Children's home run by Nestlings Care Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 2510604 1 Registered provider: Nestlings Care Ltd 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 run. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for four children who may have mental disorders and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

This is the first inspection since the home’s registration in July 2019. The home has a registered manager in place.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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Outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected Good

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Outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers Good

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Outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of ‘good’. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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Outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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Outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 2510604 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

This is the home’s first inspection since registration. Inspection report children’s home: 2510604 3

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outstanding

Young people receive care that enables them to make exceptional progress from their starting points. The individualised, comprehensive and nurturing care supports their self-worth, independence and emotional insight. This level of support has facilitated some young people to make the successful transition from previous segregated care into community-based group living.

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outstanding

Young people have access to a range of professionals who offer holistic and joined- up care, including occupational therapy, psychological therapy, mental health nursing and residential workers. Care provided to young people is reflective and well informed through the wide range of expertise that is available.

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outstanding

Through living at the home, young people’s life chances are significantly enhanced. Progress includes the ability to participate in community activities, the development of aspirations for their futures, reduction in the severity and frequency of incidents of self-harm, engagement in education and increased emotional resilience.

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outstanding

One parent, describing the care her daughter receives, commented: ‘They are consistent in what they promised, [and] in everything they have delivered for her. I couldn’t ask for a better placement.’ A social worker described the care that another young person receives as ‘outstanding’, adding, ‘She is now in a positive place, and the home have been a real blessing for her.’

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outstanding

Transitions into the home are extremely well planned, and young people are welcomed sensitively. When young people’s progress faulters, staff evaluate and adjust the care to ensure that young people continue to embed their sense of safety and maintain their progress.

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outstanding

Despite the challenges that the young people’s behaviours may present to the staff, they continuously place the well-being of young people at the centre of their practice. In response to some of these challenges, staff have been responsive and flexible in order to better meet the emerging needs of young people.

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outstanding

Young people are involved in developing their care plans and are regularly consulted on their needs. They have regular access to independent advocacy to assist them in writing their own reports for meetings. Young people feel listened to and understood by the adults that care for them.

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

The risks that young people’s behaviours can present to themselves and others is well understood by the staff. There are well-developed risk assessments, and behaviour management plans are in place to ensure that staff are aware of what is required of them should risks increase. However, staff records do not always reflect Inspection report children’s home: 2510604 4 the adherence to those plans, in particular an account of staff observations of young people during the night.

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

Overall, there are high levels of staff vigilance, and ratios of staff help to keep young people safe. The staffing arrangements are balanced and proportionate alongside young people’s needs which helps to develop their social skills within their communities and develop self-regulation.

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

Physical interventions are used in accordance with policies and regulations. However, the records of such interventions are not always comprehensive. For example, it is not always recorded when staff and young people have received debriefs, and some young people have been debriefed by staff who were involved in the restraint.

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

There have not been any incidents of young people going missing from home. Allegations and complaints have been dealt with in a timely manner and have appropriately been referred to the designated officer. However, not all serious incidents have been notified to Ofsted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitably qualified and experienced. He is supported in his role by a range of specialist professionals, who complement and support the care that staff provide.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The managers have good oversight of the plans for young people and liaise closely with all professionals, local authorities and parents. This ensures that care for young people is carefully considered and appropriately informed. However, staff are not in receipt of all written local authority plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are supported in their roles through regular supervision, thorough induction processes and through informal consultations. There is a range of training that supports their work, and this is further complemented through multi-disciplinary meetings and advice that is given. This drives the care provided and ensures that young people continue to make progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Young people benefit from a spacious home that is furnished to a high standard. However, plans to decorate young people’s rooms to their choice have been delayed and have not met the timescales set out in the home’s development plan.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Although the home has a car for the transport of young people, they have said that this has previously caused difficulties in meeting their expectations of access to activities. Due to the risk assessments and restrictions for some young people using public transport, there are pressures when considering the use of the car if longer activities are planned. There is currently no management plan in place to consider how this will be resolved, given that there is an intention to increase the number of young people cared for in the home. Inspection report children’s home: 2510604 5

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child, and these records must be kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)) 30/04/2020

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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

the date, time and location of the use of the measure; a description of the measure and its duration; name of the person who used the measure ("the user"), and any other person present when the measure was used; within 24 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 measures; and 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)(iii)(iv)(vi)(viii)(b)(i)(c)) 30/04/2020

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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. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure–

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Requirement Due date

that staff– understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered manager. (Regulation (1)(2)(a)(v))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, that plans developed to keep children safe are adhered to by staff and staff actions are accurately recorded. 31/03/2020 Inspection report children’s home: 2510604 6 The registered person must notify HMCI and each other person without delay if there is an incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(4)((e)). 30/04/2020 Inspection report children’s home: 2510604 7

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Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that children are offered a wide range of activities both inside and outside the home (where appropriate) and are encouraged to participate in those activities (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 31, paragraph 6.5). In particular, consideration should be given to increasing the availability of transport by car to those activities.

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Recommendations

 Children should be able to see the results of their views being listened to and acted upon. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11).

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Recommendations

In particular, children’s rooms should be decorated and personalised in line with their views and wishes. Inspection report children’s home: 2510604 8

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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 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: 2510604 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Suite 4, 1 Derby Street, Leigh, Lancashire WN7 4PF

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Anthony Thompson

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Inspector

Pauline Yates, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2510604 10 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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