Children's home run by Esland North Limited in Amber Valley

Good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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The children’s home provision is good because:

 A committed and supportive staff team cares for young people.

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The children’s home provision is good because:

 Young people receive personalised care and support from staff, and benefit from having individual care plans and risk assessments.

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The children’s home provision is good because:

 The manager ensures that staff support young people’s learning and work in partnership with education providers to promote their educational achievement.

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The children’s home provision is good because:

 The manager ensures that the healthcare needs of young people are recognised and that services are accessed to address them.

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The children’s home provision is good because:

 The manager ensures that young people access a range of activities and experiences. As a result, young people grow in confidence and have improved self-esteem.

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The children’s home provision is good because:

 Staff promote family contact so that young people stay in touch with people who are important in their lives.  The manager ensures that there are good working relationships with partner agencies to promote collaborative working.

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The children’s home provision is good because:

 There is one identified shortfall regarding the consistency of staff training.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person(s) meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person is required to:

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Requirement Due date

(2)(e) ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. 30/11/2016

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to four young people with learning disabilities. The service is operated and managed by a private organisation.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 16/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 13/10/2015 Full Good 17/02/2015 Full Good

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Good

Staff are experienced at forming and sustaining positive, trusting relationships with young people, professionals and the wider community. Professionals are very positive about the quality of care and support that young people receive. One professional reported, ‘The home has his care at the heart of its practice’.

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Good

The manager ensures that all young people have individualised, detailed care plans that relate to their needs. Staff implement these plans effectively, with regular updates and reviews to reflect young people's changing needs and progress. This means that staff are consistent in their care and young people receive appropriate support.

p.6

Good

The manager ensures that young people are registered with doctors, dentists and opticians. They attend their routine health appointments with good support and encouragement from staff. This means that young people have access to the services that they need to promote their physical, emotional and psychological well-being. Young people's medication is stored and administered safely by trained and competent staff.

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Good

The manager ensures that young people attend educational settings according to their needs and abilities. Staff work in partnership with education departments and other relevant professionals to ensure that young people have every opportunity to increase their academic ability and reach their full potential.

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Good

The manager ensures that all young people are supported to maintain contact with parents. Staff support contact effectively by ensuring that transport is available and that any restrictions to contact are known. This means that young people remain close to individuals who are important to them and benefit from being involved in a wider support network outside of the home.

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Good

Young people make good progress in developing independence skills, which are appropriate to their age and understanding. A social worker told the inspector, ‘They really have brought him on in terms of his independence skills’. This helps young people to develop practical skills and enables them to undertake daily tasks safely and independently.

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Good

The manager ensures that young people are provided with a variety of fun activities, including swimming and horse riding. This helps them to grow in confidence, and gives them a chance to try different experiences and develop new skills. Staff consult young people using a range of verbal, pictorial and signing communication methods. This enables young people to contribute their wishes and feelings about their care.

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Good

Young people told the inspector that they feel safe in the home and are confident that they live in a safe environment. One young person said, ‘The staff make me feel safe; they are always here for me.’ A social worker validated this, saying, ‘They promote his safety well and are aware of any risks around him.’

p.7

Good

Staff have a good understanding of safeguarding practice and the ways in which they can protect the welfare of young people. The manager and staff liaise with the local authority and the police to share risk management strategies and other relevant information about young people. This promotes good partnership working, which supports the safety of young people and others in the community.

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Good

There have been no reported incidents of young people going missing from the home since the last inspection. However, the staff have clear procedures in place to notify the relevant bodies in the event of a ‘missing’ episode. Visits from the local police community support officer helps to enhance the safeguarding culture at the home.

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Good

Staff ensure that individual behaviour management strategies are in place for all young people. Staff praise and reward good behaviour, which helps to support socially acceptable behaviour. Records are completed accurately, with management oversight in place to capture any learning and to address future behaviours.

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Good

The manager ensures that staff undertake regular health and safety checks and follow a range of safety procedures to protect young people from potential hazards. These include fire drills, to ensure that young people know what to do in case of an emergency.

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Good

The manager fully implements the home’s recruitment policy and practices. This helps to prevent unsuitable adults from working with young people.

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Good

The manager ensures that the home stays homely and comfortable, and is a safe environment for young people to live in. The home is suitably located in a residential area where there are good public transport links and access to local facilities. Judgement grade

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Good

The home has an appropriately qualified registered manager in place. The manager has been in post since May 2014 and holds a level 4 national vocational qualification in leadership, health and social care.

p.8

Good

Staff report that they receive good support and guidance from the manager. They receive regular supervision that supports and challenges their performance to improve. Staff training needs are identified to support their individual development and they receive mandatory training that ensures that their practice is up to date and relevant. However, not all staff have been trained in the organisation’s new model of restraint, and this has the potential to compromise the care of young people and cause harm.

p.8

Good

Young people receive support as outlined in the home’s statement of purpose. This provides clear information about the level of service provided, plus clear information for stakeholders about the aims and objectives and facilities offered. The children’s guide is in an accessible format so that the document is available to all young people with different needs. This means that young people are clear about the services that the home provides.

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Good

The manager ensures that an independent person visits the home every month to monitor and report on the quality of care provided. Monitoring reports provide a review of the home’s practice relating to the quality of young people’s care and identify areas for improvement. Regular consultations with young people, parents and other professionals also help to influence the progress of the home.

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Good

The manager has formed positive relationships with a range of agencies, including the police, local authorities and the youth offending service. A social worker said, ‘The home works really well within partnership. There is good communication between us, and if there are any concerns they let us know straight away.’ This collaborative approach means that young people are better safeguarded.

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Good

In response to the requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection, the manager now undertakes regular supervision with staff, and records of restraint are now being completed by staff.

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against ‘Inspection of children’s homes: framework for inspection’. An outstanding children’s home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children’s home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children’s home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements

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What the inspection judgements mean

are in place, however, the children’s home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children’s home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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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 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

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Information about this inspection

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 0300 123 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 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

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

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