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

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

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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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 3 children who may have social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection 2 children were living at the home.

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Inspection date: 19 March 2026

Date of last inspection: 16 September 2025

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Inspection date: 19 March 2026

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 19 March 2026

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspectors 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: 2511614 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

The registered manager left the organisation following the last inspection. The home is now managed by an interim manager who has applied to register with Ofsted. She has introduced several changes to address the shortfalls identified at the last inspection. Although the changes are not fully embedded, some practice has improved and relationships between the staff and children are more positive.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff have successfully implemented daily routines for children which helps them be ready for education in the mornings. When children struggle to attend formal education, staff help them to complete education workbooks at home. Both children are making steady progress in their engagement and attainment in education.

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Findings from the inspection

Children like living in the home and enjoy spending time with the staff. Staff support the children to build positive relationships with each other. Children prefer to spend time in the shared areas of the home socialising rather than alone in their bedrooms. This helps them to develop their social skills and feel a sense of belonging.

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Findings from the inspection

Managers and staff advocate on behalf of children. For example, one child needs an education health care plan to support them accessing the most suitable education setting for their needs. The interim manager is escalating the delay in achieving this with external professionals. However, when a child raised a complaint about staff practice, managers did not respond effectively or ensure that the child was supported. As a result, the child felt unheard and blamed for the staff member’s poor practice.

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Findings from the inspection

Children receive effective and timely help to prepare them for their futures. Staff support them to develop their independence according to their individual needs. One child is planning to move out of the home into supported accommodation. Although they are looking forward to this, they say that they will miss the staff.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff respond sensitively and calmly when children are upset and have self-harmed. They seek medical advice and guidance from external professionals. This helps ensure that staff practice is in line with advice from specialist services.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff follow safeguarding procedures when children go missing from the home. The missing from home guidance is regularly updated by managers and shared with the children. Missing from home incidents have reduced significantly for both children since the last inspection. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2511614 3 Children are helped to keep themselves safe. Staff regularly talk to children about risk, including how to stay safe online. Additionally, managers have put parenting controls on devices at the home to limit children’s access to inappropriate material.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers do not address shortfalls in staff practice effectively. One staff member’s poor practice was not identified until a child made a complaint. Investigations into poor practice are not always completed in a timely way. This does not ensure that children are cared for by suitable staff who always have the required knowledge and skills. The responsible individual and interim manager acknowledge this shortfall and are taking steps to address it.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff are provided with opportunities to engage in training specific to the children’s risks and vulnerabilities. For example, self-harm and mental health awareness.

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Findings from the inspection

Supervision and team meetings take place regularly with staff. This provides them with an opportunity to reflect on the children’s progress and consider ways to improve their practice.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers do not always inform Ofsted of serious events, including allegations against staff or when managers have been suspended. Furthermore, they have not informed Ofsted of the current staffing arrangements at the home. This limits the regulator’s oversight of the safety and care of children.

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Findings from the inspection

Leaders and managers do not always use feedback from children or staff to evaluate and improve children’s care. Additionally, managers do not effectively support the independent person to gather feedback from family members or professionals when they complete their visit. This is a missed opportunity to gain valuable information to improve the quality of care provided to children. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2511614 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/09/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/12/2024 Full Good 05/03/2024 Full Good 04/05/2022 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2511614 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 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

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

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that there is effective oversight of children’s records to ensure that shortfalls in staff practice are identified and addressed. The registered person must ensure that there is sufficient monitoring and review of the manager’s practice.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that investigations into staff practice are carried out in line with the organisations policies and procedures, and in a timely way.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 15 May 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— 15 May 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2511614 6 there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation—

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Requirement Due date

the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified;

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Requirement Due date

and any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter;

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Requirement Due date

must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)(e) (5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must inform the regulator of any allegations made against staff and subsequent suspensions and investigations. This includes the registered manager.

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must establish a procedure for considering complaints made by or on behalf of children.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that no child is subject to any reprisal for making a complaint or representation. (Regulation 39 (3) (4)) 15 May 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children; 15 May 2026 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2511614 7 the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it;

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (5))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (the statement of purpose) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. (Regulation 16 (1))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the regulator is provided with the current staffing arrangements for the home. 15 May 2026

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Recommendation

 The registered person should support the independent visitor to obtain feedback from children, their parents, relatives, key stakeholders, and persons working at the home to enable them to assess all relevant information and form an impartial judgement about the quality of care the home provides. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.8) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2511614 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Nurture Childcare Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Calls Wharf, C/o Pebbles Care Limited, 2 The Calls, Leeds LS2 7JU

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Inspectors

Sarah Gilbert, Social Care Inspector Hannah Longdon, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2511614 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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