Children's Home run by Prime Nurture Services Limited in Hertfordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2791109 1 Registered provider: Prime Nurture Services Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately run and provides care for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered in June 2024. A responsible individual has left since the home opened. A leader in the organisation has applied to become the responsible individual.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

This is the first inspection since the home registered with Ofsted in June 2024.

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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: 2791109 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child moved in during July 2024, and another child moved in during November 2024. Both children were present during the inspection and spoke to the inspectors.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress from their individual starting points. One child was subject to a deprivation of liberty order when they arrived at the home. The frequency of serious incidents has significantly reduced since they arrived. The child’s social worker said that the child has made ‘amazing progress’. This has led to the child being safer and restrictions reducing.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers meet with children before they come to live at the home and get to know them. This helps reduce children’s anxiety about big changes in their lives. Managers answer children’s questions, speak to those professionals and family members that know them best and make considerate plans that are responsive to children’s feelings. One child was fully included in another child’s introductions to the home. This helped foster a positive relationship between children on arrival.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has experienced a significant gap in formal education attendance. Since arriving at the home, they have increased their attendance, completing online tuition with staff and a tutor. Staff plan children’s days to include educational activities such as going to museums and taking part in arts and crafts. These activities help build the child’s confidence to learn. The manager is proactive and challenges other agencies to prevent delays to children’s educational experience.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are fully understood and met. When children experience anxiety about going to health appointments, staff enact plans to remove barriers, provide encouragement and ensure children can access the health services they need.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to share their views and make changes to their day-to-day care arrangements. Staff meet with children weekly to discuss the running of the home. This has led to changes in the decor, layout and routines in the home. Children are supported in their meetings to talk about problems in their peer relationships. Children are learning positive, social relationship skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are treated with dignity and respect. They receive care and help from a diverse staff team that is sensitive to children’s identities. Staff provide children with important cultural experiences that broaden their understanding of diversity and help teach them to embrace their differences.

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

Children feel safe. Both children said that they can talk to staff and managers about their worries. When children share information about past harm, staff take immediate steps to Inspection report for children’s home: 2791109 3 ensure their safety. Managers notify the relevant agencies without delay and follow these up until they are satisfied that children are safe.

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

The staff have provided stability and consistency of care for the children. They are curious about the children’s vulnerabilities and talk to them about online and community safety. These approaches have helped children settle in the home. This has helped one child to be considerably safer since living at the home.

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

Staff demonstrate resilience and work sensitively to protect children. Children’s vulnerabilities and coping strategies are thoroughly understood by staff. Children’s plans provide staff with clear guidance about how best to support them. Children’s views about what they feel helps them best are included in these plans. Children feel listened to, and this has created a culture of openness.

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

Staff use incentives and consequences to encourage positive behaviour. Consequences are restorative and routinely include a reflective conversation with managers and staff. Rewards are both spontaneously given and used as part of plans agreed with children. These are prioritised by staff, who are attuned to subtle changes in children’s behaviour. Incentives are personalised and include trips to children’s favourite coffee shops and beauty treatments.

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

Staff recruitment practices are comprehensive. This ensures that staff are suitable to work with vulnerable children.

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

Physical interventions are used rarely and only in line with agreed plans. When used, they are to keep children safe and take place for the least amount of time possible. However, records of four of the five incidents lacked clarity and were missing some information. Managers were aware of these shortfalls and have discussed this in staff meetings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is experienced and has high aspirations for children and staff. She is supported by a deputy manager. Together they lead by example and have excellent relationships with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are trained to meet the needs of the children they care for. Additional training has been provided, which increases their knowledge about relevant topics. This includes training in supporting children who are subject to deprivation of liberty safeguards and child exploitation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager uses effective internal and external monitoring systems. Monitoring by the independent visitor is valued. The manager regularly identifies areas for practice development. This includes the way that staff capture information in children’s records. Staff now write letters to children each day about their progress and experiences, these are sensitively written and will help children understand their time at the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2791109 4 All staff receive regular supervision of their practice. This is reflective and helps develop their skills as part of a new team. Staff say the manager is ‘approachable and hands on’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff meetings are regular and well attended. Managers use scenario-based questions to explore staff member’s understanding of safeguarding processes. This helps to keep their knowledge up to date. An external professional now provides monthly clinical supervision to the staff team as a group; staff say they found the sessions useful.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback from two social workers, a tutor and a youth worker is overwhelmingly positive about the care provided to children. One social worker said that managers update her weekly, and they have no concerns about safeguarding practice. Another social worker said that the managers and staff are confident to have difficult and meaningful conversations with their child. Inspection report for children’s home: 2791109 5

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that all records of incidents of restraint are subject to effective systems of scrutiny. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.36)

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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: 2791109 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Prime Nurture Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Rogers Spencer Ltd, Newstead House, 17 Pelham Road, Nottingham NG5 1AP

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Inspector

Natalie Day, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2791109 7 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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