Children's home run by Nugent Care 2019 in Liverpool

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC371267 1 SC371267

p.1

Nugent Care 2019

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The service is operated by a voluntary organisation and is registered for up to 13 children and young people, between the ages of seven and 19, who have a range of special educational needs and who require either a residential-only provision or residential and specialist-school provision. The service is operated out of eight separate houses, although only three are currently in operation.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered manager resigned from the post in June 2019. A new manager had been identified and they had submitted an application to register with Ofsted. However, following this visit they made the decision to resign from the post.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Following an escalation in safeguarding notifications, an urgent monitoring visit was undertaken on 8 July 2020. A number of safeguarding concerns were identified. Consequently, four compliance notices were issued: under regulation 12, the protection of children standard; regulation 13, the leadership and management standard; regulation 27, the appointment of a manager; and regulation 35, the behaviour management standard. In addition, a notice restricting accommodation was issued, preventing the provider from accepting any new admissions.

p.1

This monitoring visit

A monitoring visit took place on 26 August 2020 to consider the action taken by the provider to meet the steps in the compliance notices. The provider was unable to demonstrate that sufficient action had been taken to meet the steps contained within the notice. Following a case review, four compliance notices were issued relating to the same regulations as the previous notices.

p.1

This monitoring visit

A further monitoring visit took place on 30 September 2020 to consider the action the provider had taken to meet the compliance notices issued, and to ensure that the provider had complied with the restriction notice. The provider had complied with the restriction notice and at that stage there were 19 children living in the Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC371267 2 homes. The provider had served notice on three further children, having identified that it was unable to meet the children’s needs.

p.1

This monitoring visit

During the visit on 30 September 2020, inspectors identified further shortfalls in relation to safeguarding, risk management and care planning, and concerns about the ability of leaders and managers to safeguard and promote children’s well-being. The provider was unable to demonstrate that the action it had taken was sufficient to safeguard some of the children living in the homes. Therefore, compliance notices were issued to address the breaches in regulations as well as an urgent variation to the conditions of the home restricting accommodation further to 13 children.

p.2

This monitoring visit

This most recent monitoring visit took place on 11 November 2020. Since the last visit the organisation has gone through a period of change. Following a four-week consultation with staff about the restructure of the organisation, a significant number of staff have left the service due to redundancy. The provider reported that the rationale for these changes was to secure the future of the service, reduce the numbers of children cared for and improve the quality of care. However, the changes have not supported consistently safer practice.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Several changes in staff have led to inconsistent care and children’s individual needs have not been consistently met. Furthermore, some children are not receiving care from a nurturing staff team. Some children expressed their unhappiness at living in the homes and one child said ‘some staff do not care about us’ and, ‘It’s all just too confusing. One [staff] says yes, the other says no, and they [staff] just don’t listen to us.’

p.2

This monitoring visit

During this visit, a small group of staff presented as unprofessional and attempted to obstruct the inspection process. Furthermore, inspectors found that safeguarding practices in the homes were not sufficient to keep the children safe and identified that staff practice when working with one child was outside of the home’s policy on safe working. When brought to the attention of senior managers immediate action was taken to keep the child safe and all safeguarding professionals were notified.

p.2

This monitoring visit

On the day of the visit, several children did not attend education and were not encouraged to engage in purposeful activity. Some children remained in their bedrooms and staff were unclear if children had been offered refreshments, including their breakfast and lunch. Poor routines and a lack of structure to children’s days limit their opportunities to reach their full educational potential and affect their future life chances.

p.2

This monitoring visit

The management team had made improvements throughout the homes to improve the physical environment. However, inspectors found a broken window, broken and damaged plant pots, broken curtain rails and damaged radiators in some of the homes. One child had caused damage to their bedroom furniture, which had not been replaced. Despite the improvements made by the organisation, staff had failed to sustain the improvements and had not taken immediate action to ensure that repairs were carried out and to maintain a safe environment for children. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC371267 3 The management team have developed a new system for risk management that provides staff with the agreed strategies to minimise risk and ensure that staff understand each child’s risks, to care for them safely. Leaders and managers reported that they had spent time talking to staff about the new processes in place.

p.2

This monitoring visit

However, some staff reported that they did not understand the risks for children and did not understand what action to take if a child was at risk of harm. It remains concerning that not all staff demonstrated that they have the ability to keep children safe.

p.3

This monitoring visit

Risk management plans are now colour coded and contain known risks and preventative and reactive measures. This is supported by a new system of daily briefings for all staff to ensure that they are aware of any new risks or plans for individual children before they start their duties. Despite the improvements to the paperwork not all staff were clear about the current risks for children or the actions they should take to safeguard and protect the children in their care.

p.3

This monitoring visit

Risk management plans and placement plans have been updated. However, not all staff demonstrate an awareness of the strategies provided and therefore are unable to implement agreed strategies. For example, one child with complex needs was involved in an incident when he broke his bedroom window and the police were called to help manage his behaviour. This was triggered by a member of staff not adhering to his known routine. In addition, staff members told inspectors that they were concerned about the group dynamics for children and bullying behaviour. These risks had not been included in the risk management plans and plans for children.

p.3

This monitoring visit

Staff told inspectors they have not had regular team meetings or practice-based supervision. Managers accept that the process of redundancy and the necessary consultation period has had an impact on making the improvements needed and discussions with staff. Some staff members also told inspectors that there was a lack of day-to-day management visibility in the individual settings. However, the visitor’s book contradicted this information which demonstrated that senior managers had visited all of the homes.

p.3

This monitoring visit

The provider has introduced new management arrangements for each of the homes and improved the on-call system. However, some staff members said that they found the new management arrangements confusing. Some staff remain unclear about who to contact if a safeguarding incident occurs and do not understand the three tiers of management system in place and who to contact and when. This fails to demonstrate that all staff will take appropriate action when children are not safe.

p.3

This monitoring visit

Although the provider has taken some action to start to address the steps in the compliance notices issued under regulations 12 and 13, sufficient action had not been taken to meet the two notices. However, the provider was able to provide information about the improvements that had been made to the oversight of Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC371267 4 physical intervention records. As a result, a compliance notice under regulation 35, behaviour management, was found to be met.

p.3

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 22/01/2020 Interim Declined in effectiveness 06/08/2019 Full Good 04/12/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 15/08/2018 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC371267 5

p.4

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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who— develop positive relationships with them; engage with them; and take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— ensure that staff— ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare; help each child to express views, wishes and feelings; help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)) 9 December 2020

p.5

Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on— Mutual respect and trust an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and positive responses to other children and adults.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans; encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding; help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone; 9 December 2020 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC371267 6 (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(iii))

p.5

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

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; help each child to understand how to keep safe; have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other; understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

p.6

Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)) 9 December 2020

p.6

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—

p.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.6

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate; 9 December 2020 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC371267 7 ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

p.7

Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

p.7

Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

p.7

Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

p.7

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)) 9 December 2020

p.7

Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

p.7

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC371267 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 99 Edge Lane, Edge Hill, Liverpool L7 2PE

p.8

Inspectors

Jessica Forshaw, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC371267 9 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.

p.8

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspectors

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

p.9