Nurturing Little Hearts

Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Nurturing Little Hearts 1 Nurturing Little Hearts

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential family centre

This residential family centre is privately owned and is registered to provide accommodation for up to 4 families.

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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

There has been no registered manager since 20 April 2025.

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Inspection date: 11 June 2026

Date of previous inspection: 28 April 2026

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This monitoring visit

This centre was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 28 and 29 April 2026. Ofsted issued a notice restricting accommodation at that inspection. Compliance notices were issued under the arrangements for protection of children standard and the registered person standard, respectively.

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This monitoring visit

The visit was carried out to assess progress and action taken by the provider following the restriction of accommodation. It was also to review the progress made by leaders and managers in addressing the concerns raised at the full inspection.

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This monitoring visit

No families have lived in the centre since the last inspection. There are currently no staff employed at the centre. The responsible individual is the only person working there.

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This monitoring visit

The responsible individual has developed their own tracker of improvements required. This reflects shortfalls identified at the last inspection. The responsible individual has updated policies to strengthen the safeguarding practices at the centre. Additionally, recording templates have been updated with sections added to capture the experiences of children and their parents. Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Nurturing Little Hearts 2 An external professional provides independence supervision to the responsible individual. This supports critical reflection on practice and identifies areas for improvement.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last full inspection, none of the requirements set have been met. Compliance notices set were also not met. Some progress has been made with systems and policies being updated by the responsible individual. However, without a staff team, it is not possible to evidence how safeguarding processes are being implemented and embedded across the service.

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This monitoring visit

As a result of this monitoring visit, a restriction of accommodation was reissued. This relates to lack of a staff team and no registered manager in post to lead the improvement journey. Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Nurturing Little Hearts 3

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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 with 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; 6 August 2026 Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Nurturing Little Hearts 4 a requirement for persons working at the residential family centre to report any concerns about the welfare or safety of 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. Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Nurturing Little Hearts 5 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. (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. 6 August 2026

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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. 6 August 2026 Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Nurturing Little Hearts 6 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;

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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. 6 August 2026

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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; 6 August 2026 Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Nurturing Little Hearts 7 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—

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Requirement Due date

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. 6 August 2026 Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Nurturing Little Hearts 8

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the residential family centre since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Nurturing Little Hearts 9

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Residential family centre details

Registered provider: Nurturing Little Hearts ltd

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Residential family centre details

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

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Inspectors

Kathryn Hurley, Social Care Inspector Chloe Harvey, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: 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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