An unexpected outbreak of punctuality surprises the cluster teams at Elm Heath, Rose uncovers an embarrassing truth whilst investigating an improper teacher-pupil relationship, and Nitin wins the job of cleaning Elm Heath council's most toxic kitchen. Meanwhile, Al quietly comes to the rescue of his clients with learning difficulties and a new baby.
Al gets a surprise visit from Sean, a boy with a transitioning parent and a troubled past. Ever-competitive Nitin can't get over Martin being Mimi's mentor. Denise's brother Dennis visits and takes a shine to Rose, much to Denise's fury. At the supermarket, Nitin bumps into Zak, the litigious snob whose wife has now left him - drunk in charge of the baby. And Ingrid is excited about her 14-year-old foster son; it's not a problem that he stubbed out his cigarette in his 'welcome' cake.
It's an awkward start to the day when Rose and Dennis wake up in bed in Denise's house. Nat tries to land a birth partner with the offer of free crisps and water. Al gets lumbered with Mimi when he visits an ex-client who has been skipping classes. Rose rolls in to find Martin has dispatched Nitin to deal with her clients, a pair of drug-addicted parents, where he makes an unsettling discovery. Zak makes an unwelcome return with wife Sophie who is horrified when the true nature of his problems are revealed with characteristic bluntness by Nitin.
Rose is smitten with Dennis, but it's hard dating the boss's brother, and Lee is making a last ditch attempt to win her back. Nitin steps up to guide Nat through her pregnancy, while Martin faces insinuations about his unorthodox living arrangement with Mimi. The stray files make a surprise return, but for one member of the team it would be better if they had stayed missing. Rose gets the creeps while visiting some home-schooled children and Al decides to forsake the life of a social worker for a new start in Scotland.