Children's home run by Nelbro Group Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 2744556 1 Registered provider: Nelbro Group Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private provider. The home provides care for up to six children with social and emotional difficulties. Three children were living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered on 5 September 2023.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

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

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good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2744556 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are cared for by staff who are playful and engage children in fun daily activities. Children and staff enjoy making home-made creations, such as smoothies and colourful slime. The registered manager has positive relationships with the children. She spends time with them, both in and out of the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views and opinions are valued. House meetings provide an opportunity for children to discuss activities, food choices and items they would like in the home or garden. Children gravitate towards staff, and natural conversations between them provide further opportunities for children to share their views, wishes and feelings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are helped to develop a sense of belonging in the home. They are encouraged to have confidence in their abilities and showcase their talents for the good of others in the home. For example, they each lead on a particular role in the home, such as cooking, organising events and keeping the home clean and tidy. Children enjoy their responsibilities, and their actions inspire each other to stay motivated.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know how to support each child and understand their needs. Consequently, children are making progress in areas such as personal care, independence and attending and engaging in education. One child has re-engaged in school following a period of non-attendance and is described as a ‘motivational learner’ in most subjects.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children keep in touch with family and those who are important to them. Staff encourage children to recognise important events and celebrate these with family members. One parent said, ‘It was amazing to receive a Mother’s Day card from my child.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a spacious home which is comfortable and well furnished, where toys, games and books are enjoyed. Although children have personalised decor in their bedrooms, the walls are not maintained regularly. Furthermore, there is a lack of photos of the children in the communal spaces to represent their identity in the home. This detracts from the homely environment.

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

Staff use a reward system that is strength-based and balanced to recognise children’s positive behaviour. Physical restraints are used as a last resort as staff know what approach is effective for each child and support them to consider what action should be taken when incidents happen.

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

When children allege incidents with their peers in the home, these are taken seriously and are reported and investigated. Appropriate actions from staff are taken Inspection report for children’s home: 2744556 3 to make them feel safe and supported. This ensures that children know they are listened to.

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

Children are supported by staff through outreach arrangements before they move into the home. This outreach support helps children to benefit from the model of care the home offers before they move in. This was particularly beneficial for the first child who moved into the home, as staff supported the stability of the child’s foster placement until the home officially opened. This involved taking the child out regularly so they could begin to form positive relationships. There are processes in place to capture children’s histories in greater detail when leaders and managers consider a new child moving into the home. Planning is considerate, and risks between children are cross-referenced to ensure that there is compatibility with the children who are already living in the home. One social worker said, ‘This is one of the best homes I have worked with.’

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

Children rarely go missing from the home. On the one occasion a child did go missing from home, the response by staff was proactive. This ensured that the child returned home safely.

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

Safer recruitment practices in the home are good. They ensure that only suitable individuals work at the home and provide care for children. Managers and staff are aware of their responsibilities to ensure that effective health and safety processes are in place.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is enthusiastic and committed to learning and developing in her role. She knows the strengths and weaknesses of the home and takes on board any actions that have been identified by the independent visitor and responsible individual to enhance and improve the home. The registered manager feels well supported by the responsible individual.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and staff work in partnership with external professionals effectively. Feedback from external professionals is positive. A social worker said, ‘The home challenges professionals when needed when issues have arisen.’ This supports the child’s voice to be heard.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff model good practice to ensure that there is a shared ethos and that children are cared for consistently in line with the home’s statement of purpose. Staff say that they feel valued and listened to.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team works well to overcome intolerance. Any negative attitudes towards certain cultures or ethnicities are appropriately challenged. Diversity is celebrated, and children are educated about different ethnicities and cultures to promote equality and help them understand the uniqueness of different cultures. This has Inspection report for children’s home: 2744556 4 been instrumental for children who struggle with preconceived ideas about race to embrace differences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has good systems in place to monitor all areas of the home. However, there has been a lack of oversight in making sure that the independent person’s visits are within timescale and that reports are received by the regulator. This means that the regulator and placing authorities have not had a clear understanding about children’s well-being and any findings in relation to the safeguarding in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2744556 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

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person’s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person’s opinion as to whether—

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Requirement Due date

children are effectively safeguarded; and

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Requirement Due date

the conduct of the home promotes children’s well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

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Requirement Due date

upon request, the local authority for the area in which the home is located;

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Requirement Due date

the registered provider and, if applicable, the registered manager; and

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Requirement Due date

the responsible individual (if one is nominated). (Regulation 44 (1) (4)(a)(b) (7)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)) 23 May 2024

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the premises are nurturing and homely throughout. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) Inspection report for children’s home: 2744556 6

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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: 2744556 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Nelbro Group Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit D, 31-33 High Street, Carshalton SM5 3AX

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Inspector

Karen Flanagan de Martinez, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2744556 8 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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