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

This home is privately owned and provides care and accommodation for children with complex social, emotional and behavioural difficulties aged between 11 and 17. The home can offer care provision for up to five children over two sites. The accommodation comprises the main house and the lodge. The main house can accommodate up to four children and the lodge can accommodate one child.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been registered with Ofsted since January 2019.

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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

Date of last inspection: 4 September 2018

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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: SC478986 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/09/2018 Full Good 17/07/2018 Full Inadequate 22/08/2017 Full Good 12/12/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC478986 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The progress and experience of children living in this home are good. Children’s behaviours significantly stabilise due to the nurturing and consistent care that is offered by the dedicated staff team.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children are achieving positive outcomes in several areas of their lives. Children spoke with enthusiasm about the care provided to them by staff. One child said, ‘They have all helped me so much. They will listen and help me if I need it. It makes me feel so much better knowing I have staff to talk to. My life is now honestly so much better than it was.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have worked hard to build effective and trusting relationships with children. They understand the unique needs of each child living at the home. Consequently, this has had a positive effect on children’s emotional well-being, and levels of challenging behaviour have dramatically reduced.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children are in education or they have alternative educational provision. These alternative packages are bespoke and tailored to children’s needs, abilities and interests. A teaching assistant said, ‘There has been a vast improvement in their behaviours. They will now sit in the classroom and can manage difficult situations. They have developed relationships with their peers and they seem so much happier in themselves.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are promoted. They are encouraged to take regular exercise, participate in activities and eat healthily. For one young person, this has resulted in them losing a significant amount of weight and becoming much fitter.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work hard to arrange and facilitate good-quality contact that helps children to develop meaningful relationships with their families. This enables children to build positive memories with people who are significant to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views are continually sought. They feel listened to and feel that they are an integral part of the home.

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

Children feel safe in the home. Staff are attuned to children’s needs and show great warmth in their interactions with children.

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

Safeguarding arrangements are robust. Staff understand safeguarding policies and procedures. They are aware of their responsibilities in safeguarding children and know how to respond to and report any concerns.

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

Despite one child having an unstable period and frequently going missing while living in the home, such incidents have stopped. The level of tenacity shown by staff during this exceptionally difficult period is noteworthy. The staff’s understanding of risk, their resilience Inspection report children’s home: SC478986 4 and unwavering commitment to the child undoubtedly assisted to ensure the child’s safety and protection.

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

Incidents of restraint have stopped for two children living at the home. This is testament to the skills of the staff team in de-escalating challenging behaviours and helping children to regulate their emotions. A social worker said, ‘The children have come on in leaps and bounds. The way staff handle them behaviourally is fantastic. There is a significant change in how they now present. Since they went to the home there are less, and less significant incidents and they are no longer being restrained daily.’

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

Effective and regular key-work sessions are carried out with children. These sessions focus on specific safeguarding concerns relevant to the child. These sessions enable children to openly discuss their views and begin to have a better understanding of the consequences of their behaviours.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leadership and management are highly effective. In a relatively short period of time, the new registered manager and the deputy manager have developed a positive culture in the home. Staff speak about the management team in very positive terms.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and the deputy manager are ‘hands-on’ but do not lose sight of their management responsibilities. They both share the same vision and are dedicated to improving the lives of children and ensuring that they have uncompromising standards of care. They are an impressive management team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel extremely well supported by each other and by the manager. All staff fully contribute to the successful running of the home and feel valued and respected as individual team members. They are a proactive staff group. They are knowledgeable, and experienced. The majority of staff are suitably qualified.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager strongly advocates for all the children. She ensures effective multi-agency working and robust sharing of information. Challenge takes place on behalf of children when necessary. Feedback from all agencies was very positive about the functioning of the home and the progress that children are making while living there.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has now developed good monitoring and review systems. Any weaknesses in practice are quickly identified and addressed. This regular monitoring ensures good oversight of the home and the progress that children are making.

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

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Inspector:

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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector:

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Inspector:

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Inspector:

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

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