Children's Home run by Esland South Limited in Greenwich

Inspection report children’s home: SC386134 1 SC38613 Registered provider: Esland South 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 privately run children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to four young people aged from 12 to 17 years who have social and/or behavioural difficulties. The registered manager has been in post since May 2018.

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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 requires improvement to be 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

Date of last inspection: 23 November 2017

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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: SC386134 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/11/2017 Full Good 08/02/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness 10/05/2016 Full Good 13/01/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC386134 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

12. The protection of children standard In order to meet the protection of children standard, (2) the registered person must ensure— (a) that staff: (vi) take effective action whenever there is serious concern about a child’s welfare. In particular, reduce the risks of children going missing and exploitation. 30/09/2018

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure young people develop skills to have positive relationships with others (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 38, paragraph 8.6). In particular, support young people to resolve conflict positively with one another.  The registered person should ensure that the necessary support is given to children to enable them to access their education. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.13)  The registered person should ensure that, in line with their individual health plans and the ethos of the home, children are offered advice, support and guidance on health and well-being to enhance, and supplement, that provided by their school through personal, social and health educational (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.18). In

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Recommendations

particular, staff should help young people understand and change negative behaviours in key areas of health and well-being, such as the use of legal highs and drugs.  The registered person should ensure that notifications of serious events are sent to the regulator. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.13) Inspection report children’s home: SC386134 4  The registered person should ensure that case records are kept up to date (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3). In particular, ensure that a clear record is made of return home interviews completed by an independent person.  The registered person should ensure that their review of the premise identifies any risks and opportunities presented by the home’s location (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph

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Recommendations

15.1). In particular, ensure that the location risk assessment contains strategies for managing the risks of child sexual exploitation and gangs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people receive good individualised care from staff and managers who understand their needs. As a result, young people have positive experiences and make good progress from their challenging starting points. A social worker stated that her young person’s difficult behaviours have ‘greatly reduced’ since the young person was placed in the home. Another young person’s independent reviewing officer stated that the home offers ‘a high standard of care’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are in good health and have access to local services. Their emotional well- being is well supported by staff and managers who are finely attuned to their needs. Young people also have access to specialist services, such as the child and adolescent mental health service.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Key-work sessions cover important issues that are reflected in care plans. A young person stated that he and his key worker discuss the things that matter to him. Another young person’s independent reviewing officer stated that her young person has ‘built up a degree of trust in the staff and this has helped her to make use of their support when she has felt troubled’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people successfully complete their rehabilitation or referral orders. They do not re-offend. A youth offending social worker stated that the home has been ‘very supportive’ of his young person in completing his programme.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Placement referrals are carefully vetted so that only those young people whose needs can be met by the home are admitted. Consequently, there has been a period of stability in the home since the last inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people know how to complain. There is a clear complaints policy in place. The children’s guide is easy to understand and is child focused. It includes the contact details of the Office of the Children’s Commissioner as a resource for the young people. No complaint has been filed since the last inspection. Inspection report children’s home: SC386134 5 Young people’s education attendance and attainment progress have been mixed. A young person was nominated by his school for a national achievement award. His teacher described him as ‘one of the star pupils’ and the home as ‘very supportive’ of his education. Staff supported another young person to complete her GCSEs despite very challenging circumstances.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is good collaboration between schools and the home; however, one young person’s attendance has declined since the last inspection. Another young person has struggled to make progress in his learning. There is room for improvement in helping the young people improve their attendance and ensuring that their complex educational needs are appropriately supported.

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improvement to be good

Overall, young people do not go missing from the home. When a young person does go missing from the home, staff follow agreed procedures. A social work professional stated that he was ‘impressed’ with how far the staff would go to find the young person. A missing persons’ coordinator with the police stated that the home is ‘good at information sharing, which is vital to police’ and there is a ‘genuine desire to engage with the young person’. Strategy meetings are convened to help manage the risks, and available options for intervention are considered.

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improvement to be good

However, one young person has experienced an increase in her missing episodes since the last inspection, despite the efforts made by the staff and managers to help the young person. The young person was physically assaulted and was known to be involved in an exploitative relationship while she was missing.

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improvement to be good

Return home interviews by an independent person are routinely offered to the young people who go missing from care. However, the interviews that have taken place are not always recorded.

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improvement to be good

Strategies for managing the risks of gangs and child sexual exploitation in the home’s location risk assessment are not comprehensive.

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improvement to be good

Young people said that they feel safe in the home. They can identify trusted adults whom they can talk to about any concerns. However, there is room for improvement in helping young people to resolve conflicts with one another and improve peer-to-peer relationships.

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improvement to be good

Staff make appropriate efforts to raise young people’s awareness of cannabis use and its potentially negative impact on their health and emotional well-being. Staff impose supervised spending, carry out appropriate room searches and seek intervention from the local police. However, there is scope for closer multi-agency working to support young people to reduce their cannabis use further. Inspection report children’s home: SC386134 6 The home normally notifies Ofsted of serious incidents that have taken place, without delay. However, the home did not notify Ofsted of two specific serious incidents, and the reasons for the lack of notifications were weak.

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improvement to be good

The systems in place for recording sanctions and restraints are appropriate. The use of physical restraints is rare. Young people’s views are recorded, and there is evidence of the registered manager’s review of the incidents and of the effectiveness of the applied sanctions.

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improvement to be good

The designated officer for the host local authority stated that no allegations or concerns have been raised about the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed effectively by a suitably qualified permanent manager. The manager has been registered since May 2018. Safe recruitment is in place, and the home is adequately resourced to meet the young people’s needs. Staff who do not have level 3 qualifications or an equivalent are currently enrolled on a course. The home is staffed by a stable workforce.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager ensures that the staff team works in partnership with families and professionals to promote positive outcomes for the young people. Young people experience positive contact with their families. They develop independent living skills, which enhance their self-efficacy. The manager makes certain that the young people receive culturally sensitive care from the staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager’s self-evaluation of the home’s strengths and areas for further improvement is underpinned by the quality standards. The manager utilises the independent visitor’s reports, audits, feedback and practice observations to scrutinise practice and raise standards. A plan is in place to improve the service, based on the high aspirations that the manager has for the young people and the staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager monitors the quality of care provided through audits, practice observation and supervision. Staff members stated that they feel well supported to carry out their duties. Gaps in practice are challenged and staff are supported to perform to an acceptable standard.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home’s workforce development plan is comprehensive. Staff have access to a range of training, which keeps their skills up to date.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager’s and staff’s commitment to supporting the young people is palpable. They provide a homely home and advocate for their needs. A staff member stated, ‘I love working here, working with the children, making a difference, and treating them like how you would want your own child to be treated.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC386134 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 differences 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: SC386134 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

Linda Kim-Newby, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC386134 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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