Children's Home run by Nurture Care Group Ltd in Wolverhampton

Inspection report for children’s home: 2778297 1 Registered provider: Nurture Care Group Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for children who experience social and emotional difficulties. Three children are living in the home, and two were spoken to during the inspection. One child has left the home after a short stay of five weeks.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2024. This was the home’s first inspection since it was registered.

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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: 2778297 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are starting to build trusting relationships with staff. A child described staff as ‘nice’. Another child discussed their trusting experience with the home manager, when they felt comfortable enough to share their reasons for causing damage to the home. The manager treated them with respect, and prompt action was taken to address their views.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to attend school. One child’s attendance doubled during their time living at the home, and another child attended their prom. The manager has challenged a child’s school to ensure that their timetable meets their educational needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Recently, all three children experienced a holiday together, which they really enjoyed. Staff engage children in various activities outside of the home, such as go-karting and ice-skating. Art and sports equipment have also been provided to support children’s interests and hobbies. However, children are not always offered the same choices of activities based on their age and interests.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager identifies the importance of children spending time with friends and family, which is well supported for all the children. The high levels of communication with family members have helped the staff and managers to better understand the children’s needs and lived experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves into the home have been mixed. The skill set of staff did not match one child’s needs, who was then unable to live in the home. Limited information was retrieved by the manager, who accepts that they need to be more scrupulous when reviewing and accepting future referrals. To provide a positive ending and move to a new home for the child, the manager took them shopping and held a meeting with the new home’s manager to share important information about the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are generally in good health and registered with medical services. When there has been a refusal for a doctor’s appointment, staff will ensure that a follow-up appointment is scheduled. Children are eating highly processed foods, with limited guidance about the importance of healthy food choices and eating routine.

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

Staff and managers follow detailed and clear plans when children go missing from home. This means that children return home safely. Children are educated about the dangers of going missing from the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2778297 3 Professionals and family members are regularly updated about children’s progress. Feedback from an independent reviewing officer said that staff are ‘good at communicating’.

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

Recently, a child has moved into the home, and this has created new and changing dynamics. Staff provide extra support at times of higher need to ensure that children’s needs are met.

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

There have been no allegations, complaints or concerns about bullying. Children who have had a history of harming themselves have not harmed themselves since living at the home.

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

Cannabis use is a risk identified for one child. Managers have treated this seriously and written a detailed plan to support staff and the child in managing this risk. The child has reduced their cannabis use with support from staff.

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

The physical environment of the home is safe, although staff and managers have had delayed responses in identifying maintenance issues throughout the home. For example, one child’s bedroom had a hole in the wall with debris on the floor, which was not observed by staff. Creative ideas for children to personalise their bedrooms have not been actioned within an acceptable time frame. This has impacted on children enjoying their bedrooms.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a kind and caring approach with staff and children. He is a strong advocate for evidence-based practice to improve outcomes for children. Action plans are implemented when areas of development for staff arise.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses in the home. Staff confidence is a key area of development, which is being supported by weekly team around the child meetings and clinical supervision. Additionally, senior staff members always work with less-experienced staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel valued and like the recognition given by managers. The manager wants a collaborative working environment in the home. He asked a team member to improve the medication-recording template due to their greater level of knowledge and understanding.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager accepts constructive feedback from the independent visitor and accepts that record-keeping is an area of improvement, for example, records of recognition of positive rewards for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The director has supported the manager when there have been incidents in the home that relate to damage and physical aggression. The responsible individual does not live within close proximity to the home; therefore, the director provides additional support when required. For example, the director challenged the staff decision- Inspection report for children’s home: 2778297 4 making when the police were called to assist with an incident where a child was causing damage to the home. These learning opportunities are shared in weekly manager meetings and team meetings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Management oversight is not always consistent because important conversations with children and staff are not always documented. Auditing processes have not identified this as a recurring issue, and therefore, tracking and better understanding children’s progress have been affected. The manager has now included this factor in their monthly auditing checklist and accepts they are still familiarising themselves with the online software. However, the manager acts promptly when they receive advice, which was demonstrated in his efforts to ensure that managers’ comments were added to all documents when the independent visitor recognised this was not happening. Inspection report for children’s home: 2778297 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 care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager applying more scrutiny when reviewing and accepting referrals to the home, to ensure that children can be suitably cared for. 25 September

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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

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

meet the needs of each child; and 25 September Inspection report for children’s home: 2778297 6 enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the managers and staff being more proactive in identifying and responding to maintenance issues within the home.

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to managers having a more effective monitoring system to ensure that records of important conversations with children and staff are documented. This is necessary to track children’s progress and patterns of behaviour within the home. 25 September

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are provided with nutritious meals suitable for each child’s needs. Where appropriate, children should be involved in choosing and preparing meals, and opportunities to sit together and eat should be promoted. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.8)  The registered person should ensure that each child’s talents and interests are understood and nurtured, with children selecting activities based on their personal preferences and abilities, so far as is reasonable. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 6.5) Inspection report for children’s home: 2778297 7

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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: 2778297 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Nurture Care Group Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Suite 34 Hilton Hall, Hilton Lane, Essington, Wolverhampton WV11 2BQ

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Inspector

Caoimhe Richards, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2778297 9 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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