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

Information about this children’s home

The home is one of a number operated by a private provider. It provides care and accommodation for up to two children who may have emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has managed the home since it was registered in August 2019.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 4 February 2020

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: Requires improvement to be good

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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:

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Information about this visit

 children are well cared for  children are safe  leaders and managers are exercising strong leadership. 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: 2534829 2

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The care of children

There has only been one young person accommodated in the home at any one time since the home was registered. One young person moved out of the home in June 2020. While there had been escalating concerns about this young person putting himself at risk when out in the community, social care professionals report that he did make progress while living here. He was in a more positive place when he moved on from the home than he was when he was placed. Although notice was served by the organisation, the registered manager went out of his way to make the move as smooth as possible. The manager moved into the home to care for the young person for over a week prior to his departure to ease his transition.

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The care of children

A new young person moved into the home approximately two weeks later. Her move was planned, and she was able to visit the home and spend time with staff prior to moving in. She is thriving in this small, family environment. She is free from peer pressure and is simply enjoying her time in the home. She has positive relationships with the staff who are caring for her.

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The care of children

The young person moved into the home during lockdown, which has limited her ability to engage in some activities. She enjoys going to the cinema, watching films with staff and shopping for clothes. She recently enjoyed a reward of having her nails done at a salon. The young person also has a pet rabbit. She takes care of the rabbit herself, enjoys spending time with it and it is proving helpful to calm the young person when she is angry or upset.

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The care of children

Staff support family contact. Face-to-face contact has continued throughout lockdown. Contact has also recently been facilitated with the young person’s brothers, who she had not seen for some time, which was a positive experience for all. Staff appreciate the significance of these relationships and work with the young person’s family, not against them.

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The care of children

The young person started a new college course in September. However, she struggled to control her behaviour, culminating in her exclusion after attending for four weeks. The manager is working with the organisation’s education co-ordinator and the local authority to source a more appropriate placement. They are hoping that she will be able to start at a new provision after the half-term break.

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The safety of children

There is some positive safeguarding practice in the home. Impact risk assessments support decision-making about the suitability of accepting a new young person into the home.

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The safety of children

There has been a clear reduction in the young person’s risk-taking behaviour following her admission to the home. There have been no serious safeguarding incidents and the young person has not put herself at risk by going missing from the home, despite this being an area of concern prior to her admission. Assurance visit report: 2534829 3 A thorough risk assessment ensures that staff are aware of historic behaviours of concern and are aware of the best strategy to employ to manage these. However, despite a recent update to this document, the current arrangements for managing the young person’s access to her mobile phone safely, were incorrect. It did not match with the young person’s behaviour support plan, which did contain the up-to- date arrangements. Staff spoken to on inspection were also unaware of the updated arrangement. This has the potential to cause an unnecessary incident when staff attempt to implement a procedure that is no longer required.

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The safety of children

There have been no physical interventions since the last inspection, nor have staff needed to sanction poor behaviour. Young people have incentive programmes to help promote positive behaviour.

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The safety of children

Due to the young person living as a solo placement currently, staff are able to have conversations on a variety of topics naturally, rather than arranging a formal time to discuss a particular topic. Staff have completed work on internet safety and safe use of social media with the young person, sharing important key messages. This has proven effective, as the young person has been able to tell staff when she has received inappropriate messages on her mobile phone. The young person has then taken the appropriate action, such as blocking the sender, with support and praise from staff for doing so.

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The safety of children

While Ofsted has been notified about serious incidents in the home relating to the former resident, a serious incident in another home did have implications for staff working in this home. Although the organisation did complete an investigation, discussion did not take place with the local authority designated officer and no notification was made. This prevents Ofsted and other safeguarding bodies from ensuring that the necessary actions have been taken.

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Leaders and managers

The registered manager is appropriately qualified and experienced. He has managed the home since it was registered, so he knows the staff and young person very well. He listens to the young people and is responsive to their individual needs and requests, whenever he can be. He does not make false promises and young people respect this.

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Leaders and managers

Staff are positive about working in the home and feel well supported. They receive regular supervision and report that the manager champions their career progression. The staff team is stable, indicating that they are indeed happy working here. One staff member said, ‘It is like a family unit; we support each other.’ During lockdown, staff stayed in the home for a week at a time to reduce the risk of transmitting the virus. Although demanding, they agreed that this was the most effective way of working to keep everyone safe.

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Leaders and managers

Action has been taken to address the six requirements made at the last full inspection. One requirement relating to serious incident notifications is repeated at Assurance visit report: 2534829 4 this assurance visit, as highlighted above. One further requirement is made regarding sending updated copies of the statement of purpose to Ofsted in a timely manner, as is required by regulation. This document had been updated a number of months ago, but a copy was not sent to Ofsted, preventing review.

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Leaders and managers

Good use is made of both internal and external monitoring. Independent visits were completed remotely for a short period of time during the pandemic, although these returned to on-site visits as soon as was feasible. Recording viewed was of a good quality, with the manager developing a new monthly audit form during this assurance visit.

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Leaders and managers

Social work professionals speak positively about the home. They say that communication is good. One commented, ‘Staff have been very good at developing a relationship with [Name of the young person] and are creative in meeting the needs of her care plan’, and another said, ‘I have no concerns about the skills and communication of staff; they always keep me informed.’

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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 compile in relation to the children’s home a statement ("the statement of purpose") which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if– 16/11/2020 Assurance visit report: 2534829 5 a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

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);

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Requirement Due date

or 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

 Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day to day basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5) Assurance visit report: 2534829 6

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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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Inspector

Mandy Williams, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: 2534829 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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Inspector

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