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

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has sustained effectiveness . This is the home’s first interim inspection since it was registered on 18 December 2015.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The young person is relatively new to the home. Staff ensured that the transition from her previous placement was well-planned. The home’s children’s guide provided a good source of information on how staff would care for her and photographs gave her a visual image of her new home, enabling her to settle quickly into her environment. The manager gained important information from the placing authority, police and parent’s about the young person history. This provided staff with a good understanding of her past experiences. This information was used to develop robust risk assessments and behaviour management plans. These documents are regularly reviewed and adjusted as and when necessary.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The young person is at the centre of this home and is involved with planning her care including menus and activities. Staff explore her interests and talents and support her to develop these further. For example, sourcing pottery and art classes in the community. Staff facilitate and support the young person’s family contact. They provide experiences and opportunities for her to spend time with family enjoying a range of activities, such as visiting a beauty salon where the young person and her parent enjoyed having their nails painted. This proactive approach has assisted in building positive relationships and maintains the young person’s sense of identity.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The young person has begun to invest in her placement. She is developing trust in staff and increasing in confidence that staff will support her. She talks to staff about her experiences and listens to their advice. Staff have developed a good understanding of the pull factors to her missing behaviour and seek to positively engage her in activities. Staff teach her how to keep safe and make positive choices. This has resulted in a reduction in risk taking behaviour such as going missing from home and she has begun to distance herself from negative influences in her life. A police officer said, ‘I visit the home a regularly. I have a positive relationship with [name] and with staff. We share information so that we can ensure [name] is safe when out in the community.’ Staff understand how to deal with child protection issues including when allegations are made against staff members. They deal with these promptly and sensitively

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

ensuring that both staff and the young person are protected. They work effectively with the designated officer and placing authorities to complete investigations quickly. This ensures the young person is effectively safeguarded.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff support the young person’s physical health and well-being. They are aware of her individual health needs, which are clearly recorded in her care plans. They support and facilitate her attendance at all routine and specialist appointments such as future minds. As such the young person benefits from sustained physical emotional health.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff value education and understand the barriers to learning. They use positive praise and rewards to encourage the young person to reach her goals. This strategy is proving effective in enabling the young person to develop a positive view in respect of her education attendance and achievement. Staff work closely with education staff to ensure the young person receives the correct level of education for her specific needs. The manager escalates her concerns with the placing authority when shortfalls are found in care planning. For example, ensuring that multi-agency meetings are held within timescales to develop personal education plans.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager continues to regularly monitor the young person’s progress and development, which helps her to identify any developing patterns or trends. Any areas for concern she identifies are quickly addressed. All significant events concerning the welfare of the young person are reported to the appropriate authorities. Staff use de-escalation techniques when the young person is feeling angry or frustrated to help her remain calm. There has been one incident when physical intervention was used. The young person is aware that staff may need to use this method on occasions because staff have explained this to her. These techniques are designed to ensure that young people do not harm themselves and staff. These methods are low level and for a short period of time and used to ensure the safety of staff and the young person.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager is confident and child focused. She ensures that the small staff team is well trained to meet the young person’s specific needs. All staff are up to date with mandatory training requirements, including child protection, sexual exploitation and radicalisation. Staff are aware of the home’s locality risk assessment that provides good information on these subjects and includes terrorism. This document gives staff a clear understanding of the potential risks in the area and what to do and who to contact if they identify any concerns.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has made improvements in recording formal and informal keywork sessions. They now ensure that the young person’s views and opinions are clearly recorded. This enables staff to understand what issues have been discussed and the young person’s perception of the topic. This also enables staff to provide consistent approaches.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home receives monthly quality assurance visits and reports from an independent person. The report is lacking the independent person’s opinion regarding the home’s promotion of children’s well-being and whether they are effectively safeguarded; this shortfall has not compromised the safety or care of the young person and the manager demonstrated a commitment to address this swiftly.

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Information about this children's home

This service is a privately run children's home. The home provides care and accommodation for one young person with behavioural/emotional difficulties and/or learning difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 27/04/2016 Full Good

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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 with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit ("the independent person's report") which sets out, in particular, the independent person's opinion as to whether children are effectively safeguarded; and the conduct of the home promotes children's well-being (Regulation 44 (4)(a)(b)) 03/04/2017

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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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