Children's Home run by TLC Youth Care Ltd in West Northamptonshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2532139 1 Registered provider: TLC Youth 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 and provides care for up to 4 children, who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There were 3 children living at the home at the time of the inspection, and their views were obtained. One child has moved out of the home within this inspection period.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2026.

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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: 25 November 2025

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2532139 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/11/2025 Full Good 29/05/2024 Full Good 13/02/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 22/11/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2532139 3

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Summary of findings

Managers and staff are committed to helping children to develop the skills to keep themselves safe and enjoy healthy relationships. Children’s needs and risks are understood, and managers and staff ensure that a holistic approach to care is embedded throughout the care practice of staff. The manager advocates well for children, ensuring that their rights are upheld and that they have access to the right services to meet their needs. However, one child has been negatively impacted by an unresolved complaint, to which the manager has not yet taken sufficient action to resolve.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a warm and welcoming home. Photographs of the children are displayed throughout the home, and their bedrooms are personalised to reflect their interests. Staff know the children well and they celebrate children’s individuality. Staff have developed good relationships with children. Staff can have candid, meaningful conversations with children in response to incidents or any concerns the children may have.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager carefully considers the compatibility of children living together and identifies any steps required to reduce potential risk between children living together. When relationships between children have become strained, the manager has taken prompt action to mediate and help children develop strategies to reduce any conflict. Staff supervision has also been increased to ensure that children feel safe and supported.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has successfully moved on to semi-independence during this inspection period. The manager appropriately challenged the responsible placing authority when poor communication resulted in a hurried transition. Staff have remained in contact with the child, reinforcing their sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff recognise the importance of education, and good attendance is encouraged with rewards and incentives. One child has undertaken end-of-year exams, despite having been disengaged from education for some time. The manager is a powerful advocate for children and has reported and escalated concerns for one child, whose individual education plan does not reflect their current needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff and managers understand the importance of lasting relationships for children. They strive to facilitate contact with family, friends and former carers, some of whom visit the children at home. Staff support children to develop the skills to recognise unhealthy relationships and develop resilience in managing peer interactions safely and responsibly.

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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2532139 4 Risk assessments and safety plans are kept up to date and revised following incidents, and there is an effective system to ensure that staff are aware of any changes. This ensures a consistent approach to care practice. Safety plans are individualised to include known techniques that help children to manage their emotions. However, one aspect of a child’s safety plan includes actions to minimise the risk of drugs being brought into the home, but lacks clarity around when this should be implemented, and what staff should do if the child does not cooperate.

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

The manager responds swiftly to emerging risks. They demonstrate critical thinking and appropriately raise concerns with relevant agencies, ensuring a holistic overview and response to the concern. Staff implement consistent rules and boundaries for children in the home. While one child’s risks remain high, the child is engaging in future-oriented thinking and making some positive choices, and these instances are celebrated by staff.

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

Consequences are not always natural or restorative and objectives for using consequences are not recorded. For example, one child has lost the opportunity to attend activities because of the child going missing from home. This is a punitive approach and does not support the child to learn from the incident, or promote a supportive dynamic for staff to explore the child’s reasons for leaving the home.

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

When children go missing from home, staff follow protocols and make every effort to establish their wellbeing and whereabouts. Staff contact family and known contacts and demonstrate professional curiosity when making enquiries. On one occasion, the manager travelled a significant distance to collect a child to bring them home safely.

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

On one occasion, a child left the home without staff realising for over 9 hours during the day. Staff at the time had been distracted by an incident involving another child. While this was an isolated incident, the expectation for staff to check on children in the home has not been made explicit, and no further learning for staff has arisen from this incident.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have a wide range of relevant background experience and skill sets. Staff development is a clear focus, with all but one new starter enrolled to complete the relevant qualification in residential childcare and several staff progressing into senior positions. There is a longstanding responsible individual who spends time in the home, and supports the manager, staff and children alike. Staff morale is high and staff speak positively about the support they receive from the manager. Staff are encouraged to engage in peer reflection and professional challenge, which strengthens the safeguarding culture in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Allegations made by children against staff are managed well. Referrals are made to relevant external agencies and internal investigations are undertaken. Children are kept informed and supported by the manager, and learning outcomes for staff are identified. Inspection report for children’s home: 2532139 5 However, the manager’s verbal response to discovering that one child had made an allegation about them was inappropriate and was overhead by the child. The manager has not apologised to the child, and this has negatively impacted the child’s view of the manager and their overall experience in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has not shared key information when submitting notifications of significant incidents to Ofsted. As a result, the seriousness of the incident is diluted. This limits the regulator’s oversight of safeguarding practice in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has good oversight of the home and audit trails are clear. Debriefs with children and staff take place following all incidents and are reflective and analytical. Learning for staff and follow-up work with children is identified and work completed is recorded in the incident file. Inspection report for children’s home: 2532139 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 registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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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)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly refers to ensuring that key information is detailed within notifications, to provide the regulator with oversight of safeguarding issues and responses by staff. 15 October 2026

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that any sanctions used to address poor behaviour should be restorative in nature, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. The registered person should ensure that any consequences used are appropriate and not used as a consequence when children go missing from care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38)  Staff should encourage children to share any concerns about their care or other matters as soon as they arise. Children must be able to take up issues or make a complaint with support and without any fear that this will result in any adverse consequences. Complaints should be addressed promptly with the child, and reparative conversations should be held with the child where appropriate. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph

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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 Inspection report for children’s home: 2532139 7 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: 2532139 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 19 Harrier Park, Northampton, Northamptonshire NN4 0QG

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Duncan MacKenzie

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Inspector

Jenna Allen, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2532139 9 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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