Children's Home run by Newpath Social Care Limited in West Northamptonshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2867159 1 Registered provider: Newpath Social Care 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 2 children with emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Since the home was registered, there has been one child living at the home. 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: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2867159 2

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Summary of findings

The child moved to this home in April 2026. They have made good progress in several areas of their life, including in education, health and remaining safe. The home has a warm and homely feel and there are good relationships between the child, staff and manager. The manager supports the staff well and staff like working at the home. This positively impacts on the experience for the child. The manager is well supported by the responsible individual. She has a good understanding of the child and how staff are meeting their individual needs. The care and protection of the child is provided in a child-centred way.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is happy living at this home. They have good relationships with staff and the manager. They feel safe, and said, ‘For a children’s home, this is a good one.’ The child can express their wishes and feelings and make decisions. The house is well maintained and has a homely feel. The child enjoys a spacious and comfortable bedroom that reflects their interests and things they like.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has an individual care plan, called ‘My support plan’. This details the care the child needs to support them and keep them safe. It is thorough and comprehensive, providing a clear overview of the child and their needs across all areas of their life. The plan helps staff to understand the child well, including their specific routines and their likes and dislikes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education and learning for the child are promoted and supported by the manager and staff. The child has made good progress with their education from their starting point when moving to the home. The manager advocated for a change in process for the child sitting school exams. This was to meet the child’s choice and helped them to successfully attended the exams. The child has secured a placement at a local college for the new term, which signifies very good progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s health needs are met. Staff support the child to engage with health appointments. Any gaps in health provision have been addressed by the provider, for example, sourcing therapy while waiting for specialist health services.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff spend good-quality individual time with the child. These key-work sessions involve conversations about things that are important to the child. They include their emotions regarding living in a children’s home and support for taking school exams and healthy eating. These sessions also help to build good relationships between the staff and child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is supported to spend time with their family and friends. Staff help them to maintain positive relationships with people who are significant to them. This is central to the child’s care planning and maintains crucial relationships for the child. Inspection report for children’s home: 2867159 3

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

The child’s risks and vulnerabilities are well understood by the manager and staff, including their historic risks. Actions required to mitigate risk are recorded. However, the risk assessment has not been kept updated. This limits the staff’s ability to know the current risk levels for the child, rather than the historic risks.

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

The manager has completed a good location risk assessment. It includes risks identified through local crime statistics and in the local area. It has been updated with risks from building works opposite the home.

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

Staff understand the triggers to more concerning behaviour from the child. Staff are trained in de-escalation and positive behaviour management practices. Physical intervention has not been required. Any concerning behavioural incidents are recorded in detail. There is management oversight and learning after any incident. The manager holds debriefs with the child and staff.

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

The child does not go missing from the home. There have also been no harmful behaviours or incidents of substance misuse. This is very good progress in relation to historical concerns. There are policies and procedures for staff to follow should such incidents occur and staff understand these. Consequently, the staff are trained and understand what to do in response to any concerns about the child.

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

The behaviour support plan for the child is concise and supports staff in their care practice with the child. It includes known triggers. It is based on how settled the child is at the home. It reminds staff of the importance of a calm and consistent approach. Staff offer emotional support without pressure. They avoid confrontation and use clear, simple communication.

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

The manager ensures that safe recruitment processes are used for new staff joining the home. This helps to ensure those working with the child have the right motivations and intentions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff like working at this home. They speak highly of the support they get from the manager. The manager and staff have a good understanding of the ethos of the organisation and what they seek to achieve, this being good child-focused care and support. One staff member said, ‘It is a pleasure to work for [name of home] and also having a manager that is very supportive and present when you need them.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager knows the child very well. She speaks warmly of the child and the progress they have made. She is a good advocate for the child and has high aspirations for them. Inspection report for children’s home: 2867159 4 Staff are not yet receiving regular individual supervision with the manager. When held, sessions are not reflective. This is a missed opportunity to help staff to further develop their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Updates to the home’s statement of purpose have not been sent to Ofsted in line with regulation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Regular team meetings are held by the manager. They are reflective and consider the needs of the child. Staff are encouraged to share ideas about how care could be improved. The manager challenges weaker practice in the home and identifies required actions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager feels very well supported by the responsible individual, who visits the home weekly and completes monthly overview audits. They hold one-to-one supervision with the manager. They know the manager well and individualise the support given.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Thorough quality assurance processes are followed by the manager and responsible individual and include weekly checks and comments recorded on key-work sessions and incidents, and monthly audits by both the manager and responsible individual. The manager spends time with the child and observes staff practice daily. This ensures that the manager has good oversight of the care provided to the child. Inspection report for children’s home: 2867159 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 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

This particularly refers to supervision of staff taking place in line with the home’s policy. 31 August 2026

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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)) 31 August 2026

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Recommendation

 Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them, ensuring risk assessments are updated to reflect the current situation. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5) Inspection report for children’s home: 2867159 6

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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: 2867159 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Newpath Social Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Newpath Social Care Limited, 2b Ryder Court, Corby NN18 9NX

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Mazviita Mukarakate

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Inspectors

Shaun Caplis, Social Care Inspector Sarah Tilbury, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2867159 8 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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