Marydale Lodge

Inspection report for children’s home: SC022448 1 SC022448 Registered provider: Nugent Care 2019 Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this secure children’s home

This secure children’s home is operated by a voluntary organisation and is approved by the Secretary of State to restrict children’s liberty. The children’s home can accommodate up to 12 children who are aged between 10 and 17. The home provides for children accommodated under section 25 of the Children Act 1989, who are placed by local authorities.

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Information about this secure children’s home

Admission of any young person under section 25 of the Children Act 1989 who is under 13 years of age requires the approval of the Secretary of State.

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Information about this secure children’s home

The commissioning of health services in this home is the statutory responsibility of NHS England under the Health and Social Care Act 2012. Education is provided on site in dedicated facilities.

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Information about this secure children’s home

The manager is registered with Ofsted and has managed the home since March 2020. She holds qualifications that exceed those required for this role.

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Inspection date: 19 January 2022

Date of last inspection: 14 September 2021

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Inspection date: 19 January 2022

Judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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Inspection date: 19 January 2022

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC022448 2

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged outstanding at the last full inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At this interim inspection, Ofsted judged that it has sustained effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection, in September 2021, Ofsted made two social care recommendations. These were regarding the suitability of the environment and the quality of the food. Two further recommendations were made regarding education. Ofsted will consider the progress made to address those recommendations at the next full inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children continue to make excellent progress. They enjoy supportive and nurturing relationships with staff. These help them to feel safe and form trusting relationships that give them the confidence and skills to start to reflect on their life experiences. Consequently, children learn positive strategies to help them to deal with the challenges they face and move forward with their lives.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager recognises that the quality of relationships between leaders and managers, care, health and education staff, and external agencies and professionals form the foundations of children’s progress. For most children, this inclusive approach means that specialist services are tailored, and continually evaluated, to reflect their individual needs. This underpins children’s progress and means that as their needs, and the risks to their safety change, the services they access evolve. Consequently, children develop a safe and secure base for their development.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

For one child, despite the extensive range of specialist support services available at this setting, this secure children’s home is unable to meet their multilayered and complex mental health needs. The registered manager has successfully assembled all relevant external agencies. This includes the placing authority and regional and national clinical health teams and services, to continually discuss how best to support this child as their needs exceed the support the setting can reasonably and competently provide. At the time of the inspection, there was a difference of views between mental health professionals on diagnosis and treatment for the child and no appropriate placement available. The registered manager and the staff continued to attempt to mitigate the risks to this child as well as to other children and staff, and to advocate for a more appropriate therapeutic placement to be found. The absence of such provision has been escalated to the Department for Education, the

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Department of Health and Social Care and the Children’s Commissioner by the registered manager and by Ofsted.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff ensure that children moving into the home are met with a warm and friendly welcome, regardless of the circumstances of their arrival. Residential staff work Inspection report for children’s home: SC022448 3 closely with the health team and the education team to quickly assess children’s presenting needs and formulate support plans to meet these. This approach provides children with immediate stability from which longer-term support plans are developed. Children preparing to move to other homes benefit from well-thought- through, timely and integrated plans. They are involved in decisions about their future care and support needs. This increases the likely success of their next placement.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The use of physical restraint is appropriate and proportionate. All incidents are reviewed by managers. This ensures that the measures used are as least restrictive as possible, lawful and safe. Records of these incidents confirm that the use of de- escalation and negotiation by staff is consistent. Physical restraint is used as a last resort and is only used to protect the children from themselves or to safeguard others.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

For some children, there are occasions when it is not safe for them to spend time with their peers. These instances may lead to children being ‘managed away’ or to short periods of enforced separation. Reports of these interventions are detailed and provide the necessary context and rationale as to why a decision was made to separate a child from other children and staff. This means that managers can scrutinise and monitor the use of these restrictive practices and ensure that their use is necessary to prevent significant harm.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Management monitoring is effective, and any practice issues are quicky identified and addressed. The registered manager uses a range of tools, including staff surveys, to engage staff in the day-to-day running of the home, and longer-term plans. This inclusive approach means that staff invest in the ongoing development of the service.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children now enjoy nutritious and tasty meals. Since the last inspection, the service has appointed a chef who is keen to develop new menus and engage children in decisions about their food preferences and choices. Children told the inspectors how ‘delicious’ some of the meals are.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Improvements to the environment remain ongoing. Leaders and managers have taken time to consult with children and staff, and secure appropriate finances to ensure that the redecoration and refurbishment of communal areas is safe for children and completed to a good standard. Nevertheless, this work has yet to start and this recommendation from the last inspection is repeated.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leaders, managers and staff continue to respond to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in a considerate and conscientious manner. They have inclusive and comprehensive plans in place to ensure that any issues arising because of the pandemic are dealt with effectively. These efforts mean that the pandemic has not compromised the quality of care that children receive, or their welfare and safety. Inspection report for children’s home: SC022448 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/09/2021 Full Outstanding 21/01/2020 Full Good 15/10/2019 Full Inadequate 09/07/2019 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: SC022448 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that communal living areas are made as homely as is safely possible. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  Leaders and managers should, as soon as practicable, recruit to the vacancies in education, ensuring that those appointed have the appropriate specialist subject knowledge to support implementation of a full education curriculum. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 29, paragraph 5.18)  Leaders and managers should continue to implement their plans to provide the physical resources necessary to enable the delivery of an increased range of vocational subjects that will better meet the needs of children, particularly those who are older and want to move on to vocational training and careers. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 29,

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Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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 for children’s home: SC022448 6

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Secure children’s home details

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

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Inspectors

Jo Stephenson, Regulatory Inspection Manager Lisa Summers, Her Majesty’s Inspector, Social Care Lorna Schlechte, Her Majesty’s Inspector, Social Care (shadow) Inspection report for children’s home: SC022448 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

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

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