Lincolnshire - Nacro Education Support and Transition (NEST)

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Lincolnshire - Nacro Education Support and Transition (NEST) 1 Lincolnshire - Nacro Education Support and Transition (NEST) Registered provider: NACRO

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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provider

The service provides accommodation for up to 62 children. This includes 4 shared or group-living premises that are not limited to accommodating looked-after children or care leavers, and 48 self-contained premises intended for individual children.

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provider

At the time of this inspection, 18 children aged 16 and 17 were accommodated.

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provider

The service manager has been registered with Ofsted since 26 August 2024.

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provider

Inspection dates: The inspection was announced on 3 August 2026 and started that day. The inspectors were on site on 5 and 6 August 2026.

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Outcome

Consistently strong service delivery leads to typically positive experiences and progress for children. Where improvements are needed, leaders and managers take timely and effective action. The next inspection will be within approximately 3 years.

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Summary of findings

Children receive warm, supportive care from staff and are making positive progress.

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Summary of findings

Children report feeling safe, settled and listened to and benefit from a range of opportunities that promote confidence, independence and wellbeing.

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Summary of findings

Staff work effectively with partner agencies to meet children’s needs, and professionals speak positively about the quality of support provided.

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Summary of findings

Leaders and managers provide effective oversight of the service, with suitable referral processes, regular quality assurance and a well-supported workforce. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Lincolnshire - Nacro Education Support and Transition (NEST) 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children say they feel safe, settled and happy in their homes. Children value the support they receive from staff. They describe staff as kind and helpful. Their feedback shows that staff have a positive impact on their lives and wellbeing. One child said, ‘I feel safer now I have somewhere to be. I am starting to feel confident around other people my age.’ Another child said, ‘I’ve got everything I need and want here, so it’s easy to wind down and just chill.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff use creative approaches to support children in developing their skills. They organise activities such as pizza-making nights, cooking sessions and games nights. These sessions help children build confidence in a fun way.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children have opportunities to express their views and influence decisions. Staff hold regular ‘have your say’ sessions with children. Staff consult with children about the organisation’s policies. Children get involved in the recruitment of staff. This ensures that the service is responsive to children’s needs and wishes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff encourage children to take part in education, training and work. They help them explore options, apply for jobs and attend interviews. Staff also help children choose pathways that match their interests. This helps children gain skills and become more independent.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Staff promote children’s health and wellbeing. They help children get the support they need. Mental health and substance misuse workers provide support on site. This gives children quick access to help in a familiar setting.

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Overall experiences and progress of children

Children report there is poor internet access across the premises. Leaders and managers have provided SIM cards to help children get online. However, children continue to raise concerns. One child said, ‘My mobile data is very expensive, and I sometimes struggle with the cost of living. Wi-Fi in my block would help.’

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How well children are helped and protected

Staff work with other professionals to meet children’s needs. They work with mental health, substance misuse and domestic abuse services. They also seek advice from a specialist complex needs service. This helps them understand children’s experiences and respond to concerns effectively. As a result, children get the support they need to stay safe and make progress.

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How well children are helped and protected

Leaders and managers ensure that children’s plans meet their needs. Staff keep plans up to date and identify risks and actions to reduce the risk of harm. They understand what each child needs to stay safe. However, for one child, their cultural needs are not considered in their plan. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Lincolnshire - Nacro Education Support and Transition (NEST) 3 Leaders and managers respond to concerns about staff. They investigate concerns and take action when needed. They involve the local authority when required. This helps keep children safe.

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How well children are helped and protected

Staff understand children’s needs and provide individual support. They talk with children about their emotional wellbeing and daily life. However, staff do not always address new concerns as they arise. There was no evidence of direct work with one child on online safety or emotional wellbeing. For another child, there was little direct work on how to keep themselves safe in the community.

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How well children are helped and protected

Children can personalise their accommodation. They have good access to local services. Accommodation is well maintained. However, at one property, the bathroom needs repairs. Staff do not always support children to take age- appropriate risks. For example, at one property, staff lock away sharp knives.

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How well children are helped and protected

Leaders and managers report serious incidents to safeguarding agencies. They do not always notify Ofsted. This limits the regulator’s oversight and weakens assurance of children’s welfare.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers have improved their referral process. They assess each child’s needs and risks before they move in. They also consider the needs of children already living in the home. As this process has been recently implemented, it is not yet fully embedded into practice and consistently applied for every child moving in.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers review the quality of support. They gather feedback from children, staff and partner agencies. They identify strengths and areas for improvement. This helps the service improve.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers recruit staff with experience of working with children. They follow safer recruitment processes. Workforce development processes are in place for staff. This helps to ensure that staff are suitable and have the skills to work with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Leaders and managers hold regular supervision with staff. They discuss staff wellbeing and children’s needs. Staff also have access to incident debriefs and staff wellbeing services. They attend team meetings and training. Staff say this helps them improve their practice and support children better.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff are positive about their roles and the organisation. They describe their work as both rewarding and fulfilling. Staff say they feel valued and supported. They believe they can make a meaningful difference in children’s lives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Local authority professionals are positive about the support that children receive from staff. They report that staff build positive relationships with children. They support children to develop practical skills. They say there is good communication, Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Lincolnshire - Nacro Education Support and Transition (NEST) 4 and staff keep professionals informed of children’s progress and needs. Staff also maintain focus on keeping children safe and respond to risks in an effective way. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Lincolnshire - Nacro Education Support and Transition (NEST) 5

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, The Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023 and the ‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards’. The registered person must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The support standard is that children receive individual and tailored support that meets their needs.

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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

ensure that children are supported to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect. (Regulation 7 (1) (2)(n))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children receive support tailored to their individual needs and that clear records are maintained of the support provided. 20 September

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify the CIECSS and any relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation or child criminal exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child and the registered person considers that incident to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the supported accommodation undertaking or a person working for it;

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); 20 September Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Lincolnshire - Nacro Education Support and Transition (NEST) 6 there is an incident involving the use of a measure of restraint of a child;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 27 (3)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)(f))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that they accept placements for children only where they are satisfied that the setting can respond effectively to the children’s assessed needs as set out in the children’s relevant plans. (‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards’, page 17)  The registered person should ensure that accommodation is adequately maintained so as to provide a welcoming and homely environment. (‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards’, pages 28- 29)  The registered person should ensure that children have sufficient telephone or internet connectivity in order to enable the child to maintain relationships and feel connected. (‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards’, page 30)

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children 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 Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Lincolnshire - Nacro Education Support and Transition (NEST) 7

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider address: Walkden House, 16-17 Devonshire Square, London EC2M 4SQ

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered service manager: Sarah Caskie-Hefferman

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Supported accommodation provider details

Email address: Sarah.Caskie-Hefferman@nacro.org.uk

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Inspectors

Amanda Cooper, Social Care Inspector Amie Pearson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider: Lincolnshire - Nacro Education Support and Transition (NEST) 8 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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