Marydale Lodge

Inspection report for secure children’s home: SC022448 1 Marydale Lodge Registered provider: Nugent Care 2019 Registered provider address: Blackbrook Road, St Helens, Merseyside WA11 9RJ Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this secure children’s home

This home is run by a voluntary organisation and is approved by the Secretary of State to restrict children’s liberty. The home can accommodate up to 12 children aged between 10 and 17 years who are placed by local authorities under section 25 of the Children Act 1989. There were four children living at the home at the time of the inspection. All the children contributed to the inspection.

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Information about this secure children’s home

Admission of any child under 13 years of age under section 25 of the Children Act 1989 requires the approval of the Secretary of State. The commissioning of health services in this home is the statutory responsibility of NHS England under the Health and Social Care Act 2012. Education is provided on site in dedicated facilities.

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Information about this secure children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2025.

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Information about this secure children’s home

Inspection dates: 30 June to 2 July 2026 and 7 August 2026.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

Children’s education and learning good Children’s health 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 secure children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 14 October 2025 Inspection report for secure children’s home: SC022448 2 Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for secure children’s home: SC022448 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/10/2025 Full Outstanding 14/01/2025 Full Good 30/01/2024 Full Outstanding 11/10/2022 Full Good Inspection report for secure children’s home: SC022448 4

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Summary of findings

Following the completion of the full inspection, a further visit was completed to gather additional evidence. This was in response to 2 complaints and concerns received. This visit confirmed that the manager had acted in accordance with all required procedures and relevant legislation, demonstrating appropriate oversight and due diligence.

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Summary of findings

Staff prioritise building relationships with children. Children feel comfortable sharing their views and accepting support from staff. Children benefit from individual measures and specific strategies that are implemented by staff to keep each of them safe.

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Summary of findings

Children are making progress in education. A newly appointed head of education is driving progress forward and addressing known shortfalls.

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Summary of findings

Children benefit from a broad range of support from health professionals, who work sensitively and consider children’s individual needs.

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Summary of findings

Since the last full inspection, there have been changes to the leadership and management and the staff team. Although there is ongoing recruitment, vacancies have taken time to fill. As a result, the number of children being cared for has remained low. This has also affected the pace at which the team of staff can be strengthened and develop the necessary skills and experience to fulfil their roles and responsibilities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s wishes and feelings are consistently sought and reflected in the daily care that they receive. Staff actively seek children’s views through weekly meetings, which provide regular opportunities for them to suggest activities and menu choices for the week ahead. In addition, staff use direct-work sessions to capture children’s views. Staff promote participation and ensure that children have a genuine voice in decisions that affect their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s identity needs are understood and acknowledged by staff. Staff take time to learn about children’s backgrounds and use this knowledge to inform how they support them. However, opportunities to further support equality, diversity and inclusion are not maximised. Children have expressed a desire to speak to a religious leader but this has not yet been facilitated. In addition, managers have plans to introduce more cultural learning and celebrations, but these have not yet been implemented.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children can identify staff who they feel comfortable and confident to share their thoughts and feelings with. Staff value developing meaningful and trusting relationships with children. They invest time in getting to know each child, enabling positive and secure relationships to develop. Children are increasingly able to place their trust in staff, Inspection report for secure children’s home: SC022448 5 contributing to their emotional wellbeing and creating a nurturing environment where they feel supported.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to use the home’s complaints procedure. Managers respond promptly to complaints, providing children with written acknowledgement and a clear outcome following their investigation. Complaints are thoroughly considered, and children are reassured that their views are valued and respected throughout the process. This reinforces that children’s voices influence practice and decision-making in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from positive experiences through well-planned and successful visits into the community. Staff ensure that children are well prepared for these experiences and implement bespoke plans tailored to their individual needs. This enables children to build confidence while managing increasing levels of independence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most children are well prepared for the next stage of their lives and experience positive and sustainable moves out of the home. Although there are some occasions when children have moved on quickly when their needs can no longer be met. When planned, managers and staff advocate tenaciously on behalf of children to ensure that suitable future homes are identified and that the necessary support is in place before they move. Staff ensure that children become familiar with their new homes and meet the people who will care for them well in advance of moving in.

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Children’s education and learning: good

Children make good progress, and, when appropriate, they achieve relevant qualifications. Leaders have developed individualised curriculums that are broad and aligned to children’s needs. Children study English, mathematics, science and vocational subjects that interest them. Some children are supported to undertake valuable external work placements, for example in barber shops.

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Children’s education and learning: good

Staff plan and teach their subjects effectively. They use assessments of children’s starting points to teach relevant tasks based on children’s individual needs. This motivates children and builds stability and routine. For example, children benefit from timed challenges and problem-solving starter activities that help them settle into learning. This enables them to focus on more challenging tasks, such as debates. Teachers assess children’s prior learning effectively and help them connect this to new concepts.

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Children’s education and learning: good

Staff create a nurturing environment and build very positive relationships with children. Staff build children’s trust during the transition to the secure environment. They take time to understand their needs and interests and teach in ways that build children’s self- esteem. Staff establish routines that enable children to engage positively with their education.

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Children’s education and learning: good

Children benefit from a responsive enrichment programme that matches their interests and aspirations. They explore new interests and talents, including swimming, sports, music, horse riding and expressive arts. Guest speakers deliver sessions on topics such as misogyny, knife crime, radicalisation and extremism. Teachers encourage children to Inspection report for secure children’s home: SC022448 6 reflect on their own experiences and deepen their understanding of equality and diversity and fundamental British values.

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Children’s education and learning: good

A very recently appointed head of education has taken action to strengthen systems and processes. Leaders have streamlined processes so that all staff can access relevant information about children’s needs and the progress they make. Leaders have strengthened quality assurance processes to enable staff to identify emerging trends and take appropriate action when improvements are identified.

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Children’s education and learning: good

Teachers have not received any training to develop their teaching skills since the previous head of education left in October 2025. The current head of education has actions in place to rectify this, but these are yet to be implemented.

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Children’s health: good

Children receive timely health assessments shortly after moving in, including consideration of their mental, physical and sexual health and neurodiversity needs. Some children currently living in the home are starting to engage with the health team. The health team adapts its approach when children are anxious or reluctant to engage. Staff are skilful at gathering information using informal discussions and observations. Staff take account of individual needs, including cultural preferences and food choices, and ensure an appropriately sensitive level of input from professionals. This helps children to feel respected, safer in the environment and more able to begin engaging in their healthcare.

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Children’s health: good

Healthcare planning is becoming more holistic and more clearly aligned to children’s individual needs. Care plans increasingly reflect children’s views and starting points. This approach is still relatively new and not yet fully embedded, but it is beginning to strengthen how children’s progress is understood and how their health needs are supported over time.

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Children’s health: good

Children experience day-to-day care that is increasingly informed by their presentation, emotional needs and readiness for change. Important information about risks, routines and care, children’s sleep, presentation and safer behaviours is shared in daily briefings. This information is used to review and reduce restrictions when possible. This helps children to experience a more reflective and child-centred approach, improving dignity, emotional safety and progress over time.

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Children’s health: good

Children benefit from a broad range of therapeutic support from health professionals, including psychology, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and substance misuse services. These professionals work collaboratively to develop clinically informed plans. Through direct interventions, staff training and tailored strategies, staff develop a better understanding of children’s trauma, communication needs, sensory differences and regulation difficulties. This helps children to feel understood, leading to improvements in emotional regulation, engagement and wellbeing.

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Children’s health: good

Children experience support from health professionals following incidents and in wider risk management planning. Risk assessments clearly describe each child’s vulnerabilities and Inspection report for secure children’s home: SC022448 7 helpful strategies. Thoughtful multi-agency working reduces restrictions when these may affect a child’s dignity and daily experience. Health staff are routinely involved following incidents to review children’s presentation and ensure that their immediate needs are considered. This helps children to feel safer and better understood during periods of heightened vulnerability and contributes to more responsive and proportionate care.

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Children’s health: good

Detailed handovers to future services and placements, including ongoing involvement from health professionals during the transition period, promote continuity of care for children. This ensures that children’s needs are advocated for and met throughout periods of change.

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

Children benefit from the positive relationships they build with staff. Staff prioritise building trust with children. As a result, children become increasingly receptive to the advice and guidance staff provide. This supports each child’s progress and helps them to understand and better regulate their emotions and growth over time.

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

Children benefit from individual measures and specific strategies that are implemented by staff to keep each of them safer. Managers routinely review and closely monitor all incidents. This helps staff to provide more consistent care by ensuring that all children’s regularly reviewed care and risk plans are followed. Therapeutic approaches used help children to reflect and learn.

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

Staff support children in learning to regulate their emotions and meaningfully reflect on their presenting behaviour over time. Physical interventions, single separation (where a child is locked into an area alone due to significant risk) and managed away (where a child is separated from other children but with staff) are used for the minimal time possible. When children are physically held, this only occurs to keep them and others safe from harm. Detailed individual planning and support for children when they self-harm helps to keep them safer.

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

Safeguarding concerns are investigated, and appropriate action is taken to help protect children from harm. An open and constructive working relationship has been established with the local authority designated officer. Leaders seek advice and guidance, and prompt referrals are made when required.

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

A safe and secure environment is maintained, which assists in keeping children safe. Swift responses ensure that any damage to the home is promptly repaired.

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

Police assistance has been required on occasion, which has been necessary to keep children and staff safe. The implementation of thorough security procedures reduces the possibility of security breaches.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Inspection report for secure children’s home: SC022448 8 Several new members of staff have been appointed since the last inspection. When there are difficulties or challenges, the registered manager ensures that these are addressed and resolved in a timely manner. This has resulted in some staff members leaving before the end of their probationary period. While this ensures that those caring for the children share the home’s ethos, it means that building the team is taking longer.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is an inspirational and knowledgeable leader. She speaks about the children with deep affection and a strong sense of responsibility, consistently advocating to aim for children receiving the highest standard of care and support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are committed to the children and focus on children’s strengths and abilities. The team celebrates all successes with children. Staff ensure that each child has the best chances and outcomes possible. However, there have been some inconsistences in how staff support children with their routines and boundaries, as well as some missed opportunities for communication between the care, health and education teams. The manager is aware of these issues and is taking appropriate action.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The leadership and management team provides a supportive environment for all staff through one-to-one sessions, clinical supervision with the health team and external support. There is a robust induction and training programmes that are tailored to the specific needs of the children. However, s ome one-to-one sessions lack sufficient reflection on practice and safeguarding issues. This is a missed opportunity to further develop a staff team with strong skills and enhance staff’s work with children. The manager is aware of this shortfall and is taking appropriate action.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has effective systems in place to support the monitoring of the quality of care and aid reflection and learning of care. She understands the home’s strengths and areas for development. These audits and plans take account of the care that children receive, including how their health and education needs are met. This helps the manager and leadership team to identify areas for improvement. Some gaps in records have been highlighted in audits. The leadership and management team has clear plans to address any gaps, and improvements are being embedded.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There have been changes in the staff team. Recruitment has been successful and is ongoing. The manager is mindful of the potential impact of these changes on team dynamics and is actively working to continue a consistent, positive culture and ethos in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Reflection and learning are actively identified, shared and embedded into daily practice. This ensures that staff remain responsive, adaptable and curious to children’s evolving needs. There is a strong culture of reflection and thoughtful adaptation, with revised practices introduced to better support children’s development and wellbeing.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The average occupancy over the last 12 months is 33%. The registered manager has reduced occupancy when necessary to help manage challenges relating to staffing levels and recruitment. The home operates a care-block model, whereby additional placements are not made when children require higher levels of staff support. Inspection report for secure children’s home: SC022448 9

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are able to maintain and develop their cultural or religious beliefs as far as practicable. This includes facilitating access to religious leaders when this is requested. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.22)  The registered person should ensure that education staff receive the professional learning they need to develop their subject knowledge and expertise in teaching. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)

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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 secure children’s home: SC022448 10

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Secure children’s home details

Registered provider address: 99 Edge Lane, Edge Hill, Liverpool L7 2PE

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Inspectors

Thirza Smith, Social Care Inspector Latoya Morgan, Social Care Inspector Debbie Foster, Social Care Inspector Anita Pyrkotsch-Jones, His Majesty’s Inspector Alison Dennis, His Majesty’s Inspector Thomas Davis, Health and Justice Inspector Sylvia Eboigbe, Quality Assurance Manager

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7 August 2026

Thirza Smith, Social Care Inspector Shaun Common, His Majesty’s Inspector, Social Care Lead Secure Estate Inspection report for secure children’s home: SC022448 11 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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7 August 2026

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7 August 2026

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7 August 2026

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