents.

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

The child has gone missing from the home, and on these occasions, there is a good response from the staff and manager. Required actions are clearly explained within the child’s risk assessment. This includes searches locally and places known by the child in other areas of the country. Appropriate multi-agency meetings are held to discuss the risks, and safety plans are updated as a reflection on the multi-agency plans agreed.

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

The child occasionally presents with harmful behaviours. When this happens, staff respond well and with warmth. They give emotional support and physical support if required. Child mental health services are referred to appropriately. Alternative ways to manage feelings are explored with the child.

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

Staff resort to holding the child only as a last resort and to keep the child and others safe. The child is held for the minimum amount of time and staff are trained in safe handling techniques.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager knows the child very well. She speaks positively about him and advocates for him extremely well. The manager knows the strengths of the team. She can see the progress the child has made while living at this home. This is particularly with regard to the relationships developed with staff and the child now being able to share their emotions. The manager also understands the areas she wants to develop further. These are recorded in the workforce and home’s development plans. They include who is responsible for the actions to be completed and a timescale set. This demonstrates that the manager is organised and is ambitious to develop the home and the care provided.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

New staff coming to work in the home are provided with a thorough induction programme, which includes all the training they will need to provide the child with good care. The induction programme leads into training and development across the staff team. For example, new training has started on a trauma-informed approach to care. Consequently, staff feel well prepared for their role. Inspection report for children’s home: 2838345 5 Staff receive regular individual supervision from the manager. These sessions are effective and include discussions on staff performance and welfare. She also has oversight of supervisions completed by senior team members. This helps the manager to know that staff are continuing with their professional development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings take place monthly and are facilitated by the manager. They are constructive and discuss important topics, including physical interventions, incidents of the child going missing from care and responses to allegations. This is alongside detailed updates on the child’s care. Overall, this helps to ensure good communication across the staff group and coordinates consistent approaches to the care provided to the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager feels extremely well supported by an experienced responsible individual. This includes weekly visits to the home by the responsible individual and monthly one- to-one supervisions that support and challenge the manager. She appreciates his knowledge, guidance and advice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager employs a range of effective quality assurance tools to ensure high standards within the home. She demonstrates strong oversight by regularly monitoring the environment and observing staff practice. In addition to her managerial role, she dedicates time to engaging directly with the child, fostering a very positive and trusting relationship. Inspection report for children’s home: 2838345 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, 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

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this specifically refers to ensuring that staff are alert to protecting the child from online risks. 14 December 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that where children placed in a home are not participating in education because they have been excluded or are not on a school roll for some other reason, the registered person and staff must work closely with the placing authority so that the child is supported and enabled to resume full-time education as soon as possible. In the interim, the child should be supported to sustain or regain their confidence in education and be engaged in suitable structured activities. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15)

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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: 2838345 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Devonshire Business Centre, Unit 27 Works Road, Letchworth Garden City, Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire SG6 1GJ

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Inspectors

Shaun Caplis, Social Care Inspector John McDonnell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2838345 8 regulates and inspects to 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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