Nurturing Little Hearts

Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Nurturing Little Hearts 1 Nurturing Little Hearts 61 Bridge Street, Kington HR5 3DJ

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this residential family centre

This centre is privately owned and provides 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 manager since 20 April 2026. An acting manager has been in post since July 2026 and has applied to register with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

The centre was judged ‘inadequate’ at the full inspection on 28 and 29 April 2026. As a result, Ofsted issued a notice restricting accommodation. Compliance notices were also issued under the protection of children standard and the registered person standard.

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This monitoring visit

A monitoring visit was carried out on 11 June 2026 to monitor the compliance notices and notice restricting accommodation. No staff were working at the centre at the time of the visit. The compliance notices had not been met, and the notice restricting accommodation was reissued.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out to assess the progress made by leaders in response to the notice restricting accommodation. It also reviewed the progress made by leaders in addressing the concerns identified at the full inspection.

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This monitoring visit

No families have lived at the centre since the full inspection in April 2026. Progress has been made with policies and procedures in place. The action staff must take in Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Nurturing Little Hearts 2 response to safeguarding concerns is set out clearly in an updated safeguarding policy.

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This monitoring visit

A staff team is now employed for the centre. This includes a proposed registered manager and responsible individual, whose suitability has not yet been determined by Ofsted. The acting manager, with support from external professional oversight, has developed a comprehensive training programme. The training is robust and provides good examples to support staff in recording and reporting concerns. However, not all staff have completed this training and, as a result, it is not yet embedded in practice.

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This monitoring visit

A risk assessment is now in place to manage risks associated with staff working at the centre who are related to one another. This helps to manage potential conflicts of interest and strengthens safeguarding.

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This monitoring visit

Although areas for improvement remain, the provider has made some progress in addressing the primary concerns following the full inspection in April 2026. As no families are living at the centre, it has not been possible to evaluate the extent to which improvements have been embedded into daily practice. Following this visit, the notice restricting accommodation was lifted.

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This monitoring visit

One requirement set at the monitoring visit in June 2026 was met in full at the time of this visit. The requirements that remain unmet will be reviewed at the next inspection. 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 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 any child accommodated in the residential family centre to one of the following—

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Requirement Due date

an officer of the [F1Chief Inspector]; 29 October 2026 Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Nurturing Little Hearts 4 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 (2)(f)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(g))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to ensuring that managers and staff recognise when children are at increased risk of harm, 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 maintained when information is shared with professionals.

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Requirement Due date

Managers must also ensure that a system is in place to create and maintain risk management plans for children when they are in the care of staff and not accompanied by 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. (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. 29 October 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. 29 October 2026 Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Nurturing Little Hearts 5 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.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and has been restated.

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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;

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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)) 29 October 2026 Inspection report for residential family centre - monitoring visit: Nurturing Little Hearts 6 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

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and has been restated.

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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.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and has been restated. 29 October 2026

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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 7

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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 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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