Children's Home run by Nurture Childcare Services Ltd in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2511614 1 Registered provider: Nurture Childcare Services Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is owned and operated by a private provider. It is registered to provide care for up to three children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Two children currently live in the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2023.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2511614 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/03/2024 Full Good 04/05/2022 Full Good 23/06/2021 Full Good 02/07/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2511614 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children say that they are happy living in the home. One child has remained living in the home since the last inspection. The strong relationships between the child and staff team means that they are making good progress in all areas of their lives.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager liaises well with professionals and family members when children move into the home. This means that the manager has a good understanding of the children’s individual needs before they move into the home. However, children’s plans do not reflect their individual needs or how their needs will be met by the staff team.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff recognise the emotional impact on children leaving their families when they move into the home. They care for the children with empathy and compassion. They support the children in line with their wishes. This helps children to feel more comfortable in the home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff advocate for children to access educational settings that are most suited to their needs. As a result, children are making good progress academically. The manager acts when there are delays in children accessing formal education provisions. Staff provide educational activities for children when they are unable to attend school. Children have access to in house education in line with their wishes. This means that children’s engagement with education in the home has improved.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff recognise children’s anxieties and barriers of engaging with health professionals. Staff support children to attend appointments and engage with professionals. This means that, the children’s health needs are met. Staff support children to maintain relationships with external professionals in respect of their mental health. Consultations with the staff are undertaken with the inhouse therapist. This improves their knowledge and understanding of the children’s needs.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff respect the children’s strong relationships with their families and friends. They support children to maintain relationships with those important to them. Staff develop positive relationships with children’s families. As a result, family members say they feel involved in the children’s care. They maintain regular contact to keep them informed of the children’s progress. They work in partnership with family members to implement behaviour management strategies. This helps staff to support children who are struggling to settle into the home.

p.3

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

Staff are nurturing and compassionate in their approach to the children. They understand the children’s risks and vulnerabilities well. Inspection report for children’s home: 2511614 4 Incidents of challenging behaviour in the home are rare. When they do occur, staff manage these well. Staff recognise when children are struggling with their emotions. This means that they can de-escalate situations effectively. However, children’s records do not include all their known risks and vulnerabilities. Children’s plans do not reflect the strategies that are used by staff to manage behaviour.

p.3

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

Staff spend time with children following any incidents. This helps children to understand the impact of their behaviour on others. Staff are curious in their interactions with children. This helps children to talk about their feelings and emotions. As a result, children can manage their emotions more effectively. However, staff are not always accurate in their recording of these interactions.

p.4

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

Staff recognise the risks posed to children when accessing the internet. They implement strategies to manage and reduce risks to children from accessing inappropriate content online. Staff work with professionals and children’s families to manage the amount of time children spend on their devices.

p.4

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

Staff support children with warmth and empathy following incidents of self-harm. Strategies are put in place to ensure that children are safeguarded in the home. They liaise with medical professionals to ensure that children’s mental health needs are addressed, and support is in place moving forward. Staff provide a nurturing approach to children in their daily interactions. As a result, children communicate their feelings and emotions to staff. This means that incidents of self-harm for one child have reduced.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by an experienced manager. The manager knows the children well and understands their individual needs. She has high aspirations for the children and is proud of the progress that they are making.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager takes an active role in the daily care provided to the children. As a result, she has developed strong relationships with both children living in the home.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff speak highly of the manager and the support she provides. They say they feel comfortable to share ideas with the manager and raise any concerns. Regular supervision and monthly team meetings provide the staff with opportunities to reflect on their practice. However, not all staff have undertaken training that is relevant to the children’s needs.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has good oversight of the care provided to the children in the home. She identifies shortfalls in staff practice and takes action to address these. However, the recording of the managers oversight and evaluation of care is not always reflected within children’s records.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a good understanding of areas of development for the home and the staff team. However, internal monitoring tools and plans do not reflect this. Inspection report for children’s home: 2511614 5

p.4

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, 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.

p.5

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.5

Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child:

p.5

Requirement Due date

Specifically, children’s records should include all known risks and provide clear guidance and strategies for staff to follow. 5 February 2025

p.5

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—

p.5

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

p.5

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;

p.5

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

p.5

Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(c)(f)(h)) 5 February 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2511614 6 Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that staff undertake training that is specific to the children’s needs; that children’s records include managerial evaluation and that development plans are unique to the home and identify areas of improvement.

p.5

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

Specifically, children’s records must be maintained and updated following direct work and should include an accurate account of staff’s interactions with the children. 5 February 2025

p.6

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.6

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home.

p.6

Requirement Due date

Specifically, plans for children moving into the home must be individual to the child and identify how the child’s needs will be met. 5 February 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2511614 7

p.6

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: 2511614 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Nurture Childcare Services Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Seighford Hall, Clanford Road, Seighford, Stafford ST18 9NL

p.8

Inspectors

Claire Hobbs, social care inspector Hayley Smith, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2511614 9 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.

p.8

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9