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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 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

The home is being led by a manager who is not registered with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out to monitor the provider’s compliance with the restriction of accommodation notice served following the last full inspection on 23 September 2025. Additionally, to review progress made by the provider to meet the compliance notices issued under regulation 12, the protection of children standard, regulation 13, the leadership and management standard, and regulation 44, to appoint an independent visitor.

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This monitoring visit

No children have moved into the home since the inspection; therefore, the provider has complied with the restriction of accommodation notice. The actions taken by the provider have ensured the compliance notices are met. Consequently, the restriction of accommodation notice has been lifted.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last full inspection, a new responsible individual has been appointed and started work in the home. The responsible individual will support the manager in driving forward improvements and provide support, guidance and challenge.

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This monitoring visit

The child living in the home has made progress since the last inspection. They now attend school daily and the relationships between them and staff have improved. However, the child’s care plan has not been updated to reflect the changes and progress made by the child. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2835073 2 The manager has ensured that potentially dangerous items have been removed from the house and garden. However, the storage of sharp items and medication requires additional security to fully ensure the safety of children.

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This monitoring visit

An allegation made against staff has been thoroughly investigated by the manager. External safeguarding professionals have been appropriately involved and the correct procedures followed. Records of this allegation are sufficiently detailed and set out the actions taken by the manager and the outcomes. This provides assurance that the manager and leaders take the right action to keep the child safe, and that they take allegations and complaints seriously.

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This monitoring visit

Staff’s recording of incidents involving the child have improved. This includes when the child has needed to be held by staff to keep everyone safe. Leaders have also ensured that they notified the required agencies of serious incidents, in line with legislation.

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This monitoring visit

The manager reviews all incidents requiring behaviour management for the child. Staff and the child have been debriefed following incidents so they can talk through what happened and their actions and feelings, to see if anything could have been done differently. Team meetings are used to discuss how incidents have been managed. However, other monitoring of the day-to-day running of the home is not recorded. A new and potentially good quality assurance template has been devised by the responsible individual. This has yet to be used by the manager but will assist with their oversight.

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This monitoring visit

There are gaps in the manager’s record-keeping, including in the staff duty roster. Arrangements for staffing at night remain unclear. When staff were supervised by the manager is also unclear given records are incomplete.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has not kept the statement of purpose updated. Changes have not been made or sent to Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

An independent person has started visiting the home. Reports of the visits are detailed. Clear recommendations are made for improvements. This will be crucial in helping to get on and remain on an improvement trajectory. The reports are sent to Ofsted in a timely manner. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2835073 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/09/2025 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2835073 4

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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 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

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this refers to sharp items being kept securely, away from children, in line with risk assessments. 9 December 2025

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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

medicines kept in the home are stored in a secure place so as to prevent any child from having unsupervised access to them. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that medication is always stored securely. 9 December 2025

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the child’s care plan is kept under review and amended in line with changes in the child’s circumstances. 9 December 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— 31 December 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2835073 5 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))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that quality assurance and monitoring systems are used to monitor and improve the quality of care.

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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))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff have regular one-to-one supervision sessions with a manager or more experienced member of staff and records of sessions are kept. 31 December 2025

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date; and 9 December 2025 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2835073 6 retain the records for at least 15 years from the date of the last entry. (Regulation 37 (2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this refers to keeping a clear record of the staff duty roster. This must show staff working hours, including who is awake and who is sleeping when rostered to work at night.

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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

In particular, ensure the statement of purpose is updated and revised versions are sent to Ofsted. 31 December 2025

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2835073 7

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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 - monitoring visit: 2835073 8 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2835073 9 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2835073 10

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