Children's Home run by Nurture Support Services Limited in St Helens

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2711439 1 Registered provider: Nurture Support 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 run by a private organisation and is registered to care for two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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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: 2711439 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

At the time of the inspection, there were two children living at the home. Both said they were happy and felt safe.

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Findings from the inspection

The home is well presented, and children’s bedrooms are designed with their involvement to reflect their current interests. This gives children a sense of ownership and belonging.

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Findings from the inspection

Children develop positive relationships with the adults who care for them. Staff are warm and nurturing and spend time getting to know the children. Their caring approach contributes to the children feeling that they can trust and depend on the adults responsible for their care.

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Findings from the inspection

Healthy lifestyles for children are actively promoted. Leaders, managers and staff understand children’s health needs and help them access specialist services. One child was supported to undergo allergy testing. This helped the child understand what food posed a risk to their health. However, there is not a clear plan for the child or staff to follow, to reduce the risk of the child having an allergic reaction in the community.

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Findings from the inspection

There is a strong focus on children accessing education and reaching their academic potential. Staff complete additional work with children who are underachieving in school. A teacher at one child’s school complimented staff for their involvement in helping the child to make progress. There has also been an improvement in children’s school attendance since living at the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff are aware of the significant relationships in children’s lives. They support children to remain connected to those people both in and out of the home. Children say friends and family spend time with them in the home and are invited to significant events.

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Findings from the inspection

Since the last inspection, there have been no incidents of children going missing from home and physical intervention has not been used. Children’s risk management plans are detailed and provide staff with clear guidance on how to respond when they are concerned about children’s safety. These plans help staff to take effective and decisive action to safeguard children.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager has been in post since October 2023 and has submitted her application to be registered. She speaks passionately about the children and knows them well. Staff are complimentary about the manager and the support they receive to fulfil their role. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2711439 3 Not all safeguarding incidents are well documented and or management oversight. For example, when a child had an allergic reaction after eating nuts, the manager did not review the incident and consider whether there were any learning and development needs for staff, to avoid the incident being repeated.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager understands the home’s strengths and weaknesses and has taken action to develop the service. However, further improvements to management oversight are needed to ensure that staff practice is safe and effective. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2711439 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/10/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 13/07/2023 Full Inadequate 16/05/2023 Full Inadequate Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2711439 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 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. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Leaders and managers should ensure that when children have allergies, there is a clear plan that sets out how children should be supported, both in and out of the home, to manage this safely. 2 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

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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

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; 2 May 2024 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2711439 6 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)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, that the home is managed by a suitably qualified and experienced manager. The registered person must ensure that there are systems in place to monitor and review practice in the home and that all staff employed, including bank staff, undertake relevant training. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2711439 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Nurture Support Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 35 Prescot Road, St. Helens WA10 3UF

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Inspector

Chibuzo Otache, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2711439 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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