Children's Home run by Nurtured Future Living in Telford and Wrekin

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2731865 1 Registered provider: Nurtured Future Living

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in October 2023.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since July 2024 and is suitably qualified.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate at a full inspection on 14 and 15 May 2024. Inspectors identified serious concerns about safeguarding practice, and ineffective leadership and management arrangements.

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This monitoring visit

Following the full inspection, Ofsted served a notice of suspension. This notice took immediate effect from 16 May to 8 August 2024 inclusively.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to assess whether managers had complied with the suspension notice and to evaluate the progress that managers had made in meeting the requirements from the last inspection.

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This monitoring visit

The inspector found that managers had complied with the suspension notice in that no children lived at the home. While some action has been taken to address the shortfalls identified at the full inspection, shortfalls remain with the staffing arrangements and the physical condition of the home environment.

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This monitoring visit

Maintenance work is being undertaken to improve the physical condition of the home. However, this work is not complete. The refurbishment of the kitchen is ongoing and the area cannot be used. The manager is unclear about the completion Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2731865 2 date for the refurbishment. The children’s bedrooms have been cleaned and new furniture has been purchased. However, children’s bedrooms require further decoration and window coverings to create a more homely and welcoming environment.

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This monitoring visit

The staffing of the home remains a concern. There are insufficient staff to provide care for a child. There are only three full-time care staff in employment. Of these three staff, only one holds a relevant level 3 qualification. Two staff are currently in probation. The registered manager has recruited two appropriately qualified senior members of staff; however, safer recruitment checks are being undertaken before their appointment is confirmed.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has developed systems to monitor the day-to-day running of the home. However, these monitoring systems have not been implemented. Therefore, they do not support the registered manager in identifying areas for development to improve outcomes for children.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has taken action to upskill staff to understand children’s risks and vulnerabilities. Staff have undertaken safeguarding training and workshops in areas including assessing risk, substance misuse, and roles and responsibilities. Further work on upskilling the team is anticipated when additional staff are appointed, to ensure that everyone understands their safeguarding responsibilities.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are now provided with regular supervision. This supports staff to reflect on their practice and promote their development.

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This monitoring visit

Safer recruitment practice helps to ensure that only adults who are safe to work with children are employed in the home.

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This monitoring visit

Following this monitoring visit a second suspension notice was issued because the home environment was not ready and there are insufficient staff to care for a child. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2731865 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/05/2024 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2731865 4

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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 with 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; ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(c)(i)(ii)

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to leaders and managers ensuring that the physical condition of the home is improved and maintained to a good standard. 20 September 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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if 20 September 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2731865 5 necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe; have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to staff having clear guidance that they understand and implement, staff’s monitoring and supervision of children, and their role in keeping children safe.

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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;

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Requirement Due date

and promotes their welfare. 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

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for 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;

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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)(b) (2)(a)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to leaders and managers ensuring that the staff team is trained, skilled and experienced to meet the 20 September 2024 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2731865 6 needs of children and keep them safe. Additionally, managers and leaders should review monitoring systems to improve oversight of staff practice and records.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that children’s records are up to date and reflective of their needs. 20 September 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that no more than half the staff on duty at any one time, by day or night, at the home should be from an external agency. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.17)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that contingency plans are prepared in the event of a shortfall in staffing levels. If it is likely that there might only be one member of staff on duty at any time, the manager should make a formal assessment of the implications for children’s care, including any likely risks. This assessment should be recorded and available for inspection by Ofsted and placing authorities (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 59 paragraph 13.2) Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2731865 7

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2731865 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Nurtured Future Living

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Nurtured Future Living Ltd, Grosvenor House, Hollinswood Road, Central Park, Telford, Shropshire TF2 9TW

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Inspector

Lydia Isaac, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2731865 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 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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