Children's Home run by Esland South Limited in Hertfordshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC425418 1 SC425418 Registered provider: Esland South Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

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.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 27 October 2016

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Improved effectiveness

p.1

Key findings from this inspection

 The children make good progress. The home provides stability and a consistency of care.

p.1

Key findings from this inspection

 There is good support in place to help children with their health needs. As a Inspection report children’s home: SC425418 2 result, the children are healthy and developing well.

p.1

Key findings from this inspection

 There are clear educational plans in place for the children. Children are encouraged to engage with education. This is a strength of the home.

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

 Contributions from the children are valued. The staff listen to their views and wishes.

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

 There are nurturing relationships between the children and staff.

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

 The manager and staff regularly review individual risk and behaviour needs of the children.

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

 Good working relationships with other agencies and professionals promote effective communication.

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

 Children engage in a variety of activities that they enjoy. This increases their confidence and social skills.

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

 The home is managed well. The manager provides clear guidance and support to the staff team.

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

 The staff team is committed and its members are suitably trained. The children receive consistent and familiar care to meet their individual needs.

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

 Independence work with the children is promoted. This enables them to learn valuable skills for now and for the future.

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

 Regular key working sessions enable the children to talk about their feelings, which helps them to make positive choices.

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

The children’s home’s areas for development

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

 Impact assessments are completed but are not sufficiently robust.

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

 Transitional plans are not evident for all of the new children.

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

 Some aspects of the children’s records are not clear.

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

 Recent damage to the home requires repair. Inspection report children’s home: SC425418 3

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/10/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 24/05/2016 Full Good 17/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 16/07/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC425418 4

p.3

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

p.4

Requirement Due date

In order to meet the care planning standard, the registered person must:

p.4

Requirement Due date

(1) The care planning standard is that children: (a) receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and (2) In particular, the standard requires the registered person to ensure: (b) that the arrangements are in place to: (i) ensure the effective induction of each child into the home. 29/05/2017

p.4

Recommendations

 Ensure that the registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs, and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4) This is with particular reference to the impact assessments.

p.4

Recommendations

 Ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. Information about the child must also be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4 )

p.4

Recommendations

 Ensure that children’s homes are nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children. They will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments and comply with health and safety legislations. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) This is with particular reference to the repair of a child’s bedroom window. Inspection report children’s home: SC425418 5

p.4

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children in the home receive good quality, individualised care. Their care plans fully reflect their individual experiences and needs. The staff spend time getting to know the children and encourage them to pursue their interests and develop independence skills. The staff empower the children to make their own choices and decisions. There is a clear focus on equipping the children with the appropriate tools for life skills for now and for the future.

p.5

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child has successfully transitioned to independent living. She keeps in touch with the home and accesses support and help from the staff if needed. Consistent relationships enable the children to develop their confidence and self-esteem. A social worker said of one child, ‘This is the longest placement he has had. The placement has provided him with emotional stability to enable him to make small steps.’

p.5

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children have complex needs and have experienced significant trauma in their lives. The staff team works hard to communicate with the children, through discussion and by implementing clear boundaries. The children know the expectations of the home and respond well. The staff clearly explain the reasons for negative and positive consequences, and this promotes positive behaviour.

p.5

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff are skilled at implementing a restorative approach to challenging behaviour. This helps the children to understand the impact of negative behaviours and how to make this right. The behaviour management process is consistent, and children feel that this is fair. The children talk fondly of the staff. They have close relationships with their key workers. One child said, ‘The staff have really helped me out. They have taught me to play the guitar, and the staff are really nice. It’s all good.’

p.5

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff actively seek the views of children and listen to them. Children’s meetings take place regularly. The children are encouraged to talk about issues important to them in a supportive environment. The children make choices about food, decoration and furniture in their bedroom and preferred activities. The atmosphere is open and welcoming. There is a clear emphasis that this is the children’s home, and as such the children are intrinsic in the decision-making process. The children feel valued and have a sense of belonging. Children know how to complain. There is support in place to help them use the complaint process if they wish.

p.5

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Before living at the home, the children were not consistently engaging with education. Clear educational plans are in place to support the children to learn and develop. There are close links with educational agencies and the virtual school. Two of the children are on track to start college. One child will soon be starting a new school which is more suitable for his educational needs. The staff team and the manager are proactive in progressing this without delay. An education professional said, ‘They [the home] care about the children and chase things up. In relation to one child, they were very proactive. They would come to the meetings and they [staff] would try everything to Inspection report children’s home: SC425418 6 make sure that he started at school.’

p.5

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff team and manager address concerns or issues in school as soon as possible. Meetings take place to make sure that educational provision matches the needs of the children. There is an educational room in the home. This provides the children with a place to have structured learning within a familiar environment.

p.6

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child is currently not able to engage fully with education, due to escalating emotional needs. To address this, the staff incorporate educational learning in an activity-based programme away from the home. The child returns weekly for health appointments and continues to maintain important links with the home, her peers and the staff team. There is a clear focus to continue to promote the educational needs of the children.

p.6

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Good support is provided for children with specialist health needs. The staff team manages these sensitively and at the pace of the child. There are positive links with health professionals. The staff ensure that the children attend all relevant health appointments and receive their medication when required. The staff are dedicated and committed to improving the children’s health outcomes on a day-to-day basis. This has meant significant progress for the children. A health professional said, ‘The staff are always very proactive about asking for support with health-related issues and I feel that we have developed a very positive working relationship. They are very respectful of the children in their care, and they are very conscientious in ensuring confidentiality.’

p.6

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are encouraged to engage in activities that they enjoy, such as dance and fishing, which helps to build their confidence and self-esteem. There is support in place to help support the children’s relationships with their families. The staff have a good knowledge of family dynamics and the potential emotional impact on the child, before or after contact . The children benefit from the support from the staff, as this sustains important contact with their family members.

p.6

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Transitional planning for all of the children coming into the home is not evident. While there is good planning for some of the children, this is not consistent for all. It does not provide all of the children with a gradual introduction to help them settle and get to know the home.

p.6

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

When children go missing from the home, members of the staff team look for the children, monitor their whereabouts and continue to communicate with them. This means that children do not go missing for long periods of time and return safely to the home. Before living at the home, one child was missing on a regular basis for several days at a time. This has now ceased. There is effective liaison with other agencies. A police officer said, ‘I can’t speak highly enough of them [the home]. They share information and we have a good working relationship with them. We are always kept updated. They do a really good job.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC425418 7 The use of physical interventions is minimal and only implemented when there are clear safety risks. One child said, ‘They [the staff] don’t like to get their hands on us. Only if someone was going to get hurt.’ The children report that they feel safe at the home.

p.6

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

When the staff intervene in incidents, this is proportionate. Physical intervention records are detailed, and there is clear evidence of management oversight throughout. There are regular debriefs, which enable the children to talk through their feelings. This helps the children to reflect on their behaviours and make choices for positive changes.

p.7

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

In recent months, it has been a challenging time for the staff and children. The manager has given notice on two of the children’s placements due to escalating risks. The manager recognises the negative impact that the placements have had on the other children and has taken effective action to ensure that the children are safe.

p.7

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

There is an anti-bullying policy in place. Regular direct work with the children focuses on the need to rebuild relationships and explore the impact of negative behaviours. Restorative work and the use of consequences further strengthens this. Potential bullying behaviours are quickly identified, and strategies are in place to manage and address any future concerns. The children are aware that verbal or physical bullying will not be tolerated within the home.

p.7

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

There was an incident that occurred the evening before this inspection. One child managed to access a ligature cutter from a staff member and broke a window in his bedroom. The staff team acted quickly to work with the child to discuss the concerns regarding the child’s actions. It is evident from observations during the inspection that there are positive and nurturing relationships. There is a clear recording of this incident and measures are in in place to prevent this from happening in the future. As a result, situations are de-escalated effectively.

p.7

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The manager and staff team have worked hard to stabilise and reduce the self-harming behaviours of one child over a period of time. Well-followed protocols and clear communication meant that the professionals and the family members were well informed. Room searches were an effective tool, in addition to an increase in staff supervision. Despite this, notice has been given to this child, and an alternative therapeutic single-occupancy placement has been identified. Due to this creative planning, the child is stable and settled, with good support to transition to the new placement. The social worker for the child said, ‘They [the home] kept her safe to the best of their ability. I had a very good working relationship with them and they kept me informed of any serious incidents. The manager went above and beyond.’

p.7

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The manager completes pre-admission assessments to consider the behaviours and dynamics of all of the children. However, all of the presenting risks are not sufficiently detailed. This lack of information does not adequately analyse the impact of these risks or explain how they will be managed on a day-to-day basis. This does not demonstrate a clear decision-making process in relation to all new admissions.

p.7

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Inspection report children’s home: SC425418 8 The registered manager is suitably qualified and experienced. He has five years of experience and is currently undertaking the level 5 diploma in leadership and management. He has established a consistent staff team that provides nurturing care to the children. The staff report that the manager is supportive and is always available.

p.8

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff receive regular and effective supervision, they are happy in their jobs and feel well supported. The manager regularly monitors the training and development of the staff team. Training provides the staff with the skills they need to meet the needs of the children. They manage difficult and challenging behaviours effectively. The team works well together and members rely on each other for informal support and debriefs. Each member of staff either holds the required level 3 qualification or is working towards it. The manager has a clear staffing structure, ensuring that more senior staff members are always on duty to provide stability and guidance. This ensures that the home is well run and well managed, providing the children with a homely and familiar environment.

p.8

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager uses monitoring tools effectively, ensuring that there is good quality, consistent care. There is clear consultation with other professionals and the children. The manager and the staff spend time building relationships with parents and other family members. Feedback from outside agencies assists in improving the service. The internal and external monitoring is effective and productive. There is clear management oversight and analysis of incidents within the home, which helps to drive through improvements in the home.

p.8

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There has been a recent review of the statement of purpose. This reflects the current staffing arrangements and the aims and objectives delivered by the home.

p.8

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There has been recruitment of several new staff members since the last inspection. The manager follows safer recruitment practices, ensuring that all necessary checks are completed. There is a clear induction that enables members of the staff team to work their way through the mandatory training and gain experience from shadow shifts. The manager is effective at identifying any issues and providing additional support to the staff team as needed. This support ensures that the children receive care delivered by a team that is well trained, supported and subject to appropriate checks. This safeguards the children appropriately.

p.8

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The record-keeping in the home is of a good standard; however, in one risk assessment the information was unclear and lacked clear analysis. The manager was able to clarify this information. However, the written recording did not properly reflect all of the information and details required. This does not provide an accurate record for reference for the staff team, or as part of the records for the children. Inspection report children’s home: SC425418 9

p.8

Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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 whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

p.9

Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, 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’. Inspection report children’s home: SC425418 10

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Esland South Limited

p.10

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 3rd Floor, Butt Dyke House, 33 Park Row, Nottingham NG1 6EE

p.10

Inspector

Debbie Young, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC425418 11 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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

p.10

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, 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 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.11

Inspector

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

p.11

Inspector

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

p.11