Nurturing Little Hearts

Inspection report for residential family centre: Nurturing Little Hearts 1 Nurturing Little Hearts Nurturing Little Hearts Limited 61 Bridge Street, Kington, HR5 3DJ. Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential family centre

The centre registered with Ofsted in November 2025 and is privately owned. It provides accommodation for up to 4 families at one time.

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Information about this residential family centre

At the time of this inspection, no families were living at the centre.

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Information about this residential family centre

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2025 but left with immediate effect prior to this inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and parents, taking into account inadequate

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Overall experiences and progress of

How well children and parents are helped and protected inadequate

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Overall experiences and progress of

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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Overall experiences and progress of

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children and parents are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and/or the care and experiences of children and parents are poor.

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Overall experiences and progress of

Date of previous inspection: not previously inspected

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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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Overall experiences and progress of

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for residential family centre: Nurturing Little Hearts 2

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Summary of findings

Children are not safeguarded effectively. Managers are making decisions about children’s health and wellbeing without consulting relevant professionals to ensure that their safety is always promoted. There is poor oversight of the operation of the centre, which has put children at increased risk of harm. A lack of accurate records adversely affects professional oversight of children’s experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

Since registration, 2 families have lived at the centre. Placement plans are put in place when families move into the centre, and the physical environment is comfortable and welcoming. One family has received a full assessment. The report has yet to be finalised. Another family’s assessment ended unexpectedly and could therefore not proceed. Despite the provision of a positive environment, inspectors identified serious concerns relating to the assessment and monitoring of families.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

One parent has provided positive feedback about their experience and commented on the support they received with their emotional wellbeing. However, staff consistently raised concerns regarding members of the team ‘crossing professional boundaries’ in their relationships with families. This has the potential to cause confusion, and parents may misinterpret interactions in what can be a stressful time for them. Unclear boundaries can also undermine the credibility of the assessment process.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

Staff observed and recorded some health issues relating to a child on an occasion when they were carrying out basic care duties. The staff failed to obtain medical advice in relation to these observations and did not share them with the local authority. The manager had oversight; however, they did not act on the lack of action by staff. As a result, the child may have experienced pain or discomfort.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

One local authority raised concerns about the presentation of this child when their placement ended. Written records of the child’s last day at the centre contained limited information in relation to their care that day. This prevents professionals from accurately understanding the child’s experience. More positively, another local authority said information shared when their child left was good.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and parents: inadequate

The manager and staff have not kept records of significant events in children’s lives. When children move on, documents are not produced to evidence how the transition was managed or what information was shared with the local authority. There are gaps in other records, such as daily logs, weekly summaries and chronologies. This may adversely affect the accuracy of families’ assessments and the ability of other professionals to make safe decisions about children’s future care plans. Inspection report for residential family centre: Nurturing Little Hearts 3 Managers have not kept complete or accurate records of parent assessment sessions. Some assessment session records do not include oversight from the manager. As a result, they have failed to ensure that the final report accurately reflects all the evidence gathered. Currently, professionals who may wish to view these records do not have access to them. This has the potential to affect court

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: inadequate

Children and parents are not being safeguarded effectively. Children have sustained marks and injuries that have not been reported to the local authority to enable them to be investigated. For one child, the marks remain unexplained. Staff have completed several body maps in relation to marks found on children. These were not shared with the local authority, despite management oversight. This demonstrates a lack of transparency with agencies in the child’s professional network. It also adversely affects their ability to implement their own safeguarding and wellbeing procedures.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: inadequate

A child is reported to have been handled with force by their parent on 2 occasions. On both occasions, the managers and staff did not seek medical advice or attention for the child. These incidents were not promptly or accurately reported to the local authority. The delay in reporting affected the timeliness of the local authority’s decision-making regarding this family. Investigations are now taking place in relation to the incidents.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: inadequate

Managers are making decisions about children’s health and wellbeing without consulting relevant professionals to ensure that children’s safety is always promoted. On one occasion, a child had a sore on their hand. The manager assessed the cause of the sore without seeking a medical opinion. This practice is very concerning due to the level of responsibility the provider has to keep children safe.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: inadequate

A child was in the care of staff without a parent for a sustained period. There was no individualised care plan or risk assessment in place to ensure their safety. The staff took the child into the community without the local authority’s approval. This activity was not assessed for risk. This may have placed the child at risk of harm.

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How well children and parents are helped and protected: inadequate

A member of staff observed a serious incident between two parents. The staff member did not seek immediate advice from a manager about how to respond. The incident was passed on to other staff to manage. This shows that staff are not always clear about following safeguarding procedures.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The management arrangements have been disrupted. The registered manager left recently with immediate effect. The responsible individual has taken on the manager role. A new responsible individual had been identified at the time of the inspection and was going through vetting procedures. The management arrangements are not yet established or effective. Inspection report for residential family centre: Nurturing Little Hearts 4 Management oversight and monitoring at the centre are poor. The responsible individual was unaware of some aspects of the day-to-day operation of the centre. For example, the responsible individual could not explain why documents were missing from children’s files. The responsible individual has raised concerns about the registered manager’s practice but has not addressed them through the supervisory process.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The staff say they enjoy supporting families; however, they report having received confusing and conflicting direction from the registered manager and responsible individual. This has impeded their ability to support families in a consistent and safe way.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Some staff members are related to one another. They have been working together to support families without a risk assessment in place to manage potential conflicts of interest or address allegations if they arise. This raises concerns about a closed culture developing, which can increase risks to children’s safety and wellbeing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager has not ensured that staff have received appropriate training pertinent to the needs of children and families. For example, they have not had training in reporting and recording, which is an important part of their role due to the level of scrutiny in this setting.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The managers have failed to notify Ofsted of serious events at the centre. Examples include a parent leaving their child at the centre and an injury to a child. The registered person has submitted required monthly reports; however, the content does not accurately reflect events that have taken place or the views of parents. These omissions prevent the regulator from having oversight and taking all necessary action to safeguard children and parents. Inspection report for residential family centre: Nurturing Little Hearts 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 Residential Family Centre Regulations 2002 and the national minimum standards. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

*The registered person shall prepare and implement a written child protection policy which—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the residential family centre from abuse or neglect;

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Requirement Due date

sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of any allegation of abuse or neglect.

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Requirement Due date

The procedure under paragraph (1)(b) must in particular provide for—

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Requirement Due date

liaison and co-operation with any local authority which is making child protection enquiries in relation to any child accommodated in the residential family centre;

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Requirement Due date

the prompt referral to the local authority in whose area the residential family centre is situated, of any allegations of abuse or neglect affecting any child accommodated in the residential family centre;

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Requirement Due date

notification (in accordance with regulation 26) of the instigation and outcome of any child protection enquiries involving any child accommodated in the residential family centre, to the [F1Chief Inspector] and the child’s placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

written records to be kept of any allegation of abuse or neglect, and of the action taken in response;

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Requirement Due date

consideration to be given in each case to the measures which may be necessary to protect children in the residential family centre following an allegation of abuse or neglect;

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Requirement Due date

a requirement for persons working at the residential family centre to report any concerns about the welfare or safety of 5 June 2026 Inspection report for residential family centre: Nurturing Little Hearts 6 any child accommodated in the residential family centre to one of the following—

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Requirement Due date

an officer of the local authority in whose area the residential family centre is situated; or

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Requirement Due date

an officer of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children;

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Requirement Due date

arrangements to be made for residents and persons working at the residential family centre, to have access at all times and in an appropriate form, to information which would enable them to contact the local authority in whose area the residential family centre is situated, or the [F1Chief Inspector], concerning the welfare or safety of children accommodated in the residential family centre. (Regulation 12 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(g))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to establishing clear safeguarding processes to ensure that managers and staff promptly inform and consult relevant professionals about any risks to children’s safety, health and wellbeing.

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Requirement Due date

This also relates to ensuring that managers and staff recognise when children are at increased risk of harm and ensure that they accurately record incidents involving children and promptly report them to the local authority. Additional training must be provided where necessary.

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Requirement Due date

This also relates to ensuring that records are kept when information is shared with professionals.

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Requirement Due date

Managers also need to ensure that a system is in place to create and keep records of risk management plans for children when in the care of staff in the absence of their parents.

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Requirement Due date

*The registered provider and the registered manager shall, having regard to the size of the residential family centre, the statement of purpose, and the number and needs of the residents, carry on or manage the centre (as the case may be) with sufficient care, competence and skill. 5 June 2026 Inspection report for residential family centre: Nurturing Little Hearts 7 (Regulation 8 (1))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that suitable and effective management arrangements are in place that provide staff with consistent support, advice and guidance so they can care for families safely.

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Requirement Due date

This also relates to ensuring that there are effective systems in place for managers to have full oversight of the centre. This includes implementing processes to investigate any practice concerns raised about the manager and the responsible individual.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the parents’ capacity to respond to the children’s needs and to safeguard their welfare is monitored or assessed by a suitably qualified person in accordance with the requirements of this regulation.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that conclusions or recommendations are made as a result of the assessment or monitoring and that—

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Requirement Due date

such conclusions or recommendations are objective and based on verifiable evidence; and

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Requirement Due date

the evidence on which they are based is capable of being presented in a manner that is clear, accessible and appropriate to the persons who will need to consider them. (Regulation 13A (1) (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that assessments are based on evidence and observations from complete and accurate records on children’s files.

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Requirement Due date

This also relates to ensuring that all assessment session records have oversight from the registered manager to ensure that the evidence gathered is reflected in the assessment report. This also relates to ensuring that the records are accessible for consideration and/or scrutiny. 3 July 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall maintain in respect of each family accommodated in the residential family centre a record which—

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Requirement Due date

includes the information, documents and other records specified in Schedule 3 relating to the members of the family; 3 July 2026 Inspection report for residential family centre: Nurturing Little Hearts 8 is kept up to date;

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Requirement Due date

is retained in the residential family centre so long as the family to which it relates is accommodated there; and

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Requirement Due date

is retained in a place of security for a period of fifteen years from the date of the last entry.

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Requirement Due date

The records mentioned in paragraphs (1) and (3) may be kept in electronic form, provided the information so recorded is capable of being reproduced in a legible form. (Regulation 19 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d) (5))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that accurate and complete records are kept of children’s lives when living at the centre.

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Requirement Due date

Where the registered provider is an organisation or a partnership, the residential family centre shall be visited in accordance with this regulation by—

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Requirement Due date

the responsible individual or one of the partners, as the case may be;

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Requirement Due date

an employee of the organisation or partnership who is not directly concerned with the conduct of the residential family centre.

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Requirement Due date

Visits under paragraph (1) or (2) shall take place at least once a month and may be unannounced.

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Requirement Due date

The person carrying out the visit shall—

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Requirement Due date

interview, with their consent and in private, such of the residents and persons working at the residential family centre as appears necessary in order to form an opinion of the standard of care provided in the residential family centre;

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Requirement Due date

as far as reasonably practicable, inspect the premises of the residential family centre and records of any complaints; and

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Requirement Due date

prepare a written report on the conduct of the residential family centre.

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider shall supply a copy of the report required to be made under paragraph (4)(c) to— 3 July 2026 Inspection report for residential family centre: Nurturing Little Hearts 9 the [Chief Inspector]. (Regulation 25 (2)(a)(c) (3) (4)(a)(b)(c) (5)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that a person listed in the regulation carries out monthly visits. Their reports must reflect the activity at the centre and the experiences of children and families, and they must be submitted to Ofsted in a timely manner.

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Requirement Due date

If, in relation to a residential family centre, any of the events listed in column 1 of the table in Schedule 5 takes place, the registered person shall without delay notify the persons indicated in respect of the event in column 2 of the table.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person shall without delay notify the parent accommodated in the residential family centre with a child of any significant incident affecting the child’s welfare unless to do so is not reasonably practicable or would place the child’s welfare at risk.

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Requirement Due date

Any notification made in accordance with this regulation which is given orally shall be confirmed in writing.

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Requirement Due date

References in column 1 of the table in Schedule 5 to a centre shall be construed as references to a residential family centre.

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Requirement Due date

References in column 2 of the table to a local authority shall be construed as references to the local authority in whose area the residential family centre is situated. (Regulation 26 (1) (2) (3) (4) (5))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that serious incidents involving children and their families are notified to the required professionals, including Ofsted. 3 July 2026

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and parents 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 Residential Family Centre Regulations 2002 and the national minimum standards. Inspection report for residential family centre: Nurturing Little Hearts 1

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider: Nurturing Little Hearts Limited

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider address: 61 Bridge Street, Kington HR5 3DJ

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Residential family centre details

Email address: emma@nurturinglittlehearts.co.uk

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Inspectors

Laura Walker, Social Care Inspector Kathryn Hurley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre: Nurturing Little Hearts 1 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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