ORCHARD HOUSE - NORTHAMPTON LTD

Orchard House – Northampton Ltd supports care-experienced young people to build confidence, develop practical skills and move towards greater independence.

Established in 2019 by former foster carers Mark and Ruth Carter, the organisation grew from a belief that young people need a safe, welcoming home, trusted relationships and consistent encouragement to thrive and develop their independence with support. That personal commitment continues to shape our work.

Today, we operate one 24/7 staffed supported accommodation provision in Northampton, within our Ofsted-registered service for young people aged 16–17, alongside two 18+ provisions in Northampton and Milton Keynes. Our 18+ accommodation provides visiting support, with access to out-of-hours advice, helping young adults manage increasing independence.

Our “Journey to Independence” life skills programme helps young people develop skills in areas such as budgeting, cooking, managing a home, building relationships and preparing for work or education alongside daily independent routines. Support reflects each person’s needs, abilities and aspirations, with young people actively involved in decisions about their lives.

We achieved Ofsted registration for supported accommodation in September 2023. We are now preparing for our next stage of development: opening a registered children’s home, subject to Ofsted registration, to extend the care and support we can offer.

We are a small, committed team that values compassion, professionalism and accountability. We welcome people who can build trusting relationships, maintain clear boundaries and recognise the difference that reliable, thoughtful support can make.

Success through Support.

Our mission is to provide safe, welcoming homes where young people feel valued, listened to and supported to build positive futures.

Drawing on our roots in fostering, we put the individual young person at the centre of our work. We build trusting relationships, recognise strengths and provide practical support that develops confidence, wellbeing and independence at a pace suited to each person.

Our values guide our everyday actions:

• Compassion and respect — responding with patience, empathy and dignity, recognising each young person’s experiences and individual needs.

• Safety and belonging — creating inclusive homes, maintaining clear boundaries and taking safeguarding seriously.

• Voice and choice — listening to young people and involving them meaningfully in decisions about their homes, support and futures.

• Empowerment and aspiration — helping young people develop skills, make informed choices and recognise their potential.

• Integrity and accountability — being reliable, communicating openly, taking responsibility and learning from our practice.

• Teamwork and partnership — supporting colleagues and working constructively with families, social workers and other professionals.

As we develop our planned children’s home, these principles will remain central to our approach. We want colleagues who share them and demonstrate them through consistent, thoughtful everyday actions.