Children's Home run by Nurture Childcare Services Ltd in Lancashire

Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and operated by a private organisation. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to five young people who may have emotional or behavioural needs.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a manager in post who has been registered with Ofsted since June 2018.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: Improved effectiveness

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Information about this visit

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), Ofsted suspended all routine inspections in March 2020. As part of a phased return to routine inspection, we are undertaking assurance visits to children’s social care services that are inspected under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF).

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Information about this visit

At these visits, inspectors evaluate the extent to which:  children are well cared for  children are safe  leaders and managers are exercising strong leadership.

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Information about this visit

This visit was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000, following the published guidance for assurance visits.

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Information about this visit

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills is leading Ofsted’s work into how England’s social care system has delivered child-centred practice and care within the context of the restrictions placed on society during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Findings from the visit

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit. Assurance visit report: 1238043 2

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The care of children

Most young people make good progress. Young people receive effective care and enjoy good experiences. However, one young person has lived through some negative events, due to the behaviours of another resident.

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The care of children

Staff are skilled in developing relationships with young people who have previously struggled to engage with carers. These positive relationships support young people’s progress and emotional well-being. A parent said, ‘They have time for him and really make an effort. I think he feels that, and it makes him want to do well.’

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The care of children

Staff have a good understanding of young people’s needs and plan their care accordingly. Staff ensure that young people have access to additional services, such as healthcare, where necessary. Young people’s care plans demonstrate that their views are encouraged and considered.

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The care of children

Staff understand the importance of education and ensure that young people receive the support they need to access appropriate learning or training opportunities. The young person who currently lives in the home has made very positive progress from his starting point and is now attending education for the first time in several years. His social worker commented that this is testament to the support he receives at the home.

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The safety of children

The home cares for young people with complex needs. There are often significant concerns about young people at the point of their admission. For most young people, risks relating to their care have reduced significantly over time.

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The safety of children

Reducing risks has resulted in positive outcomes for several young people. For example, a court order restricting some aspects of one young person’s liberty was removed due to the positive progress she had made at the home.

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The safety of children

Staff work closely with external professionals to identify and manage risk. There are clear protocols in place for young people who may go missing, and multi-agency risk management plans to safeguard young people at risk of exploitation.

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The safety of children

Not all aspects of risk management have been consistently effective. Several incidents have taken place in the home that demonstrate that young people have not received appropriate support overnight. In addition, relationships between young people have not always been managed in a way that prevents them harming each other.

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The safety of children

Staff understand young people and why they may behave in certain ways. Staff support young people’s positive behaviours in a consistent and constructive manner. This positive support has resulted in a signification reduction in serious incidents for the current resident of the home. Assurance visit report: 1238043 3 At times, staff use consequences as a way of helping young people to understand the impact of their negative behaviours. However, these are not always proportionate or relevant to the behaviours displayed by the child.

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Leaders and managers

There is a suitably qualified and experienced manager in place. Staff and external professionals express confidence in the manager and speak highly of his leadership.

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Leaders and managers

The manager works positively with external agencies to help ensure that young people’s needs are met. The manager demonstrates the ability to challenge professionals in an effective way, in circumstances where a young person’s service is falling short.

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Leaders and managers

Staff express confidence in the manager and report good levels of support and training. The provider has taken steps to ensure that staff continue to benefit from training, including face-to-face training in physical intervention, throughout the pandemic.

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Leaders and managers

There is a stable staff team in place. This means that young people receive their care from a consistent team that knows them well. However, staffing arrangements have not always been suitable in terms of ensuring that young people receive safe and effective care overnight.

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Leaders and managers

The manager makes use of monitoring processes to identify shortfalls and improve the care provided to young people. However, these have not always been effective in terms of learning from adverse incidents that have occurred in the home.

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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 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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if 30/10/2020 Assurance visit report: 1238043 4 necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other.

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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

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

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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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(d)(h)) 30/10/2020

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Recommendations

 Any sanctions used to address poor behaviour should be restorative in nature, relevant to the behaviour and proportionate, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 47, paragraph 9.38).

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Nurture Childcare Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 71 Edge End Lane, Great Harwood, Blackburn, Lancashire BB6 7QD

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Carl Pixton Assurance visit report: 1238043 5

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Inspector

Marie Cordingley, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: 1238043 6 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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