Children's home run by Esland North Limited in Preston

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged Outstanding at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has improved effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Highly effective managers and enthusiastic staff are a real strength of this home. New staff are chosen to complement the personalities of young people, and carefully inducted to ensure they understand the overarching aims of the home. Excellent handovers and team meetings ensure that daily information is passed on, and that strategies, plans and any developments are shared. As a result, young people are cared for by staff who know them really well. Their unique needs and aspirations are understood and valued. Young people say they are confident to talk to staff about needing help, and that staff are kind to them.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people’s views, wishes and feelings are at the forefront of this home. Staff work closely with the specialist therapy team, to help young people to confront and explore their histories and past unsafe choices and experiences. Young people recognise that this is important to their welfare. One young person who has moved on to semi-independent living said, ‘I am happy now, I don’t think I would have been if I had not learned everything from the home.’ Staff and young people help each other to reflect on their daily life experiences, to learn how to help their lives to improve. They have recently given thoughtful consideration to how relationships in the home were influenced by a young person no longer living there. Both staff and young people recognised that the home has a much happier feel, and as one young person put it, ‘There haven’t been any sanctions, and the house is calmer and more relaxed.’ The manager has responded to these insights by setting up a

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

multi-disciplinary review panel, to assess and monitor the continuing suitability and impact of placements when young people begin to disengage with their plans.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people are fully engaged in creating a happy and warm community. They are proud of their growing skills in cooking, doing their laundry, and extending their activities. Staff are always on hand to encourage and support them until their confidence grows. Young people have achieved their individual aspirations and learned to swim, experienced cycling in a velodrome, and reflected their personality and choice in redecorating their bedrooms. One young person talked about his interest in collecting watches, and how staff went with him to car boot sales so that he could have fun searching for them. This increases the range of alternative, positive choices they can make to overcome past behaviour and impulses. During the inspection young people were on school holiday, and they were enjoying relaxing in the home and planning activities with staff.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Due to young people’s particularly high risk assessments and needs, key workers ensure that all plans are updated on a daily basis. This celebrates the small steps young people take in making safe and independent choices, while ensuring they are appropriately supported. This underpins the success of young people who leave the home to pursue semi-independent lives in safe and healthy ways. Risk management is under continual review, and the home engages in debate with young people, their placing authorities, the police and therapists about how to improve young people’s independence, comply with court restrictions, enhance their self-awareness and improve their emotional regulation. The manager is considering how to provide more opportunities for young people to practice their independence in the safety of the home, to enable them to make mistakes and learn from them. This is critical to their ability to develop into happy, confident

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

All staff are trained in the specific care approaches used in the home. This means that there is consistency of approach and frequent review of young people’s progress. The home’s comprehensive development plan outlines all the steps required to complete and evaluate proposed improvements to care practice. A clear programme of staff training; opportunities for reflective supervision and evaluation; and professional membership of external organisations ensures that staff remain equipped to deliver high quality care during the development of an enhanced approach to risk management. Staff say they are very well supported by a manager who challenges them to improve their practice to benefit young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people continue to attend the on-site school. Their views about attending are mixed because some miss the bustle of bigger school environments. Staff ensure they maintain good routines such as completing homework, to improve their academic skills. One young person proudly said, ‘My reading has gone up three levels, and I am good at maths.’ This sense of achievement instils confidence in him and he aspires to attend college after gaining entry level certificates in basic skills, as well as additional interest subjects like media. Other young people are excited to visit colleges in their home area, in preparation for a return to a more familiar locality. Staff liaise with education providers discreetly and transparently, so that young people experience continuation of their identified support and safety strategies in their changing lives.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people’s health is prioritised and all their health needs are addressed. One young person explained that he has undergone medical treatment in hospital. He said that his key worker explained things to him, and went with him so that he was not afraid to agree to the treatment. This treatment has improved his wellbeing. In response to the recommendation made at the last inspection, and in line with improvements to care practice, the manager has overhauled the system for recording the lives and plans of young people. Launched by the deputy manager, staff now use direct work plans that are in line with the home’s preferred model of building resilience and empathy, there is clearer joint planning and review opportunities for key workers and therapists, and daily logs that record young people’s achievements as part of their holistic plan. This is still in the early days of implementation, but is a remarkable achievement for the short period of time since

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

the last inspection. These developments provide a clearer and more holistic picture of young people as unique and developing individuals.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There are good systems to monitor the quality of care in the home. The home now has an independent visitor, who visits regularly. The report they produce gives a clear assessment and identifies improvements that the home needs to make. The registered manager uses this information effectively to improve systems and outcomes for young people. The actions from these reports are used to develop the home, and the home’s development plan reflects this. The home’s location risk assessment shows that they understand the immediate risks and local risks within the community. This informs their practice, in regards to admissions to the home or on safe locations for activities for young people.

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Information about this children's home

This home is part of a large private organisation. It provides care and accommodation for up to six young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service 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. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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