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

Inspection report children’s home: SC454265 1 SC454265 Registered provider: 2nd Nurture 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

A private company owns this home. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for one young person who may have behavioural and/or emotional difficulties. The current manager was registered with Ofsted in January 2013.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: 28 February 2019

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: declined in effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC454265 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/02/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 14/08/2018 Full Good 17/10/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 31/01/2017 Interim Not judged Inspection report children’s home: SC454265 3

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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

The registered person must ensure that— 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— a description of the measure and its duration; details of any methods used, or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(a)(iv)(v)) 30/11/2019

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation— must include details of— the matter; the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter; the notification must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40(5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b)) 30/11/2019

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must— ensure, by the 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)(d)) In particular, ensure that when staff from other homes are covering shifts they complete a fire drill to familiarise themselves with the procedure for this home. 30/11/2019

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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. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.7) Inspection report children’s home: SC454265 4 Specifically, ensure that the rota evidences that the manager is in day-to-day charge of the home.  The registered person should through internal monitoring ensure continuous improvement. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)  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)  The registered person should actively seek independent scrutiny of the home and

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Recommendations

make best use of information from independent and internal monitoring to ensure continuous improvement. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24) This is specifically in relation to ensuring that different forms of consulting with the young person are explored.  Ensure that the home’s records on each child represent a significant contribution to their life history. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.5) This is specifically in relation to ensuring that young people’s files are maintained in a good order.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young person has lived at this home for over a year. Staff have worked closely with health and educational professionals and the young person has made significant progress since being admitted to the home. The manager sourced additional emotional support for the young person, including attending play therapy sessions. Alongside this, the staff have completed training on the effects of trauma. This training has developed their awareness of trauma and its effects and has assisted the staff to have a better understanding of the young person’s needs. Staff have also reviewed the young person’s diet that was previously high in sugar content. This has made a big difference to the young person’s behaviour, his thought processes and how staff are able to care for him on a day-to-day basis. The young person struggled at school and was placed in an alternative education provision. The manager worked closely with educational professionals and a new

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

provision was identified that could meet the young person’s needs. Alongside this attendance at play therapy sessions resulted in a significant improvement in the young person’s education. He now has full attendance, is catching up with his peers academically and there are no concerns about his behaviour. He has several certificates celebrating these achievements. Initially, the young person had difficulty socialising with other children. He now attends Inspection report children’s home: SC454265 5 the youth club and has made several friends. The young person enjoys going to the cinema, baking and playing in the park. His passion is arts and crafts, and his pictures and models are displayed around the home. In addition to this, he was entered into a young writer’s competition and won. When the book is published, the manager intends to buy several copies for him to give to his friends and family. The physical environment of the home is good. It is maintained well and is nicely

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

decorated and furnished. The young person said, ‘I have had my bedroom decorated, and I love it. I have got new storage boxes to keep all my things in.’ The young person is also a keen collector and the items he collects are proudly displayed in his bedroom.

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

The young person said that he was happy and safe at this home. Safeguarding practice is good and promotes the welfare and safety of the young person. The staff are trained in safeguarding and additional areas such as child sexual exploitation, e-safety and radicalisation. Staff are able to articulate their understanding of this training and they therefore have the skills and knowledge to identify any potential concern and to act accordingly to keep young people safe. The management of behaviour at the home is well managed due to clear, consistent boundaries that are followed. Through good oversight and evaluation of sanctions imposed, the manager implemented a more reflective approach to responding to behaviour. If there is an issue, the young person and staff member involved complete a feelings chart. This is shared between them. As a result, both parties can reflect on how their behaviour and how the incident made them feel. This practice has been successful

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

and has brought about a better understanding for all involved. The staff team has clear behaviour strategies to follow to prevent behaviours escalating, which appear to be effective. As a result, there has been no need to use any physical holds with the young person. However, at the last inspection, the manager was asked to ensure that the restraint recording system complies with the details set out in the Children’s Homes Regulations 2015. She has attempted to do this, but has missed several sections out, such as the child’s behaviour leading up to the measure and giving a description of the measure used. Therefore, the requirement has been repeated. Risks that the young person puts himself in are understood well by the staff and are well documented. The record includes the young person’s views, potential triggers and the agreed actions to take if an incident were to occur. This means that there is clear

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

guidance to staff and a consistent approach to dealing with situations. At the last inspection, the manager was asked to notify Ofsted of any serious event. The young person fell off his bike and broke his collarbone. The manager did not notify Ofsted in line with the home’s child protection policy. Therefore, this requirement has been repeated. Health and safety checks of the premises, appliances and utilities are completed routinely. All visitors are asked for identification and to sign in and out of the home. A review of the home’s location assessment addresses any known risks in the community. These good procedures help to keep the young person safe in the home. Staff and the Inspection report children’s home: SC454265 6 young person regularly complete an emergency evacuation, but staff from other homes, who have covered shifts when required, have not completed an emergency evacuation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

An experienced manager manages the home. She has recently completed her management qualification. However, the manager does not identify herself in the home’s rota. Therefore, it is difficult to see that she is in day-to-day charge of the home. The home’s statement of purpose reflects the aims, objectives and ethos of the home. The manager has a workforce plan, but it does not clearly identify the timescales for supervision or the disciplinary procedure. However, records show that staff are supervised regularly and that their practice is discussed within these meetings. One member of staff said, ‘Supervisions are a great opportunity to discuss what I could do better or to talk through any relevant issues.’ There is a full staff team that provides good continuity of care. Staff say that they feel well supported by the manager. Staff regularly discuss research, practice and social trends during staff meetings. They use these opportunities to reflect on how these

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

matters impact on them and the outcomes for the young person. In general, the home keeps good records on the young person’s progress and any meetings attended by the manager or staff, such as reviews conducted by the local authority. However, the young person’s file is cumbersome because old information has not been archived. This does not make the file easily accessible to the young person. External monitoring is completed regularly, but the independent visitor has not regularly consulted with the young person because she does not want to impact on his behaviour. However, she has not considered other forms of consultation, such as feedback forms or telephoning the young person to talk with him. Therefore, it is difficult to confidently say that the young person is able to talk to the independent visitor if he had a concern. The manager said that the external monitoring of the home helps her to identify the

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

weaknesses and strengths of the home. However, the manager does not take these findings through to her monitoring review and report. The manager’s report lacks evaluation and does not identify any actions to develop the service. Therefore, there is not a critical reflective view driving the service forward.

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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. Inspection report children’s home: SC454265 7 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

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Information about this inspection

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 children’s home: SC454265 8

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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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Inspector

Pam Nuckley, social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC454265 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 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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