Children's Home run by Nestlings Care BC Limited in Leeds

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2594061 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

This home is operated by a private provider. It is registered to provide care for up to three children who may have learning disabilities and/or mental health disorders.

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Information about this children’s home

There are currently three children living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2023.

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Inspection date: 12 January 2024

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 12 January 2024

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspectors 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: 2594061 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

This assurance visit included a tour of the home, discussions with the children, staff and professionals, and a review of the documents. During the inspection, inspectors reviewed some of the requirements raised at the last inspection and found that Regulations 35, 12 and 8 have been met. The requirements raised under Regulations 5, 10 and 13 have been carried over. Further requirements and recommendations were also raised from this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers do not invite professionals and parents to their internal multi- disciplinary team meetings. Consequently, they are not kept up to date when significant changes are made to the children’s plans. A professional and a child’s parent raised their concerns around the lack of information shared when the director, who is also a qualified doctor, made a change to the child’s medication. This lack of transparency prevents those who are invested in the child’s life from having any understanding or say in the child’s care planning.

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Findings from the inspection

The children are not provided with a safe, warm and welcoming environment. Holes in the wallpaper in the hallway and litter outside in the garden, along with moss on the ground, look unsightly and could present a slip hazard when wet. The toilet seat and one of the children’s bedroom doors were broken, and there were exposed nails in a broken bookshelf. When this risk was brought to the attention of the leaders and managers, they were quick to address it, and they removed the nails.

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Findings from the inspection

The registered manager has not ensured that all staff have the required childcare qualification as set out in the regulations. One staff member, who has worked for the provider for over two years, has yet to be enrolled on this course.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff struggle to motivate the children during the day. This means that the children’s school attendance is sporadic, and they are often in bed during school hours. There is no routine or structure in place for the children when they do not attend education. This impacts on their self-esteem and confidence in social settings

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Findings from the inspection

Physical interventions are rare. When these are used, clear records detail the incident and the actions that the staff have taken to reduce the likelihood of future interventions being required. Staff and children are spoken to following the incident. This means that all involved are provided with time to reflect and learn.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff are supported by the registered manager, and they are provided with regular supervision sessions. These are reflective discussions that help the staff to learn and share new skills and develop different approaches to better care for the children.

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Findings from the inspection

The staff have been deemed suitable to work alongside the children. The registered manager ensures that staff recruitment is safe. Staff files include all relevant references and verification checks. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2594061 3 The staff know the children’s risks and how best to keep them safe. The children’s risk assessments are clear and up to date. They include all of the children’s known risks and the actions that the staff must take to best support the children. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2594061 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/08/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 13/06/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 27/10/2021 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2594061 5

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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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5(a)(c)) 12 February 2024

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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; and 12 February 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2594061 6 understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well- being. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iv))

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)) 12 February 2024

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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.

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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, subject to regulation 22 (contact and access to communications), contact between each child and the child’s parents, relatives and friends, is promoted in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to leaders and managers being inclusive of children’s family members and other professionals during meetings when changes to children’s plans and medication are made. 12 February 2024

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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; and

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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— 12 February 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2594061 7 understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff— provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma");

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016. (Regulation 32 (4)(a) (5)(a)(b)) 12 February 2024

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that, when children struggle with attending school, structure and boundaries during school hours are in place and that staff are making every attempt to pursue children’s school attendance. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2594061 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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Inspectors

Gemma McDonnell, Social Care Inspector Jo Birtwhistle, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2594061 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.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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