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

Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been registered with Ofsted since April 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: not previously inspected

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: not previously inspected

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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 identified the following serious concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit: Assurance visit report: 2571033 2  The young person regularly goes missing from the home for long periods of time, including overnight. Staff are unable to work effectively with her to reduce the number of missing episodes.  Risk assessments have not been completed in relation to all known risk- taking behaviours, such as the management of known sexual relationships and fire risk.  Risk assessments do not always contain clear strategies for staff to be able to manage risk safely.  Staff have failed to implement boundaries and are reluctant to challenge the young person’s behaviour.  Several serious incidents in the home have not been notified to Ofsted, as required by regulation.

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The care of children

The young person’s progress is significantly compromised by her frequent risk-taking behaviour and her unwillingness to engage with her care plan and staff. There has been a recent escalation in these behaviours and the young person is spending a considerable amount of time missing from the home.

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The care of children

Staff provide the young person with a welcoming home and nurturing care. They have tried hard to build positive relationships with the young person and engage her in a wide range of activities. This approach was successful initially, however, the young person is increasingly reluctant to engage with staff and spend time at the home. As a result, the staff are struggling to positively influence the young person’s behaviour.

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The care of children

The young person is consulted about her opinions about the home. Staff have encouraged her to personalise her bedroom and make choices with regards to her daily care. Staff listen to the young person’s views and she is involved in decision making about her care. The young person has access to an advocate to support her with this.

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The care of children

The young person is not attending education. Staff have tried to encourage the young person to return to school. However, a lack of daily routine means the young person often stays in bed for long periods during the day. This does not support a return or re-engagement with education. Consequently, her future learning, training and employment opportunities may be affected. The young person’s care plan does not sufficiently detail her care needs or the strategies that staff should use to support her. This does not promote a consistent, personalised response to the young person’s needs. A requirement has been raised to improve this. Assurance visit report: 2571033 3

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The safety of children

The young person regularly goes missing from the home for long periods of time, including overnight. Staff are often uncertain of her whereabouts and safety when she is out in the community. Staff are unable to work effectively with her to reduce the number of missing episodes.

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The safety of children

The staff team’s enthusiasm for developing a positive relationship with the young person means that they sometimes do not challenge the young person’s behaviours or implement boundaries effectively. For example, staff demonstrated a reluctance to follow some of the instructions contained within both the young person’s risk assessment and a court order in relation to her mobile phone.

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The safety of children

The assessment of risk and risk management strategies is weak. Not all known risks and vulnerabilities are assessed. For example, a concern that the young person was involved in a sexual relationship with another young person has not been assessed and no strategies are in place to support staff to manage the relationship safely.

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The safety of children

Staff do not always follow the instructions contained within the young person’s risk assessments. For example, staff took the young person shopping in a prohibited location. The young person subsequently went missing from this location. This demonstrates that staff lack an understanding of their roles and responsibilities in relation to the protection of young people.

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The safety of children

Some control measures detailed within the young person’s risk assessments are not sufficiently robust to reduce risk. For example, despite knowing that the young person is smoking in the house, there is no clear plan in place to ensure that she does not have access to a means to light her cigarettes. This is a fire hazard and presents a risk to both the young person and staff.

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The safety of children

Not all aspects of risk management have been consistently effective. For example, the young person has been able to disable the home’s alarm system and young people from another home operated by the provider were able to gain access to the property without staff knowing. During one of these incidents, staff did not challenge the young people immediately on discovering them, but sought assistance from staff located in another home. This failed to adequately safeguard the young people.

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Leaders and managers

The registered manager is suitably qualified to undertake the role. She has managed the home since it was registered with Ofsted in April 2020. The manager is available and accessible to both the young person and the staff team. Staff report that they feel supported and can approach the manager for advice and guidance.

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Leaders and managers

Staff benefit from regular supervision and team meetings. The manager has used a recent team meeting to improve staff understanding of safeguarding practices. Staff Assurance visit report: 2571033 4 have also attended mandatory training as part of their induction programme. However, the manager has not developed an effective behaviour support plan or risk management strategy and, as a result, staff are struggling to positively manage the young person’s behaviour.

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Leaders and managers

The manager’s internal and external monitoring systems are not sufficiently robust, and a number of shortfalls were identified during the assurance visit. For example, staff were using incorrect paperwork to record weekly safety checks in the home. As a result, staff failed to check whether the property’s door alarms were working effectively for several weeks.

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Leaders and managers

There is evidence of collaborative working with other professionals involved in the young person’s care. However, feedback from professionals was mixed. Professionals reported that staff often referred decisions regarding the young person’s day-to-day care to the social worker.

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Leaders and managers

The manager has failed to notify Ofsted of a number of significant events that have occurred within the home. There has also been a delay in submitting some notifications. This hinders Ofsted’s ability to review the information in a timely way and to ensure that the provider has taken the necessary actions. A requirement has been made to address this.

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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— that staff—

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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 necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; 06/11/20 Assurance visit report: 2571033 5 understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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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

(Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)) 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 promotes their welfare.

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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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

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)(a)(c)(h)) 06/11/20

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that each child’s relevant plans are followed.

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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

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation; 06/11/20 Assurance visit report: 2571033 6 an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child — is instigated; or concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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Recommendations

 Expectations of standards of behaviour should be high for all staff and children in the home. These standards should be clear and unambiguous. Positive behaviour and relationships should be reinforced, praised and encouraged; poor behaviour should be challenged and discussed. In particular, staff should have the skills to challenge poor behaviour and apply consistent boundaries. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.11)

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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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Inspectors

Sophie Thomson, Social Care Inspector Mandy Williams, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: 2571033 7 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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