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

Inspection report children’s home: 1234624 1 Registered provider: Esland North Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is operated by a private organisation and is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people. Young people may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection

Three compliance notices were issued on 21 March 2017 with regards to Quality Standards 11, 12 and Regulation 40. Inspection report children’s home: 1234624 2

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Key findings from this inspection

This children’s home requires improvement to be good because

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Key findings from this inspection

 There is no registered manager in post. Currently the home is not operating to allow for the recruitment of a manager and a full staff team.  Improved systems, policies and procedures have yet to be embedded and fully implemented to ensure that they are effective.  Records relating to physical intervention are not always complete to meet the requirements of the children’s homes regulations.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Leaders and managers have responded positively to the failings identified at the last inspection; they demonstrate a commitment to improvement. The three compliance notices and the requirements from the last inspection have all been met.  Targeted staff training and reflective supervision have contributed to a more confident and skilled staff team.  Inter-agency working has developed a clearer understanding of the staff team’s roles and responsibilities in relation to safeguarding young people.  Staff actively look for young people when they go missing, extending their contact with local taxi firms and supermarket security staff, in addition to the police.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

8 March 2017 Full Inadequate Inspection report children’s home: 1234624 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet 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

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if: (a) there is no registered manager in respect of the home. 31/08/2017

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Requirement Due date

35: Behaviour management policies and records

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Requirement Due date

(3) The registered person must ensure that: (a) within 24 hours of the use of the measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes: (ii) details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure; (vii) the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure. 30/06/2017

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Recommendations

 For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. In particular, ensure that damaged curtain rails are replaced and that the bedrooms for young people are suitably furnished prior to being used. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) Inspection report children’s home: 1234624 4

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improvement to be good

This inspection visit follows the inspection undertaken on 8 March 2017, when Ofsted judged this home to be inadequate. As a result of that inspection, three compliance notices were served. At the time of this inspection, no children or young people were living at this home. Since the last inspection, one young person has lived here for 15 days before moving away.

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improvement to be good

Over a short period of time, it is evident that progress for the young person was minimal. Care planning documents had been obtained in full from the local authority, an improvement since the last inspection. However, there was insufficient time to develop and sustain positive relationships with the staff. Social care professionals to support the young person were predominantly out of area and the distance hindered regular meetings and joint working to provide a consistent response. The young person frequently placed themselves at risk in the community and the escalation of incidents led to this short placement coming to an end.

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improvement to be good

Young people are supported to engage with education through their interests. For example, young people considering employment in hairdressing are supported through a tutor to identify local college courses and work towards the requirements to access this learning. Staff provide opportunities for young people to practise hair styling and make- up. The short stay at this home was insufficient to develop and sustain the young person’s interests and progress was minimal.

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improvement to be good

Young people receive appropriate medical care through community healthcare services. The staff team promotes healthy lifestyles and key workers discuss the dangers of substance misuse, alcohol and smoking. Due to the anti-social behaviour presented, staff have received training with regards to the recognition and management of substance misuse among young people.

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improvement to be good

Young people are involved in the design and decoration of their bedroom to ensure that it is their personalised space. The house is generally decorated and furnished to a good standard, creating a homely environment, with posters and displays having been removed from the lounge. Any damaged areas are repaired and replaced promptly. Since the last inspection, the dining area has improved as it is no longer located in the same room allocated for education. Mealtimes can now be taken in the lounge area, more like a family home. This home is not currently being lived in. Before young people come to live here, some minor repairs are required, such as fixing curtain poles in bedrooms and preparing the home to welcome young people.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have made significant improvements by following through the action plan created in response to the previous inadequate inspection judgement. The improvements can be seen in revised policies, staff training, staff supervision and the depth of monitoring of care practices in the home. These developments have not had Inspection report children’s home: 1234624 5 sufficient time to be fully implemented with young people living here for a short period of time.

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improvement to be good

A significant improvement since the last inspection can be found in risk management plans for young people. Known risks and triggers are clearly detailed with guidance for staff on what strategies or ‘control measures’ to use. These documents are regularly reviewed after safeguarding incidents, in particular after a young person has been missing from the home.

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improvement to be good

The number of incidents of going missing from home escalated to almost a daily occurrence. Staff actively follow and encouraged young people to return to the home. Liaison with the police, local taxi firms and supermarket security staff has assisted in locating missing young people for their safe return. Engagement with the local authority missing from home coordinator led to some return home interviews, though without success in reducing this risk. Leaders and managers concluded that this home was not able to provide sufficient protection and informed the placing authority that the young person would need to move.

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improvement to be good

Staff are trained in the use of physical intervention. Records confirm that this is not often used, staff aiming to de-escalate situations through distraction and verbal reassurance. One record of physical intervention refers to staff holding onto objects, such as a chair leg and ornament, to avoid being hurt themselves when being threatened. This intervention does not involve direct contact with young people. The use of physical intervention is appropriate when used; the area for improvement is in relation to the records. Records do not always give a full description of the behaviour leading to the use of physical intervention, neither do they detail the effectiveness of having used this level of intervention. These incomplete records do not allow for effective monitoring and review of practice in this area of behaviour management.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have focused on providing training to staff to increase their knowledge and skills on safeguarding matters. A briefing on ‘protection of children’ was delivered to the interim manager and six staff. The document issued to all staff incorporates Quality Standard 12, allegation management, company policies, and statutory guidance, such as Runaway and Missing from Home or Care protocols, Keeping Children Safe in Education, and Working Together to Safeguard Children. In addition, staff have recently received training on behaviour management and attachment theory.

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improvement to be good

The interim manager is proactive in her approach to protect young people. This involves an arrangement with the local taxi firm to permit authorised bookings only and the reporting of local traders who knowingly sold cigarettes to young people under the age of 18 years. The interim manager ensures that all safeguarding incidents are appropriately reported to social care professionals and notified to Ofsted. The absence of inter-agency working was a serious shortfall reported at the last inspection and this has Inspection report children’s home: 1234624 6 now improved.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

This home does not have a registered manager in post. The previous manager resigned on 10 March 2017 after a period of absence. The previous manager was registered to manage two children’s homes, but she failed to manage them both effectively. Leaders and managers are required to appoint a manager solely responsible for this home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

An interim manager, with support from senior managers, has guided and supported staff to care for a young person living in this home. Senior leaders have implemented lots of changes to strengthen staff members’ skills and knowledge and work towards a safer environment for young people. An action plan in response to the last inspection inadequate judgement has enabled significant improvements to occur.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff training has been extensive with an emphasis on safeguarding. Monitoring systems are in use, from daily activity to monthly reviews. These monitoring tools enable managers to track the progress and development of young people, the staff team and the functioning of the home. Given the failings identified in the last inspection, senior managers have submitted to Ofsted a monitoring report, under Regulation 45, that provides an honest reflection of the failings and how to move forward through improvement at this home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Currently there are no staff, as they are deployed to work in a nearby home operated by this provider. Leaders and managers plan to open this home again once a manager is in post and some additional staff have been successfully recruited. The new staffing structure has two staff allocated as ‘primary care workers’. They will provide consistency of care by each being present for three consecutive days. Leaders and managers report that this model of care giving is working successfully at some other homes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

All staff have successfully completed their probationary periods. The interim manager ensures that staff receive regular supervision and opportunities to reflect on their practice. Staff professional development and formal social care qualifications are supported through studying the level 3 diploma for residential childcare. The regional manager has recently qualified as an assessor for this award. This will ensure that staff are able to complete this essential qualification in a timely manner without having to rely on external training providers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have reviewed and amended the system for independent visitors visiting each month to review the safety and well-being of children and young people. A more robust structure is now implemented with clear reporting systems to highlight good practice and any areas of concern. The responsible individual has strengthened this system to raise standards and drive improvement across all of the children’s homes managed by this provider. Inspection report children’s home: 1234624 7

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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.

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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: 1234624 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Esland North Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1 Foundry Lane, Milford, Belper DE56 0RN

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Inspector

Clare Davies, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1234624 9 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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