Children's Home run by Esland South Limited in Hertfordshire

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last 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

To improve the quality and standards of care, two requirements and one recommendation were set at the last inspection. Since that time, the manager has met both of the requirements and the recommendation.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the point of the last inspection, the home presented in a poor state of cleanliness and decoration. Since that time, significant improvement is evident. The manager’s daily oversight gives adequate monitoring of standards of cleanliness and the use of professional tradespeople has ensured proficient decoration and refurbishment. This includes new flooring, new seating and the fitting of a new bathroom suite. Lead staff have also created a relaxed and inviting seating area on the recently installed patio area of the garden.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has now sought the opinions of children and stakeholder groups during his six-monthly monitoring audit of the quality of care. This essential feedback assists the manager in confirming service strengths and identifying the developmental areas to ensure continued progress and improvement.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Finally, bank staff are now in receipt of regular supervision. This offers dedicated time to every member of staff in the home to discuss practice and performance matters with a qualified person. This ensures that bank staff meet children’s specific needs, that their continued learning is addressed and any performance issues, should they arise, are managed.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home provides long-term care to three children. Children placed here have experienced many placement moves before arriving at this home. One professional commented, ‘Before being placed there, she would only stay six days or six weeks in previous homes. She has been there now for two years!’ All three children experience the longest placement of their care history. This home has enabled them to settle. It is their home, a place where they feel they belong.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

All children have made significant progress from their starting points. The most significant being changes to behaviour. Children arrived with a range of complex needs, having experienced early-life trauma, and consequently displayed a range of negative behaviours. Children showed their distress in presenting behaviour, such as frequent incidents of missing from care, significant self-harm, low self-esteem and volatile, aggressive behaviours. The committed staff team invests quality time with each child, where regular key worker sessions enable children to consider behaviour and encourage good choices. One professional commented, ‘She has calmed down as they have addressed her anger issues.’ Staff help children to self- regulate and become socially competent. Physical intervention is rare, as staff set clear boundaries and expectations, offering consistency to children. This has helped them to feel safe and secure in a steady and predictable home environment. One

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

child commented, ‘Staff are cool, I can trust them. This is my home.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

All children are generally healthy, and good mental health prevails. Some do have particular health issues and trained staff ensure that the administration of medicine is in line with medical advice. Staff work closely with health professionals sourcing appropriate medical treatment and advice to address ongoing matters of concern. Since the last inspection, the manager has secured disability living allowance for two children.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

For one child, the transition into college has gone well, with almost 100% attendance attained. For another, the start of the September term was more problematic. This saw two episodes of missing from school and engagement in antisocial behaviour, resulting in a fixed-term exclusion and an arrest. The manager and school have worked closely together to re-engage the child into school successfully. The child has also engaged in reparation work to heal the relationship between him and school. This includes working with the child about the impact of behaviours on others. This encourages empathy, support to build and maintain relationships and social competence. For the oldest child, staff continue to offer home tuition. They also encourage and support her in applying for apprenticeships and employment.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children experience a range of family contacts. For some, this means no contact, for others staff have supported contact after a significant period of no contact, and for other children staff mediate to maintain contact.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children can access a range of activities to support their interests. However, they generally prefer to enjoy their free time and family time within the home. The length of their placements has enabled the children to make friends within the local community. For some this is a first. Staff continue to make welfare checks so that this independent time enables children to develop social confidence and competence and builds resilience.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff promote themselves and the children as a family and engage them in a range of family activities. Recent summer holidays meant that for one child she experienced the excitement of flying to Portugal, enjoying the culture of another country. For the two younger children, a joint holiday to the English coast offered fun, excitement and an opportunity to build on their relationship. Celebrating difference and culture is truly embedded in the home’s ethos. Regular themed evenings offer the children an opportunity to dress up, eat different food and be educated in the values and practices of different cultures. These included a Bollywood night and a Jamaican night. One child has a Spanish girlfriend. To help him communicate with her more easily, staff have put up typical Spanish phrases and information in the home. Children feel part of a family, a unique, diverse family where difference is celebrated and enjoyed.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home experienced a brief rise in missing from care in August 2016. One child went missing on three occasions for an average of two hours. The staff worked effectively with the statutory services, initiating their missing from care protocols. An independent return home interview conducted after each episode gave the child the opportunity to speak about possible concerns and ensured his well-being.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

No new children have joined the home for ten months, resulting in stability and familiarity for those placed. Although no child has left, one has a transition plan. She is due to move out of the home as she nears adulthood. The home has been extremely proactive in engaging the local authority leaving care services. The submission of a lengthy complaint has secured these services. Staff are working closely with the allocated worker to secure appropriate adult accommodation for her. Staff have undertaken a bespoke independence programme to bolster her confidence and to ensure that she has the best opportunity to manage the roles and responsibilities of adulthood. The home will continue to offer ongoing support as required and the manager adds, ‘The door will always be open for a cup of tea and a chat or a Sunday roast.’ Staff value the children they care for, they advocate on their behalf, they enhance their skills base and support them to succeed in their

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Although the home has experienced a few staff changes, a consistent core group offers predictable, familiar care. Recently appointed staff have undergone robust recruitment and vetting to ensure their suitability and offer the home added benefits. Each has significant experience in working in the residential care sector.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

All staff either have or are working towards childcare diplomas in line with required timescales. Staff supervision is timely, and a set agenda ensures the specific discussion of meeting children’s needs and staff’s practice and development. All eligible staff receive annual appraisals on their performance, and targets are set to ensure the delivery of care as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. Team members feel a valued part of the service they deliver to children, which is a key factor in the retention of staff and offering children stability of carers. A new member of staff reported, ‘The team is very consistent in its approach. They are very supportive of me and want me to do well. Their biggest strength, though, is their interaction with children. They are proactive, they make sure they are on target, supporting them and offering advice.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This inspection identified one shortfall. During monthly quality of care audits, the independent person reports on the safeguarding and welfare of children. However, this is a descriptive account, and as such, it does not offer an assessment and opinion of how well this service meets these essential factors of care.

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to four children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. A private organisation owns and operates this setting.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 26/05/2016 Full Good 17/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 16/07/2015 Full Good 29/07/2014 Interim Declined in effectiveness

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:  Ensure that the independent person makes a rigorous, impartial assessment and offers an opinion of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)

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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, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for children looked after 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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