Children's home run by Nestlings Care BC Limited in Trafford

Inspection report children’s home: SC473473 1 SC473473 Registered provider: Nestlings Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The provider states in its statement of purpose that it provides care for up to three children with complex mental health problems and challenging presentations with risks to self and others. The manager has been registered with Ofsted since October 2018.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, Ofsted suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC473473 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/06/2019 Full Good 23/01/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 26/09/2018 Full Good 27/11/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC473473 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported and are making progress. Children have lived in the home for a number of years. All children feel cared for and like living in the home. Children have personalised their bedrooms. One child said, ‘I cannot fault the staff at all, they really look after us well.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Careful multi-agency planning takes place before children move into the home. This wraparound support means that children’s needs are well understood. Children are encouraged to develop their independence skills. Staff are sensitive when assisting children with this and go at a pace that each child is comfortable with.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have made progress with their education. At times when children have been unable to attend school due to their mental health needs, a tutor has come to support them at the home. Staff have supported children to the point of them going to their education settings. This is huge progress for them. However, clearer plans are needed for one child who is not currently going to college.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a range of healthy activities. Staff regularly go with children to the gym, swimming and for walks. Staff have also taken the children on holiday this summer. This has been instrumental in improving the children’s self-esteem, health and well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Efforts have been made to strengthen the children’s relationships with their family. However, the manager has not escalated requests for children to ensure that they receive support they are entitled to. This has led to a number of plans drifting, including plans for children moving on from the home.

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

Children are safe and say they feel safe. The multi-disciplinary model includes a mental health nurse, occupational therapist and psychiatrist working alongside staff in the home and informing the risk management plans. As a result, incidents of children self-harming and the need for physical restraint have reduced.

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

Restraints are only used as a last resort. Staff know the children well and are able to de-escalate effectively, reducing the need for physical intervention. Records of restraint are clear and reviewed by management. The manager encourages open reflection and identifies any improvements with the staff.

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

Sanctions are rarely used; however, when they are used, children are not given the opportunity to comment on the record. Managers have not signed off records or evaluated the effectiveness of the sanctions used. This is a missed opportunity for children or the staff to learn and develop. Inspection report children’s home: SC473473 4 Children are invested in their plans. Staff complete direct work with children to help them build skills to keep themselves safe. Records kept are written sensitively in a way that children can access. This meets a previous recommendation.

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

Any complaints made are investigated thoroughly and children are kept informed when necessary. However, Ofsted has not always been informed. This has not had an impact on the children, but does reduce the oversight of the regulator.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is highly respected by the children and all who work with them. She is reflective and open to learning and development and has almost completed her leadership and management qualification. A number of improvements have been made in the home since the manager registered with Ofsted in 2018.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have received training relevant to the needs of the children. Face-to-face training has been reintroduced as the COVID-19 restrictions have eased. As a result, staff are well equipped to support the children with their individual needs. One social worker said, ‘The work staff do is really good, they assist with any communication issues. They have been useful in helping [Name of child] understand information and help him absorb it.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All staff, including regular agency staff, receive reflective supervision from the manager. This meets a previous requirement and provides staff with additional support and further develop. Annual appraisals are also completed, which allow clear targets to be set for each staff member.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff turnover has been high since the last inspection. The manager has gone to lengths to ensure that the impact on the children has been limited. Consistent staff have been used from agencies when necessary. However, exit interviews have not been routinely completed with staff who have moved on. This reduces the manager’s oversight of the reasons why staff leave and her ability to prevent this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have been recruited using the principles of safer recruitment. However, not all gaps in employment have been recorded and explored. References are received and verified; however, references are not always from previous posts where staff have worked with children. This has not had a direct impact on the children, but has the potential to do so. Inspection report children’s home: SC473473 5

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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, the 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 recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to managers ensuring that all interview notes are kept on file, all gaps in employment have been recorded and explored, and references sought from previous relevant positions involving caring for children 31 October 2021

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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

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

within 48 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 measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and 31 October 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC473473 6 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)(iv)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to staff recording and seeking the views of the child. This also relates to managers reviewing the effectiveness of the sanctions imposed.

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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 protection enquiry involving a child —

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Requirement Due date

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. (Regulation 40 (4)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 31 October 2021

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Recommendations

 The registered person should evidence what they have done to achieve engagement, including any actions taken to escalate concerns. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 11, paragraph 2.3)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children who are not in education for any period are supported to engage in suitable structured activities. These plans should be agreed with the educational provider. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should complete exit interviews when staff are leaving to help them understand and, where possible, address any negative trends. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.19) Inspection report children’s home: SC473473 7

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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: SC473473 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Nestlings Care Limited

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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

Sylvia Eboigbe, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC473473 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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