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

The home is operated by a private organisation and is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children. The children may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 27 to 28 November 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 requires improvement to be 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

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/03/2018 Full Good 28/11/2017 Full Inadequate Inspection report children’s home: 1234624 2 04/05/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 08/03/2017 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

Engaging with the wider system to ensure children’s needs are met

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

(a) seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

(b) seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs; and

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Requirement Due date

(d) seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure professionals are fully involved when considering the compatibility of children and young people living together. (Regulation 5(a)(b)(d)) 28/01/2019

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

(2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

(i) assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; 28/12/2018 Inspection report children’s home: 1234624 4 (ii) help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

(v) understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; and

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Requirement Due date

(b) that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure no child or young person can access inappropriate material via the internet and a proactive approach is taken to prevent young people from smoking. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

(2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

(a) 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;

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Requirement Due date

(h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure records kept in the home are up to date (Regulation 13(1)(2)(a)(h)) 28/01/2019

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Overall, young people who are settled and have enjoyed living in the home for a while make very good progress. They like going to school, attending clubs and taking part in fun and exciting holidays and visits. They are supported by suitably trained and experienced staff who know and understand them well.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One young person has recently moved into the home and staff are working hard to help Inspection report children’s home: 1234624 5 him settle and engage with all that is offered. Records for this young person are in place, ensuring that staff are sufficiently informed. The social worker for one young person spoke positively of the support this young person has received since moving into the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a home that is spacious, well equipped and homely. It means they have space to socialise, play and have privacy. There are plans in place for the home to move soon and the children are fully engaged in this process. They have been visiting the new house and taking part in the decorating of rooms, which means they are involved and are being sensitively helped to accept the change.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There have been several changes to the staff team since the last inspection. However, this has not affected the consistency of care. The inspector observed staff supporting the children in a kind and caring way, in particular while they were applying appropriate boundaries and structures when one of the young people became unsettled.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child who has moved on from the home since the last inspection has done so by means of a planned and collaborative approach which was planned and implemented by the home and the child’s placing authority. The registered manager reported that this young person has moved well and is settled.

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improvement to be good

Overall, staff provide young people with a safe place to live. Risk assessments and behaviour management plans are kept up to date, which helps the staff to better support the young people. The behaviours of one young person who has lived in the home for a while have improved significantly because he has been helped to understand his emotions and cope better with change.

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improvement to be good

The registered manager and her staff team help young people to understand and take age-appropriate risks. However, the registered manager failed to ensure that one young person was fully protected when using the internet. The inspector found that this young person had access to adult material via Netflix. In addition to this, there was insufficient evidence of staff being proactive in preventing one young person from purchasing tobacco during supervised trips to the shops.

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improvement to be good

Sanctions are rarely used and overall are effective. However, sanctions applying to the use of the Wi-Fi were inconsistent. This led to one young person being confused and unsettled in their behaviours. On occasions when effectiveness of the sanction has been recordedhas been recorded, it has led to improvements in the staff’s practice and has identified clear learning for young people.

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improvement to be good

Young people know how to share their concerns and worries; when they do, they are helped to understand by a swift response by the registered manager. At the point of the inspection, an investigation into an allegation made by one young person about a Inspection report children’s home: 1234624 6 member of staff remained ongoing. The registered manager has taken steps to ensure the safety of the young person and the member of staff during the investigation.

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improvement to be good

The use of physical intervention is rare. One recent incident resulted in a young person seriously assaulting a member of staff. Appropriate support has been provided for the young person and member of staff.

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

The registered manager conveys warmth and is nurturing towards the young people, and professionals recognise the strengths and passion she brings to the home. Since the last inspection, she has continued to develop her knowledge through training.

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

Since the last inspection, several new staff members have joined the team. Safe recruitment is evident. However, recording of the interview process could be better developed to demonstrate rigour.

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

The induction of new staff and the provision of staff training are in line with the provider’s statement of purpose. The use of agency or bank staff is not excessive and takes place when there is sickness or annual leave. Supervision of permanent staff is regular and the staff spoke positively of the support they receive. However, the registered manager hasn’t recognised the value and importance of providing supervision for those bank staff who are regularly supporting the young people.

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

Overall, the registered manager works well with other professionals and stakeholders, reporting and sharing concerns when necessary. However, failure of senior staff to fully consult with a placing authority on two occasions meant that the social worker was unaware of the move of a new young person into the home, and of a young person having a short stay away from the home.

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

The registered manager undertakes regular monitoring and reviewing tasks. Nonetheless, the inspector noted that the admissions and discharge record kept within the home required updating to reflect that a young person was no longer registered at the home.

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

External monthly monitoring by an independent visitor takes place. They provide an account of progress and identify any shortfalls in the home. The registered manager acts to address any concerns raised.

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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: 1234624 7 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: Esland Ltd, Suites 1 & 5 Riverside Business Centre, Foundry Lane, Milford, Belper, Derbyshire DE56 0RN

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Inspector

Linda Bond: 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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