Children's home run by Nestlings Care Limited

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2510604 1 Registered provider: Nestlings Care Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately operated and provides care for up to four children who may have complex mental health difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered with Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2023.

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Inspection date: 4 October 2023

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2510604 2

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Outcomes from the inspection

We identified the following serious and widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection:

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Outcomes from the inspection

 Leadership and management arrangements have failed to provide safe care for children.  Serious incidents of self-harm have led to one child needing significant surgery.  The registered manager fails to evaluate a high number of physical interventions.

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Findings from the inspection

This inspection took place due to the seriousness and frequency of safeguarding notifications. This inspection confirmed that managers and staff have not kept one child safe. An increase in self-harm has led to the child needing significant medical intervention. Not all children feel safe. Children do not feel they have a trusting relationship with some of the care staff. One child said, ‘Staff just aren’t very nice to us.’ Because of their complex needs, children can show their emotions through their behaviours. This may require staff to use physical interventions to keep children safe. There have been a significant number of these incidents. Staff do not have the skills to de-escalate the children’s behaviour. This is ineffective behaviour management. The manager does not analyse records of physical interventions. Following incidents, staff do not have opportunities to talk about the intervention. This limits learning

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Findings from the inspection

from these incidents, which prevents a reduction in physical interventions. The registered manager is new to her role. Staff said that they feel supported. Agency staff cover staff vacancies. The home does not have enough suitable permanent staff. Staff said that induction training did not prepare them for the type of work they would be doing. Agency staff do not receive any training from the company. Staff do not receive the necessary training to care for these very complex children. Children access education but, for some children, this is only for a few hours each week. There was no evidence of other educational activities taking place. Not all areas of the home are hygienic or clean. The areas of the home that house the children’s pets are not clean. One child’s bedroom had graffiti-covered walls. This is not a pleasant environment for children to grow up in. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2510604 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/05/2023 Full Good 08/06/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 28/03/2022 Interim Improved effectiveness 11/05/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2510604 4

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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

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;

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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)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff training is measured for effectiveness and that staff competence is consistently tested.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the children’s individual risk- management plans provide staff with clear strategies to manage and reduce risk.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that all children’s risks are assessed at the point of admission, and that children’s plans are 6 November 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2510604 5 implemented, updated and reviewed to reflect children’s needs and risks.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the provider implements a system for the review and evaluation of all incidents by the registered manager and the responsible individual.

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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

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)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that all staff (including agency staff) receive training that covers the specific needs of the children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that all staff (including agency staff) have the same model of physical intervention training.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that managers and staff undertake training on the recording and documentation of incidents.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that significant incidents are evaluated with scrutiny, taking into consideration any learning outcomes that can be implemented within children’s risk- management plans, or to support the development of staff. 6 November 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— 6 November 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2510604 6 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

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, this relates to the use of restraint. Leaders and managers must ensure that they review the effectiveness of the restraint used.

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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

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;

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Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority;

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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)(vi)(vii)(viii)) 6 November 2023

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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— 6 November 2023 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2510604 7 ensure that staff—

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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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(iv)(v)(vi)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children’s communal areas and bedrooms are clean and tidy, and that graffiti is removed and the home is free from health and safety hazards.

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2510604 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 WN7 4PF

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Anthony Thompson

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Inspector

Cathy Wilkins, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2510604 9 regulates and inspects 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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