Children's Home run by Prime Nurture Services Limited in Nottinghamshire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2665204 1

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Prime Nurture Services Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned and is registered to provide care for up to four children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There is an acting manager in post, who is yet to register with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the steps taken by the home following the compliance notice which was served at the full inspection on 12 and 13 July 2022. Evidence gathered at this visit shows that the provider has met the steps set in the compliance notice. As a result, Ofsted has taken the decision to lift the notice.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have worked to improve safeguarding practice at the home. They have introduced new risk assessments for each child, with clear and detailed information about the nature and level of risk. Risk assessments are regularly updated and shared with children and relevant professionals. Managers ensure that staff read any changes to children’s assessments and plans. This helps staff to keep children safe.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have received considerable training since the full inspection. This includes training in managing behaviour, responding to self-injurious behaviour, safeguarding and online safety. There are imminent plans to further develop the team’s recording and reporting skills. Managers have also enhanced staff supervision to incorporate reflective discussions about keeping children safe. As a result, staff have the knowledge and skills to care for children. Supervision is now also used as an opportunity to reflect, build on existing skills, and continuously improve practice.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have increased their oversight of incidents in the home. They have ensured that incidents are recorded in detail. Debriefs are carried out with children and staff so that any learning to prevent further incidents can be identified. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2665204 2 This process also ensures that any shortfalls in practice can be addressed. There has been one incident where concerns about a member of staff have been raised. Leaders and managers took swift and effective action to ensure that the correct processes were followed and that children were safeguarded immediately. Their response to the concerns has been commended by involved safeguarding professionals.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are now following missing-from-home protocols. There has been one occasion where a child was missing for a prolonged period. During this time, staff kept in contact with the child, family members and relevant professionals to prevent him from coming to harm. Detailed records were kept of all actions taken to safeguard the child and support him to come home. Managers ensured that the child spoke to a professional when he returned home. These changes in practice show the commitment of the manager and staff to fulfil their safeguarding responsibilities when children are away from the home.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have introduced processes for ensuring that children are safe online. Regular checks of devices are being carried out and recorded so that any concerns can be monitored. The responsible individual has written a new ‘children’s guide to e-safety’, which helps children to understand the risks and benefits of using the internet. This is used alongside individual e-safety plans and regular key-work discussions with children to embed their learning. One child says that he has benefited from these discussions. He said, ‘I can keep myself safe.’

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers are actively recruiting to fill existing staff vacancies. A deputy manager is now in post and there are plans to recruit further care staff. The deputy has considerable experience of working in children’s homes and brings high levels of motivation and enthusiasm. He is committed to developing practice within the team. This will help new and less-experienced staff to build their confidence and skills, particularly in behaviour management.

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This monitoring visit

A restriction of accommodation notice was served following the full inspection to prevent the provider admitting more children until improvements were made. The notice remains in place following this visit, to enable the provider to embed the improvements in staff practice and prepare the home for new children moving in. There will be a period of appointing new staff and carrying out essential repairs to the home. The current requirements and recommendations also remain in place and will be reviewed at the next full inspection.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 12/07/2022 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2665204 3

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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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that the home delivers a model of care in keeping with the home’s statement of purpose and which addresses the needs of children living in the home. 6 September 2022

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

that staff— 15 August 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2665204 4 help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that each child has an education plan in place so that they can progress with their education and reach their potential.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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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)(v)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that steps are taken to ensure that all children’s risks are assessed and documented in a risk assessment and that the 21 August 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2665204 5 manager ensures that children’s risk assessments and care plans are regularly updated to reflect the level and nature of those risks.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all staff have access to risk assessments. They must ensure that children are safe online by having safety plans in place for children when they are using devices.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that children have return home interviews when they have been missing from home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that there is management support, oversight, evaluation and debriefs following incidents.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all staff have the relevant training to enable them to keep children safe from harm, including during incidents requiring physical intervention.

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

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

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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)(c)(e)(h)) 6 September 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2665204 6 This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that the statement of purpose reflects the care delivered by the home and is kept under review to ensure that it is accurate.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must establish a stable staff team with the skills, knowledge and experience to be able to consistently meet the individual needs of each child in the home. They must also ensure that staff receive regular training to ensure that their skills match the needs of each child.

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Requirement Due date

This also relates to the registered person implementing systems to ensure that there is regular management oversight of the care provided to children and to address any shortfalls or improvements where necessary.

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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. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must provide Ofsted with a copy of the updated version of the home’s statement of purpose when this has been revised and updated. 6 September 2022

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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

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter; 13 July 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2665204 7 must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40 (4)(e) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to informing Ofsted of serious incidents, for example if children go missing from the home for prolonged periods or if children have harmed themselves. Other situations may require a notification and the registered person must use the children’s guide or contact Ofsted for advice where required.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are encouraged by staff to see the home’s records as ‘living documents’ and supported to view and contribute to the records in a way that reflects their voice on a regular basis. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.9)  The registered person should ensure that records kept electronically (regulation 38) can be easily accessed by anyone with a legitimate need to view them and, if required, be reproduced in a legible form. Electronic records should be held at the individual home in accordance with data protection principles. Information technology systems should ensure the safe storage of these records, and business continuity planning should be in place to prevent loss or damage to them. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 14.2)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children’s records are kept up to date and stored securely while they remain in the home. Case records must be kept up to date and be signed and dated by the author of each entry. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)  The registered person should ensure that when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority provides an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. The home should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  The registered person should demonstrate every effort to achieve continuity of

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Recommendations

staffing so that children’s attachments are not overly disrupted, including ensuring that the employment of any temporary staff will not prevent children from receiving the continuity of care that they need (regulation 31 (1)). (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 51, paragraph 10.1) Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2665204 8

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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.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2665204 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Prime Nurture Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Newstead House, Pelham Road, Nottingham NG5 1AP

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Inspector

Laura Walker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2665204 10 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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