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

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2591479 1 Registered provider: Nurture Childcare Services 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 operated by a private organisation and provides care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in August 2020 and the manager registered in September 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

There were two children living at the home at the time of this inspection.

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Inspection date: 25 March 2024

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 25 March 2024

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. The inspector has 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: 2591479 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

There are two children living at the home. The home has benefited from recent redecoration and is a welcoming and spacious environment for children. The children appear relaxed and comfortable in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

There is a suitable qualified and experienced interim manager in place covering for the registered manager, who is on extended leave. Between them they have taken steps to meet some of the requirements identified at the last inspection. However, three requirements are restated. These will be reviewed at the home’s next inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff know the children well. Children have positive relationships with those caring for them. Interactions observed were positive. Children know how to make a complaint. One child said, ‘I like all the staff.’

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Findings from the inspection

Managers and staff understand children’s individual risks. Staff are clear about what to do when responding to concerns about the safety of a child. However, the children are not spoken to about risks to support their own learning and development in this area.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff maintain regular communication with educational professionals. The interim manager has worked in partnership to find a suitable alternative provision for one child. However, structured plans to support education are not in place for when full- time education is not available.

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Findings from the inspection

Missing-from-care protocols are understood and followed by staff. Records for when children go missing from care are detailed and describe the action that staff take to support children to return home safely. Staff actively look for children when they are missing and liaise with professionals to help to reduce risk. Staff attend a range of training to develop their knowledge and skills. However, some staff have not completed training related to understanding theories of attachment and developmental trauma, as stated in the home’s statement of purpose. This potentially compromises the effectiveness, understanding and response from staff in meeting children’s needs. Staff understand risks posed to children by the internet and have implemented strategies to protect children from this risk. The interim manager is confident and proactive in her approach to challenge. She escalates any concerns that she has with other professionals involved in the care of

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Findings from the inspection

children. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2591479 3 The interim manager has started to implement and embed more effective monitoring and reviewing systems into the home. She has identified the home’s strengths and areas for development to help her to improve the quality of care provided for children. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2591479 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/08/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 21/06/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 16/03/2022 Interim Declined in effectiveness 17/11/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2591479 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 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

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(i)(b)(v))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to staff applying the ethos of the home as set out in the home’s statement of purpose when talking with and working with children.

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Requirement Due date

It also relates to staff understanding the impact that abuse or neglect may have on children’s behaviour and using this to inform their work with children.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 17 May 2024

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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— 17 May 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2591479 6 that staff—

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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)(viii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring children receive appropriate educational provision.

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21(c)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to not locking rooms in the home unnecessarily or for disproportionate lengths of time.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is restated. 17 May 2024

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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

help each child to understand how to keep safe. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(ii)) 17 May 2024

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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 promotes their welfare. 17 May 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2591479 7 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) (2)(h)) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2591479 8

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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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Inspector

Cathy Trengove, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2591479 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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