Children's Home run by THR SERVICES LIMITED in West Northamptonshire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2735355 1 Registered provider: THR SERVICES 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 owned by a small private provider and is registered to provide care for up to 2 children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has had no registered manager since June 2025. Since then, there have been 3 managers. The current manager has applied to register with Ofsted and an interview is pending.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered provider has appointed a new responsible individual, and Ofsted is currently checking that this person has the relevant capacity, experience and skills to carry out the role.

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Information about this children’s home

Two children moved out of the home on 17 June 2026. At the point of the monitoring visit, a restriction of accommodation remained in place. No children were living in the home, and no children had moved in.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out to review compliance notices issued after a previous monitoring visit on 17 June 2026. The compliance notices were issued under Regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard) and Regulation 12 (the protection of children standard).

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This monitoring visit

At this monitoring visit, the steps outlined in the compliance notices had been met.

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This monitoring visit

Since the previous monitoring visit, there have been changes in safeguarding working practices. Managers completed a review of safeguarding incidents and were able to identify shortfalls where children’s safety had not been maintained. This included learning from previous serious incidents. The review included reflections Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2735355 2 from an occasion that had led to a child going missing and a separate incident where alcohol was returned to a child following an incident. Managers recognised the increased risks that children were unnecessarily subjected to.

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This monitoring visit

At the last inspection, there were a lack of processes to support safely managing safeguarding incidents. To rectify this, managers have created working documents such as safeguarding notification forms, local authority designated safeguarding officer checklists and a new procedure for managing and overseeing notifications to the regulator. Managers intend to audit and dip sample any incidents to ensure that the learning is embedded and understand that this must be done consistently.

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This monitoring visit

Previously, the culture in the home was not understood or investigated. The manager and responsible individual have conducted cultural reviews to establish how and where closed cultures developed in the home. Leaders and managers have identified ways to monitor staff practice and culture including the use of supervision, differing staffing patterns and observations of practice to try and ensure that these cultures do not return.

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This monitoring visit

The home environment is not currently suitable for children to reside in. This is due to a lack of furnishings and the home being redecorated. Managers are refurbishing all the home and intend for works to be completed within the next two weeks.

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This monitoring visit

Deficits within the home’s matching process meant children had been inappropriately and unsafely placed. Managers recognise that this was harmful to children and a retrospective review of admissions was completed to identify where shortfalls had arisen. Managers have reflected on unsafe and poor working practices, which had impacted on the care and safety of children. There have been several improvements made in the matching processes, and managers have created documents to consider whether they would be able to offer a safe home to children.

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This monitoring visit

Staff training has been reviewed. Managers have created a staff skills and knowledge analysis to identify shortfalls in learning. Although this could have been more comprehensive, essential staff training has now been completed. Managers have identified external trainers to provide additional training to the team in specific areas such as a session on trauma-informed care. Managers have begun to implement systems to ensure that training is embedded into everyday working practices.

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This monitoring visit

There has been a retrospective review of staff supervision. The manager has begun to use a supervision template with a reflective learning model built in. Supervisions viewed using this template were thorough and analytical. There are now systems in place to ensure that supervisions are not missed. Managers have used supervision to facilitate reflective discussions on previous incidents with the staff team both as individuals and as group learning and reflection. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2735355 3 There has been a high staff turnover in the team with 9 staff members having left. Staffing in the home is still unstable. Managers have discussed having staff ready to begin working at the home once children move in. Managers are aware of the importance of the staff team stabilising before children can move in.

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This monitoring visit

A retrospective audit of the children’s records was not completed. This included missing-from-home episodes for a previous child. Further, records for this child have not been safely stored in line with regulations, which could impact on children’s understanding of their life story. Managers have begun to take steps to improve and analyse the quality of care the home provides and intend to complete monthly audits of children’s case records and incidents.

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This monitoring visit

Not all previous requirements were reviewed during this inspection and have been restated. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2735355 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/04/2026 Full Inadequate 13/05/2025 Full Good 15/07/2024 Full Good 23/04/2024 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2735355 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 with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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Requirement Due date

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice.

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child; and 23 October 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2735355 6 enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(iv)(vi)(vii)(ix)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, staff should support each child to engage in meaningful daily routines and activities that promote structure, build life skills and prepare them for greater independence. The home should be in a good condition to ensure that children can live there comfortably.

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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—

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Requirement Due date

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 staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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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

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on— 23 October 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2735355 7 feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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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)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

Leaders support staff to work together as a team.

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Requirement Due date

There are enough staff to ensure the needs of children are met.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders have effective oversight of all areas of staff practice and the experience of children.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders have systems in place to drive improvements within the home.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was set at the last inspection and is restated.

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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 children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home; 23 October 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2735355 8 manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders should only agree to placements for a child where staff can consistently meet children’s needs and where children living in the home are prepared for others moving in. Leaders should ensure that children’s plans are robust and that care plans are followed by staff.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was set at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

he health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well- being; 23 October 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2735355 9 that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iv)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that leaders and staff understand the health needs of children.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was set at the last inspection and is restated . Fire precautions

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

ensure, by means of fire drills and practices at suitable intervals, that persons working at the home and, so far as reasonably practicable, children are aware of the procedure to be followed in case of fire. (Regulation 25 (1)(a)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that regular fire drills take place and that staff have a good understanding of how to safely evacuate children. All actions from independent professionals’ review of fire should be promptly completed.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was set at the last inspection and is restated. 23 October 2026

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour.

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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 staff— 23 October 2026 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2735355 10 strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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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. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(viii)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, staff should understand the impact of past experiences on children and should seek to develop positive and trusting relationships with children.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was set at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child.

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Requirement Due date

in a secure place after the child has ceased to be accommodated in the home. (Regulation 36 (1)(a) (2)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was set at the last inspection and is restated. 23 October 2026

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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: 2735355 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: THR SERVICES LIMITED

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Room 2 First Floor, Main Road, Middleton Cheney, Banbury OX17 2PW

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Inspector

Dan Griffin, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2735355 12 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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