Children's Home run by Esland North Limited in Derby

Inspection report children’s home: SC478986 1 SC478986 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

The home is privately owned. It provides long-term care and accommodation for up to five children and young people, aged between 11 and 17, who have complex social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home operates across two sites, the main house and the lodge. The main house can accommodate up to four children and young people and the lodge can accommodate one young person.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since June 2017.

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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: inadequate

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC478986 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/07/2018 Full Inadequate 22/08/2017 Full Good 12/12/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 31/05/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC478986 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, significant changes have been made by the provider in relation to the staff and management team. Improvements in the home have resulted in young people now feeling respected and valued by the staff. They are treated as individuals, and their specific needs are recognised and met.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Relationships between staff and young people are extremely positive. A young person said, ‘Things have definitely got a lot better. Before staff were coming in ticking boxes and then leaving. They did not care about us. Staff are now enthusiastic and they get us. They want to be here and they seem to like us kids.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people feel confident that staff would help and support them and they are able to identify staff members who are important to them. Staff recognise the complexities of young people’s behaviours and understand that this is due to their difficult histories. A tolerant, more nurturing approach based on understanding rather than punishment is beginning to be embedded into practice.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education is encouraged and promoted by staff. All young people are in full-time education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are healthy, and their good health is maintained through regular check- ups with universal services, as well as specialist support. Staff encourage young people to take part in individual activities, to stay active and to follow their interests. This promotes young people’s general well-being and self-confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

New systems are now in place that ensure that young people’s views are not only gained but are fully considered. This is a significant strength of the home. A young person said, ‘If you ask the new staff for stuff they listen to you and get things sorted. This is really different to how things used to be. Things have massively improved.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Recent refurbishment means that the home is a friendly and welcoming environment where young people feel comfortable, happy and relaxed. One young person said, ‘I love the house now. It makes me want to stay at home more rather than go out with my mates.’

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

Young people report feeling safe in the home. Recent staff training, including child protection, understanding trauma and the use of physical intervention, has been essential in developing good practice in the home.

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

Comprehensive risk assessments that are clear, regularly reviewed and updated help to ensure young people’s safety and protection. Inspection report children’s home: SC478986 4 Incidents of restraint have dramatically reduced. This is due to the changes in how staff manage young people’s behaviours. For one young person this has resulted in their day- to-day experiences being significantly more positive. As a result, this young person is much happier and more settled.

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

Carefully planned and well-considered individual key-work sessions are carried out effectively. These sessions focus on specific safeguarding concerns relevant to young people. This work enables young people to openly discuss their views and begin to have a better understanding of the consequences of their behaviours. One young person said, ‘Because of the work that has been done with me I can see my future now. She [the worker] has given me the ability to do this. I definitely could not see my future before.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The senior management team has worked tirelessly to address the previous shortfalls that were identified. The senior managers are committed and tenacious, and are focused on ensuring that young people have uncompromising standards of care. A staff member said, ‘We have got a staff team now who have the qualities to work with these individual children. It feels like we have started afresh and we are doing so much better. Management have been absolutely brilliant. They have been so supportive to all of us.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All nine requirements from the last inspection have been fully met. A restructure of the staff team means that young people are now being cared for by qualified, experienced and well-trained staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team members present as passionate individuals who are fully invested in the young people they are working with. They are an impressive and resilient team who have worked exceptionally hard to address some difficult issues in the home. For this they are to be highly commended. The needs of young people are now at the heart of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are well supported through regular, reflective supervision. They have regular team meetings to discuss concerns and promote good communication and consistency across the home. Staff feel valued, and they know that their views count in the development of the home. This inclusive approach increases staff morale.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Quality assurance systems are effective and enable young people’s progress to be tracked. These systems help drive improvement and are essential in the monitoring and oversight of practice.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: SC478986 5 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: SC478986 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: Esland Ltd, Suite 1, Riverside Business Centre, Foundry Lane, Milford, Belper, Derbyshire DE56 0RN

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Inspector(s)

Davinia Lawton, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC478986 7 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(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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