Children's Home run by Esland South Limited in Hertfordshire

Inspection report children‟s home: SC425418 1 SC425418 Registered provider: Esland South Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care and accommodation for a maximum of four young people who have emotional and behavioural difficulties, including but not exclusively mild to moderate learning disabilities. The home aims to look after young people aged between 10 and 17 years.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has worked with children looked after since 2012. He has worked at the home in excess of four years.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

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

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children‟s home: SC425418 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/04/2017 Full Good 27/10/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 24/05/2016 Full Good 17/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children‟s home: SC425418 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 person must ensure that— within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)— has spoken to the user about the measure; and has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 29/5/2018

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Recommendations

 A record of supervision should be kept for staff, including the manager. The record should provide evidence that supervision is being delivered in line with regulation 33(4)(b). („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 61, paragraph 13.3) This is with particular reference to ensuring that all supervision records reflect all actions and recommendations discussed.  All children‟s case records must be kept up to date and stored securely whilst they remain at the home. Case records must be kept up date and signed and dated by the author of each entry. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 62, paragraph 14.3) Inspection report children‟s home: SC425418 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are making progress. They have good relationships with the staff and are learning to form positive relationships with each other. Some of the children have been living at the home for a significant period and see it as their home. The staff are committed to improving outcomes for the children and ensuring that they are safe and well cared for. This helps the children to build trusting relationships and talk about their wishes and feelings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff work well with other agencies to make sure that communication is effective. This inter-agency working is helping one child to progress in his education, which is the area that he finds the most difficult in his life. He is progressing in his learning through increased engagement with the tutor. The intensive support provided by the staff and the tutor means that it may be possible for him to join a class environment in the future and to achieve qualifications, which will increase his opportunities in adulthood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Professionals who work with the staff are very positive about the care provided. One professional said, „My child is very lucky to be where he is. There is excellent communication between the home and the school. They [the staff] do everything to support him.‟ Another professional said, „They [the staff] really care about the children. They are really committed to my child. Without them it may have been a lot worse for him. They do not give up on children.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff manage the children‟s very complex and challenging behaviours well on a daily basis. This nurturing care provides the consistency and stability that the children need to make progress socially and educationally. The staff encourage the children to participate in a range of activities to improve their confidence and self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and the staff are skilled in supporting the children to maintain relationships with their families. Families are happy with the level of care provided to their children. One parent said, „I am really happy with how he [my child] is being looked after. They [the staff] have the patience of a saint and they are very good. He has done well.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children know how to complain if they wish to and are able to talk to the staff if they are worried or concerned. The staff care about and have good relationships with the children, and this was clearly observed during the inspection. The staff spend time with the children, getting to know their likes and dislikes and individual personalities. The children are the priority, and this ethos is embraced by the manager and the staff.

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

Children are safe at the home. The staff work hard to ensure that risky behaviours are assessed and reviewed regularly. The staff understand that the children are vulnerable.

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

The staff are knowledgeable and skilled in safeguarding, and they are led by the Inspection report children‟s home: SC425418 5 manager, who ensures that this is a priority. When children go missing, the staff actively look for and keep in touch with them. There are effective links with the police, who are positive about how the staff and the manager care for and safeguard the children.

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

The staff undertake direct work with the children, talking about incidents of concern. This work helps to educate the children, supporting them to make good choices to keep themselves safe. This has been particularly effective with one child as he has reduced his own exposure to risky individuals, and this has had a positive impact on his life.

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

There are clear and individualised behaviour management processes for each child. Effective consultation with other agencies in relation to the use of consequences provides a robust response to risk planning. Restorative practice strategies support the children to make things right and take responsibility for their own behaviours.

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

The staff are trained in de-escalation techniques and physical intervention. Physical intervention is used only when a child is a risk to themselves or others. Physical intervention records evidence that interventions are minimal and used only when necessary. There are clear debriefings with the children following any incidents, which enables the children to talk about what happened and how it was managed. However, one physical intervention involved the manager, yet the record was also overseen and signed by the manager. This did not provide an impartial response to the intervention.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has been in post since 2017. Prior to his appointment as manager, he worked at the home as a senior member of staff, and he already had good relationships with the children and the staff. He is passionate about the home, ensuring that the children are safe and well cared for. He is committed to good outcomes for the children, enabling them to achieve to their full potential. The manager spends much time working with the children and the staff. He provides a good level of oversight and input, improving the skill set of the staff, who work with children with highly complex and challenging needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a clear vision for the home, and is aware of both the areas for development and the strengths. He is developing the staff team effectively, and the home is now fully staffed. Safer recruitment practices are in place and staff have a comprehensive induction. Staff feel well supported by the team and senior management. Supervisions are provided regularly, but the records do not provide sufficient detail of the discussions or how the manager makes sure that each action is fully reviewed at each supervision session.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff work and communicate well with each other, and they are dedicated to their roles. The training is effective, with all eligible staff qualified to level 3 or working towards achieving this qualification.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager advocates for the children. Concerns are escalated when the manager feels that plans are not progressed effectively. This challenge is appropriate and ensures Inspection report children‟s home: SC425418 6 the best outcomes for all of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Documents and records about the children are not always clearly signed and dated. Some records are incorrectly attached to other documents. Although this does not have a significant impact on the children, it is a shortfall that is not being picked up during regular audits and checks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Internal reporting is effective and detailed, clearly outlining the progress of the home and the children and the plans to move forward. The external reporting also provides a regular monitoring process for the manager and the staff, and recommendations are acted on. Inspection report children‟s home: SC425418 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: SC425418 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Esland South Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Suites 1 & 5, Riverside Business Centre, Foundry Lane, Milford, Belper, Derbyshire DE56 0RN

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Inspector

Debbie Young, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC425418 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 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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