Children's home run by 2nd Nurture Limited in St. Helens

Inspection report children’s home: SC454265 1 SC454265 Registered provider: 2nd Nurture Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a private provider and offers care and accommodation to one child who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered for this home since 2012.

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been no admissions to, or discharges from, the home since the last inspection.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The child living at the home has made good progress, and his placing authority is now seeking a foster placement for him. He is maintaining good attendance at school. There is regular communication between the home, social worker and school so that professionals are aware of any arising issues. Staff from the home attend meetings to review and support the child’s progress. The child remains in good health and his health plan now gives a better oversight of his progress. He enjoys a range of activities and has recently joined the local library, as he loves to read. Staff responded promptly to this Inspection report children’s home: SC454265 2 request.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff recognise and understand factors that may be contributing to a recent deterioration in the child’s behaviour. They liaise with the local authority social worker to discuss how to help him and manage these challenges. An external service provides support for the child’s emotional needs. Unfortunately, the feedback from the service is minimal. This limits the home in providing ongoing support for his emotional well-being. There have also been changes within the staff team which have disrupted the consistency of care for the child.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

An education, health and care plan has now been drafted. It notes that the child needs support from education professionals who understand how developmental trauma can affect children’s behaviour. The registered manager has not used this information to access training in developmental trauma for herself or the staff team. This limits their understanding and how they should respond to the child’s specific needs.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

On one occasion, staff physically intervened to keep the child safe from road traffic. Following the incident, the home arranged for staff to have training in restraint that is appropriate for the child’s age. Newer staff have not been trained in this approach. Records of physical interventions do not meet the regulation.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager does not evaluate records of consequences for negative behaviour in a timely manner. The manager’s evaluation of the effectiveness of consequences is limited and does not reflect accurately the action she takes. For example, one consequence involved disrupting the child’s routine for settling in bed, because his tablet computer was removed. This meant that the child displayed further negative behaviours. The manager stated that she spoke with the member of staff about the appropriateness of the consequence. This is not recorded. One incident has two different records in the consequence book. This means that it is difficult to understand what consequence had been put in place.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The child has made allegations against a member of staff. Although these were reported to the local authority social worker, the home did not contact the designated officer or notify Ofsted in line with the home’s child protection policy.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The recording of some events lacks clarity and, on occasion, judgemental language about the child is used. Although the manager monitors the records, it is unclear how these practice issues are addressed.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager works shifts to care for the child on a regular basis. This limits her ability to observe practice and to fulfil her responsibilities in ensuring that the quality standards are met. She has not completed a suitable qualification within timescales. In her absence, evidence of the level of support provided by other leaders and managers within the organisation is unclear.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home’s workforce development plan is not specific to the home and does not include all required information. The statement of purpose for the home contains Inspection report children’s home: SC454265 3 inaccuracies. This means that placing authorities do not have a clear picture of the service that is provided. The manager committed to making the necessary changes immediately.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Although the location risk assessment for the home now includes previously missing information, such as a nearby motorway, the risks to a child’s safety have not been assessed.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

A new independent person has been visiting the home. The registered manager believes that the reports are more helpful than previously. However, visits are short and the reports do not fully evaluate practice within the home or make sufficient recommendations to support improvements. For example, recommendations were not made regarding appropriate recording of physical interventions or notifying relevant safeguarding agencies of allegations made against staff.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager has not completed the most recent review of care, and monthly review systems are limited in their effectiveness. Therefore, internal and external monitoring and review processes are not robust enough to support the manager’s understanding of the quality of care within the home. There is no clear plan in place to drive improvement.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The requirements made at the last inspection have not been met and are therefore repeated.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/08/2018 Full Good 17/10/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 31/01/2017 Interim Not judged 12/10/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC454265 4

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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, 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

A person may only manage a children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

the person has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills to manage the home effectively and lead the care of children.

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Requirement Due date

For the purpose of paragraph (1)(b)(i), a person has the appropriate experience and qualification if the person has—

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Requirement Due date

the level 5 diploma in Leadership and Management for residential childcare (England) (the level 5 diploma; or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered provider considers equivalent to the level 5 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of a person who was managing a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2017. (Regulation 28 (1)(b)(i)(2)(c)(3)(b)) 11/04/2019

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (‘the independent person’s report’) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered manager may take in relation to the home and timescale within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions. (Regulation 44 (4)(b)(5))

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Requirement Due date

This is specifically in relation to ensuring that sufficient time is taken to carry out the visit to thoroughly review the home’s records and to evaluate the home’s practice. Where the home is not following the provider’s policies and procedures or statutory 11/04/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC454265 5 regulations, the independent person should recommend actions to address shortfalls. 45: Review of quality of care The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (‘a quality of care review’) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed. (Regulation 45 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c)(4)(a)) 11/04/2019

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Requirement Due date

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

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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

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

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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. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This is specifically in relation to referring any allegations against a member of staff to the designated officer and to ensuring that the safe area report is updated, and any risks are assessed. 11/04/2019

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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 an allegation of abuse against the home or a person 11/04/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC454265 6 working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)) The registered person must ensure that—

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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—

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

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

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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;

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Requirement Due date

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

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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;

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Requirement Due date

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’)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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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. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 11/04/2019

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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

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the 11/04/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC454265 7 registered person to—

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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

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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(b)(2)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person should ensure that staff receive training to support a child identified with developmental trauma, to be able to meet that child’s specified needs and that all staff have appropriate physical intervention training. The registered person should also ensure that oversight of records and monitoring and review systems specifically include how understanding of the child’s experiences is used to inform practice within the home.

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Recommendations

 Those with a leadership and/or management role should be visible and accessible to staff and able to deliver their leadership and/or management responsibilities. Any registered manager employed in the home should have sufficient capacity to ensure that the Quality Standards are met for each child in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.7) Specifically, if required to work shifts on a regular basis, the manager should ensure that she has the ability to fulfil her management responsibilities to oversee and evaluate practice so that the Quality Standards are met.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have a workforce plan which can fulfil the workforce related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 (paragraphs 19 and 20). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8) In particular, the plan should refer to the current staff team within the home and be reviewed and updated within stipulated timescales to contain the relevant information outlined in the guide.

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Recommendations

 The information set out in the Statement of Purpose is an essential part of the process of agreement between the registered person and placing authority that a placement in that home is the right one for that child, and that the home will be Inspection report children’s home: SC454265 8 able to respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.6) In particular, the statement of purpose should contain accurate information about the home and the services it offers.

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Recommendations

 Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the children’s home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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’.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: 2nd Nurture Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 64 Nathan Drive, Haydock, St Helens, Merseyside WA11 0GW

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: John Shirley Inspection report children’s home: SC454265 9 Registered manager: Denise Campbell

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Inspector

Karen Willson, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC454265 10 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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