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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1234624 1

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Esland North Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The 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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This monitoring visit

The home was judged as inadequate at the full inspection in November 2017.

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This monitoring visit

At the last inspection, nine statutory requirements were made. These were in relation to the protection of children standard, engaging with the wider system standard, policies for the protection of children standard, the fitness of manager standard, the leadership and management standard, the education standard, the children’s views, wishes and feelings standard, the quality of care and purpose standard and the appointment of independent person standard.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit is to review the progress of work to meet the requirements.

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This monitoring visit

The monitoring visit included speaking with the acting manager, a senior member of staff, communication with the children’s social worker and scrutinising records held in the home.

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This monitoring visit

The inspector found that the acting manager, with the support of members of her senior leadership team and her senior care staff, has taken action to ensure that the children are safely cared for. Rotas confirm sufficient numbers of staff provide continuity of care. Newly appointed staff are receiving an induction that includes safeguarding training, regular supervision and opportunities to familiarise themselves with the procedures and policies. The acting manager confirms that further work is taking place to ensure that the children are better involved in the recruitment of new Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1234624 2 staff. However, there is evidence that children are being consulted with and their views of newly appointed staff are being considered.

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This monitoring visit

Communication between the local authority, the education department and the acting manager has resulted in a child who had been out of formal education for a period of time, now being registered at a local school. A well-considered timetable produced by the acting manager with the child’s involvement means that they can start school at a pace that meets their needs.

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This monitoring visit

Reportable incidents have been shared appropriately and plans are in place to agree and ratify a procedure that will help safely respond to future allegations made by the children.

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This monitoring visit

Previous weaknesses in the skill set of some of the staff have been, and continue to be, addressed through training. The acting manager has identified where further training is required and there is evidence of this request being escalated to the senior leadership team.

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This monitoring visit

The acting manager confirms she has not yet registered herself on the level 5 diploma in leadership and management for residential childcare. She has submitted her application to register with Ofsted and is awaiting to be interviewed.

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This monitoring visit

The acting manager along with her senior member of staff demonstrated an enthusiasm to continue to develop the home and improve the outcomes of the children.

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This monitoring visit

As a result of this inspection, Ofsted is satisfied that work continues to improve the practices of staff and the outcomes for the children.

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This monitoring visit

A further full inspection will be carried out in due course to assess the home’s ongoing development and progress.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

28/11/2017 04/05/2017 Full Full Inadequate Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 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

Engaging with the wider system to ensure children’s needs are met In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must ensure that staff seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care. In accordance with the child’s relevant plans seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs and if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c)) 09/02/2018

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children. The conditions are that the care is approved, and kept under review throughout its duration, by the placing authority; that the care meets the child’s needs; that the care is delivered by a person who has the experience, knowledge and skills to deliver that care; and is under the supervision of a person who is appropriately skilled and qualified to supervise that care. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(3)(a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)) 09/02/2018

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare; regularly consult children, and seek 09/02/2018 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1234624 4 their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care; and ensure that each child is given appropriate advocacy support. (Regulation 7 (1)(c)(2)(a)(i)(iv)(b)(iii)) The education standard The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and

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Requirement Due date

are helped to do so. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans and raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority. (Regulation 8 (1)(2)(a)(i)(vii)) 09/02/2018

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person and are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(v)(vii)) 09/02/2018

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that helps children aspire to fulfil their potential and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose; ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into

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Requirement Due date

account and acting on research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in 09/02/2018 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1234624 5 the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(c)(e)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h)) Fitness of manager A person may only manage a children’s home if the person has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills to manage the home effectively and lead the care of children. For the purposes of paragraph (1)(b)(i), a person has the appropriate experience and qualification if the person has by the relevant date, attained the Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 5 Diploma"). (Regulation 28 (1)(b)(i)(2)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

Policies for the protection of children The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the children’s home from abuse or neglect and sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect. The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular, provide for records to be kept of an allegation of abuse or neglect, and the action taken in response. (Regulation 34 (1)(a)(b)(2)(d)) 09/02/2018

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Requirement Due date

Appointment of independent person The registered provider must appoint, at the registered provider’s expense, a person ("the independent person") to visit and report on the children’s home carried on by the registered provider. Subject to paragraphs (4) and (5), the registered provider may not appoint the following as an independent person, if the registered provider is not a local authority, a person who is employed for payment by the registered provider. (Regulation 43 (1)(3)(b)) 09/02/2018

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1234624 6

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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

Linda Bond, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1234624 7 to 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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