Children's Home run by Nurture Childcare Services Ltd in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2645878 1 Registered provider: Nurture Childcare Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private organisation and can provide care for up to two children with social, emotional and learning difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There are no children living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

A manager has been appointed but is not yet registered with Ofsted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: 1 November 2022

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

The home was judged inadequate at the full inspection in November 2022. Due to the serious and widespread concerns identified, an immediate notice to suspend the registration of the home was issued on 1 November 2022. Inspection report for children’s home: 2645878 2 A monitoring visit took place on 13 December 2022. At the time of the visit, there was no manager in post. The staff were working in other homes operated by the same provider. A new responsible individual had been appointed.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A further monitoring visit took place on 24 January 2023. The provider had complied with the conditions of the suspension notice. However, the responsible individual confirmed that the home was not ready to open as there was no manager or staff team in post. The home’s registration was suspended for a further period.

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A monitoring visit took place on 14 April 2023. At the time of the visit, there was a new manager and a new staff team in place. Following the visit, a case review was held and a decision was made to lift the suspension of the registration. Inspection report for children’s home: 2645878 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/11/2022 Full Inadequate 01/03/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2645878 4

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inadequate

One child was living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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inadequate

There are significant shortfalls in safeguarding practice, care planning and the leadership and management of the home. These weaknesses have had a significant negative effect on the child’s safety and welfare and have limited their experiences and progress.

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inadequate

Leaders and managers did not make a thorough assessment of the child’s needs before they moved into the home. There were not sufficiently trained and experienced staff to deliver safe and effective care to the child. Although a risk assessment was completed before the child moved into the home, this was not implemented by the manager or staff. This poor practice placed the child at risk of harm.

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inadequate

Ineffective care planning has resulted in the child not receiving well-planned care that is addressing all of their identified needs. Progress for the child in relation to their health, education and well-being is poor.

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inadequate

Staff do not meet the child’s health needs. Although the manager and staff have reviewed the health assessment for the child, they have not addressed the actions from the report. The child has an outstanding immunisation which has not been addressed. Furthermore, leaders, the manager and staff do not ensure that the child has appropriate help and support in relation to their health needs.

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inadequate

The child has not been provided with information about how to raise a complaint or access advocacy support. When the child made a complaint about staff, managers and staff did not respond to this effectively. They did not ensure that the child knew how this complaint was being addressed or what the outcome was. Failing to demonstrate to the child that they are listened to does not support the development of positive and trusting relationships. Furthermore, failing to provide the child with reassurances about the outcome of the complaint resulted in the child feeling anxious that the staff member would return to the home.

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inadequate

The child does not attend an education provision. Although staff provide some opportunities for the child to develop their independence skills, there is no structure and limited opportunities for the child to learn informally. Staff spoken to were unaware of the child’s educational needs or how to support them.

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inadequate

The child lives in a home which is spacious and has good standards of furnishings throughout. However, some areas of the home, such as a downstairs bathroom, were not maintained to an acceptable standard of cleanliness and hygiene. Inspection report for children’s home: 2645878 5 Furthermore, the garden area requires improvements so that this is an accessible and enjoyable space for the child to use.

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

Leaders, the manager and staff do not adequately respond to, or implement, effective strategies to protect the child or safely manage their behaviours. There is a lack of effective management oversight and scrutiny of safeguarding incidents. These shortfalls significantly compromise the child’s welfare and safety.

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

Despite leaders, the manager and staff being aware of significant risks in relation to the child and fire-setting behaviours, appropriate strategies are not implemented to manage and reduce these risks. This poor practice placed both the child and staff at risk of significant harm. Although an agreement had been put in place to ensure that the child did not have access to cigarette lighters, inspectors observed these to be accessible to the child.

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

Furthermore, the manager and staff provide the child with a cigarette lighter and tobacco, which the child brings into the home, and they allow the child to smoke.

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

Leaders, the manager and staff did not take effective action when a child made an allegation about a member of staff. They did not explore what had happened with the child or display professional curiosity to explore visible bruises on the child’s head and arm. The child did not receive immediate medical attention despite their injuries or their disclosure.

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

Restraint practice is not safely supporting the child during periods of crisis. One restraint was carried out by a member of staff who had not received training to undertake this safely. The record of this incident does not adhere to statutory guidance.

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

There has been an inadequate response to incidents of self-injurious behaviours. Staff did not take effective action to safeguard the child when they displayed self- injurious behaviour. Management oversight of one incident was ineffective and did not highlight that staff had failed to assess or record any injuries to the child or offer them first aid.

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

Risk assessments do not provide clear or effective strategies for the staff to follow. As a result, the manager and staff are failing to appropriately respond to and reduce the presenting risks.

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

Staff do not have the skills or experience to de-escalate incidents of challenging behaviour effectively. Furthermore, staff do not support the child to understand the impact of their behaviour. Therefore, the child is not being supported to reflect on or improve their behaviour.

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

The manager and staff do not administer medication in line with good practice or the company’s policy. There is no record made of the administration of the child’s Inspection report for children’s home: 2645878 6 medication. This places the child at risk from medication being under- or overprescribed. Furthermore, when a child has refused their medication, the manager and staff have failed to seek medical advice in relation to any potential side-effects from the abrupt withdrawal of the medication.

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

Staff are not recruited in line with processes that are designed to ensure children’s safety. This specifically relates to exploring staff members’ employment history and any gaps in employment.

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

The use of door and motion sensors in the home is not in line with statutory guidance. A requirement has been made to support improvements in this area.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leadership and management arrangements in the home are poor and ineffective. There is no registered manager at the home and leaders do not demonstrate any learning from safeguarding incidents. There is no reflection with staff or robust evaluation of safeguarding incidents to improve the welfare of the child and the practices of staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff have not had training in supporting the specific needs of the child. This includes safeguarding, first aid, self-injurious behaviour, medication administration and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Staff during the inspection were unaware of their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Since the previous monitoring visit, there have been significant changes to the staff team. This has affected the continuity of care for the child and resulted in the child being cared for by an inconsistent staff team whose members do not have the skills or experience to meet the child’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Supervision practice is not a strength. Some new staff have not received supervision since they started working in the home. When staff have received supervision, this is not practice-related. This poor practice is not helping staff to develop their practice or improve the quality of care for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and the manager fail to ensure that staff undertake their planned induction. One new staff member did not complete safeguarding training that was scheduled to take place on the first day of their induction period. Poor oversight of the induction process resulted in staff starting work in the home who did not have the skills to meet the child’s needs or keep them safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Delays in notifying the regulatory body of significant incidents has affected external monitoring of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Ofsted is of the view that leaders, the manager and staff are unable to reduce risks to the child and an emergency suspension notice was issued on the provider during the inspection. Consequently, there are now no children living in the home. Ofsted will monitor the provider’s compliance with the suspension notice. Inspection report for children’s home: 2645878 7

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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 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

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that staff are provided with clear risk assessments which detail the risks to the child and the strategies that staff should follow to reduce these risks.

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Requirement Due date

They must also ensure that staff take effective action, in line with these plans, to keep children safe. 13 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2645878 8 Furthermore, leaders and managers must ensure that children are helped to understand how to be safe.

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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 has sufficient staff to provide care for 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

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;

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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)(d)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that there are sufficient numbers of staff to provide safe and consistent care to children.

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Requirement Due date

Further to this, leaders and managers must ensure that staff are suitably trained in areas that are relevant to the needs of children that live in the home, including, but not limited to, training relating to self-injurious behaviours, first aid, restraint, ADHD, safeguarding and medication administration.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must also ensure that they have effective oversight of the quality of care provided to children, 13 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2645878 9 including effective oversight of significant events to identify any areas for learning or follow-up actions required to safeguard children living in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child is registered as a patient with a general medical practitioner and a registered dental practitioner; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to ensuring that children receive appropriate medical attention or first aid for any injuries they sustain.

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Requirement Due date

Further to this, leaders and managers must ensure that children are registered with primary healthcare services and attend appointments that are made for them.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and the manager must ensure that staff understand children’s health needs and how to meet them. 13 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2645878 10 Leaders and managers must also ensure that children receive help and support from appropriate agencies in relation to their physical and emotional health needs.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home;

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(i)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must ensure that they carefully consider the needs of children prior to them moving into the home and assess whether they are able to meet the child’s needs. This includes whether they have sufficiently trained and experienced staff to care safely for children.

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Requirement Due date

Further to this, leaders and managers must ensure that staff follow children’s relevant plans, such as health assessments and local authority care plans. 13 July 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(c)) 13 July 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (“the behaviour management policy”) which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and 13 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2645878 11 the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it.

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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

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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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

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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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

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Requirement Due date

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. Inspection report for children’s home: 2645878 12 (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (2) (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii) (c))

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

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;

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Requirement Due date

is enabled to provide feedback to, and raise issues with, a relevant person about the support and services that the child receives;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that an explanation is given to each child as soon as reasonably practicable after the child’s arrival about—

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Requirement Due date

how to make a complaint or representations in relation to the home or the care the child receives and how any such complaint or representations will be dealt with; and

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Requirement Due date

what advocacy support or services are available to the child, how the child may access that support or those services and any entitlement the child may have to independent advocacy provision. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(iii)(b)(i)(d)(ii)(iii)) 13 July 2023

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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— 13 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2645878 13 that staff—

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Requirement Due date

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

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iv)(v)(viii))

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children; 13 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2645878 14 are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(ix)(x)(xi))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children;

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Requirement Due date

the child’s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance;

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Requirement Due date

so far as reasonably practicable in the light of the child’s age and understanding, the child is informed in advance of the intention to do the monitoring or surveillance; and

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 23 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This relates specifically to the use of door sensors and landing motion sensors. 13 July 2023

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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; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the 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. 13 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2645878 15 (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that a full work history is obtained, including and gaps in employment.

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must also ensure that, where there is information recorded on a staff member’s Disclosure and Barring Service certificate, they can evidence how they have considered this as part of the recruitment process.

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction;

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (1)(a) (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers must ensure that staff receive an appropriate induction which is in line with their company policy.

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Requirement Due date

Further to this, they must ensure that staff and the manager receive supervision which is practice-related and in line with company policy. 13 July 2023

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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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)(b)(c)(e))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that notifications are made without delay. 13 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2645878 16

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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: 2645878 17

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Nurture Childcare Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Seighford Hall, Clanford Road, Seighford, Stafford ST18 9NL

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Inspectors

Emma Thornton, Social Care Inspector Andrea Foreman, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2645878 18 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

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