Children's home run by The Hills Children’s Homes Limited

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2795987 1

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is owned and run by a private organisation. The home is registered to care for up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted during October 2025.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There were two children living in the home at the time of the inspection. One child’s views were sought.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The inspector was aware during this inspection of a current and ongoing investigation being led by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate incidents of this kind, actions taken by the setting in response to the incident were considered (where appropriate) alongside other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform the inspector’s judgements.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the last inspection, 4 requirements were raised, one of which was subject to a compliance notice. The manager has met 2 requirements and the compliance notice. The manager is making progress towards the remaining 2 requirements. A further 2 requirements and one recommendation have been raised.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Inspection date: 3 March 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2795987 2

p.1

This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out to review progress against a compliance notice set at the previous assurance inspection. The compliance notice issued was under regulation 12, the protection of children standard.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The manager has taken action to understand serious concerns raised by professionals about the care and welfare of children.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Staff have received additional safeguarding training. The manager has increased their presence in the home to have greater insight into the care children receive. These measures have improved the care being provided to children.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The first concern related to staff needing to improve how they supported a child with their personal hygiene. The manager has taken effective action and sought multi agency support to better recognise this child’s needs. This has involved improved communication with the child’s school and greater advocacy for their health needs.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The second concern related to children needing access to appropriate healthy food. The manager has provided staff with food hygiene and safety training and implemented systems to monitor the quality of food being provided to children.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The manager has acted to ensure that an independent person visits the home each month. This will support the external scrutiny of the quality-of-care children receive.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The manager failed to ensure that relevant safeguarding agencies were notified within expected timescales when a child made an allegation. When agencies were notified, the information provided was not accurate and of poor quality. The manager put safeguarding measures in place whilst the allegation was investigated. However, the investigation did not fully consider all aspects of the allegation. The Responsible Individual did not have oversight of action taken in response to this allegation. These failures undermine safeguarding procedures.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Some professionals have cited a lack of communication from leaders and managers. The manager has also highlighted a lack of communication from professionals. However, the manager has taken limited action to improve this. This has meant relevant professionals do not have all information about serious events. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2795987 3

p.2

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 08/04/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/12/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2795987 4

p.3

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 with the given timescales.

p.4

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

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;

p.4

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

p.4

Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home's child protection policies;

p.4

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;

p.4

Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home's child protection policies is monitored regularly

p.4

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (1) (2) (a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vii) (b) (e))

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children's allegations are understood in full and that this understanding informs safeguarding action 16 April 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2795987 5 In particular, ensure all leaders and managers have oversight of safeguarding concerns and action taken in response to these concerns The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the behaviour management policy") which sets out—

p.4

Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children's home; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it.

p.5

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—

p.5

Requirement Due date

details of the child's behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

p.5

Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

p.5

Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

p.5

Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

p.5

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;

p.5

Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

p.5

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; 16 April 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2795987 6 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")—

p.5

Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

p.6

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (2) (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii) (b)(i)(ii)(c)) The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

p.6

Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child's behaviour, in accordance with the child's age and understanding;

p.6

Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child's behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child's age and understanding;

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand how children's previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children.

p.6

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(iii)(v)(ix)) 16 April 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2795987 7 In particular, ensure that expectations communicated to each child about behaviour are consistent, proportionate and restorative. In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

p.6

Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child's placing authority effectively in the child's care, in accordance with the child's relevant plans;

p.7

Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child's needs;

p.7

Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority's or a relevant person's performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child's needs are met in accordance with the child's relevant plans; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children's home is to provide care and accommodation

p.7

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 5 (a) (b) (c) (d)) 16 April 2026

p.7

Recommendation

 The registered person should have a system in place so that all serious events are notified, within 24 hours, to the appropriate people. The system should cover the action that should be followed if the event arises at the weekend or on a public holiday. Notification must include accurate information and details of the action taken by the home’s staff in response to the event. (Guide to the children s homes regulations including the quality standards Page 63 paragraph 14.13)

p.7

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.

p.7

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under The Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2795987 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: The Hills Children’s Homes Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Briar Hill Childrens Centre, Coronation Court, Ashbrow Road, Northampton NN4 8SZ

p.8

Inspector

Laura Copus, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2795987 9 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.

p.8

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9