Children's Home run by Nottinghamshire County Council in Derbyshire

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC051513 1 SC051513 Registered provider: Nottinghamshire County Council

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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 owned and operated by a local authority. The home is registered to provide care for up to four children with emotional and social difficulties. The home can also care for children who may have a hearing difficulty.

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Information about this children’s home

There were no children living at the home at the time of this inspection.

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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 children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At these inspections, 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: SC051513 2

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Findings from the inspection

The last full inspection of this home was on 11 March 2024; the home was judged to require improvement. At the time of the last inspection, there were four children being cared for at the home. These children, together with the staff and manager, had moved from another home belonging to the local authority while renovation was being completed at their home. No children have been accommodated at the home as a substantive placement since this inspection. However, the building has been used to care for a child in an emergency. The child was cared for by temporary staff from an agency commissioned by the local authority. This was managed well and overseen by managers from within the organisation.

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Findings from the inspection

At the time of this assurance inspection, there was no manager and no staff team. The local authority has stated its intention not to accommodate any further children at the home until the home has been renovated and consideration has been given to the conditions of registration for the home.

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Findings from the inspection

The home has been without a registered manager for a considerable period. The manager left the employment of the local authority in April 2023 following a disciplinary process. This post has not been recruited to because the local authority had planned to close and renovate the home. The building and future of the home are being overseen by the responsible individual and the operations manager.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff working at the home were redeployed to other homes operated by the local authority. Consequently, there is no identified staff group.

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Findings from the inspection

The physical building is in a poor condition. The building is tired and requires a complete overhaul to make it a suitable home for children to live in. The local authority has ambitious plans for the home. They recognise the potential that the building has and have plans to completely renovate the building and grounds. These plans are likely to include changing their registration conditions to include children with disabilities. Leaders are realistic and understand that this will take some time to achieve.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders have maintained oversight of the home through reports provided by the independent visitor. These reports, by virtue of having no children or staff, are brief but informative. These reports provide assurance that independent monitoring of the home, while empty, continues.

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Findings from the inspection

Following this assurance inspection, Ofsted will hold an internal meeting to consider imposing a condition on the home whereby no children can be accommodated without giving three months’ notice to Ofsted. Additionally, the registered manager did not resign their registration upon leaving the employment of the local authority. Ofsted will consider further action in this regard. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC051513 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/03/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/06/2022 Full Good 22/03/2022 Interim Declined in effectiveness 15/12/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC051513 4

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Nottinghamshire County Council

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Nottinghamshire County Council, County Hall, Loughborough Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham NG2 7QP

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Jennifer Whiston

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Inspector

Phillip Morris, Regulatory Inspection Manager Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC051513 5 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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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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