Children's Home run by Nugent Care 2019 in Sefton

Inspection report children’s home: 2675485 1 Registered provider: Nugent Care Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a charity. It provides care for up to three children who may have emotional and social difficulties or learning disabilities.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home registered as a children’s home on 14 February 2022. Previously, it has been part of another registered children’s home run by the charity. The children were already living at the home at the time of its registration. The manager is registered with Ofsted.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This is the home’s first inspection as a separate children’s home.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 2675485 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not previously inspected Inspection report children’s home: 2675485 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are happy living at this pleasant and comfortable home. Their bedrooms are decorated and furnished to meet their needs, characters and personal tastes. Children have a strong sense of belonging and enjoy positive experiences. The children get on well. Staff have supported them to develop understanding and empathy towards each other.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive high-quality individualised care that meets their personal needs and circumstances. This provides children with stability and enables them make progress in every aspect of their lives.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy warm and trusting relationships with staff. They can talk to staff and know that their views are taken seriously. Staff respond appropriately to children’s wishes and feelings. They balance children’s wishes with what they see to be in the child’s best interests and find the best way forward. For example, staff and a child worked together to agree what makes a healthy packed lunch for school.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff make sure that children actively take part in making decisions which affect their lives. Children are encouraged and supported to express their views in meetings about the arrangements for their care. Children are supported to understand their rights and entitlements, including applications for personal independence payments.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children spend time with significant people in their lives. Staff work effectively with children, families and social workers to support family relationships. They help children to understand the reasons why they may not be able to spend time with their parents.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have excellent school attendance. They are making measurable progress and achieving their targets. Staff understand children’s special educational needs. They work with schools effectively to help children to achieve the learning objectives set out in their education, health and care plans. Staff support children to make the most of all aspects of school life, including enabling a child to go on holiday with their school.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage and support children to learn informally and develop their independence skills. Children learn to bake, cook, go shopping and manage money based on their abilities and understanding. Children take pride in their achievements. They have opportunities to take part in activities they enjoy, learn new skills and find out about the world around them. For example, children go to the youth club, play football for a team, take part in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, and go to watch their favourite dancers at the theatre. Inspection report children’s home: 2675485 4 Staff understand and monitor children’s individual health and emotional well-being. They make sure that children receive safe and effective advice, support and treatment that meet their needs. Consequently, children are enjoying better outcomes and healthier lifestyles. The arrangements for managing children’s medication are safe.

p.3

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

Children feel safe living at the home and are protected from harm. They see staff as trusted adults and have a strong sense of safety. Children tell staff when they are worried or feel unsafe.

p.4

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

Staff are suitably trained and understand their responsibilities for safeguarding children. Staff understand each child’s vulnerabilities and additional needs. They are vigilant and recognise the signs that children may be at risk of harm. Staff always take appropriate action when they have concerns about children’s welfare. However, on one occasion, the manager did not notify Ofsted about a possible serious risk to a child. This prevented Ofsted from carrying out its role in monitoring the effectiveness of the home’s safeguarding arrangements.

p.4

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

Staff actively and continually assess the dangers for each child and follow up-to-date plans effectively to manage and reduce the risk of harm. The monitoring of children’s mobile phones and social media helps staff to identify when children need support in understanding about sexual health and relationships. Strong management oversight of children’s risk assessments ensures that the strategies for protecting children are being followed and are effective.

p.4

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

Staff have the skills and confidence to help children understand about risk and keep themselves safe. Staff help children to recognise unsafe situations and to make positive choices about their safety and ask for help. This has reduced the risk of children going missing from home.

p.4

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

Staff understand the impact of children’s experiences on their development and relationships. Staff provide children with emotional warmth and clear boundaries and expectations that help them to feel safe.

p.4

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

Staff understand that children may communicate their feelings through their behaviour. Staff know that the children need time to make sense of information. Therefore, staff use clear and effective communication and their positive relationships with the children to deal with any problems constructively. Staff listen to children’s views about the best ways to help them when they are upset. Staff use well-informed and consistent strategies to help children manage their feelings.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager runs two children’s homes. She is experienced and suitably qualified. The manager demonstrates sufficient capacity to be in day-to-day charge of both homes. The manager and three deputy managers are a well-organised and effective Inspection report children’s home: 2675485 5 leadership team. They have high expectations for the standards of care that children receive. They aspire for children to be safe, happy and reach their full potential. The ethos and culture are shared by the capable and experienced staff team.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The management team provides the necessary structure and guidance to make sure that staff understand their responsibilities and have the right skills and knowledge to provide children with a high standard of care and protection.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The managers use monitoring systems effectively to have oversight of staff practice and the quality of care that children receive. They make sure that all staff consistently follow the home’s policies and relevant plans for the benefit of the children. Managers have a clear understanding of children’s plans and the progress they are making. They understand what is working well, identify shortfalls and make improvements. Changes to plans and practice are reviewed to ensure that they are working and sustaining improvements.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff enjoy working at the home and are positive about the support they receive from the manager and their colleagues. Staff receive relevant and suitable training that provides them with the essential skills and knowledge for meeting the child’s needs, including attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, foetal alcohol syndrome, and global development delay.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision that is focused on the children and their needs. This includes reflecting on staff’s work with the children in their care. However, supervision records do not show that staff and managers are evaluating the impact of training and learning on children’s experiences and the quality of care.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s records provide a detailed picture of their experiences. They provide evidence of children’s measurable progress. The records show children’s strengths and achievements. They contribute to an understanding of children’s lives. However, some records are not always signed by the author or dated to show when the work took place. Inspection report children’s home: 2675485 6

p.5

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.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

p.6

Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(b)(c)) 31 May 2022

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

p.6

Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

p.6

Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

p.6

Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

p.6

Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 4 May 2022

p.6

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff receive supervision of their practice that enables them to reflect on their training and its impact on children’s experiences. Managers should evaluate staff’s understanding of their learning and how effectively they are using it to support the children in their care. (‘Guide to Inspection report children’s home: 2675485 7 the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’ page 62, paragraph 13.2)

p.6

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: 2675485 8

p.7

Children’s home details

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

p.8

Inspector

Nick Veysey, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2675485 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

Inspector

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

Inspector

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

p.9

Inspector

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

p.9