Children's Home run by Esland South Limited in Kent

Inspection report children‘s home: SC059037 1 SC059037 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 owned home provides long-term care and accommodation for a maximum of four young people who display a range of challenging behaviours and emotional complexities.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a registered manager since 21 April 2019. The new manager has made an application to register with Ofsted.

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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: 16 January 2019

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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: SC059037 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/01/2019 Full Good 15/08/2017 Full Outstanding 01/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 04/08/2016 Full Outstanding Inspection report children‘s home: SC059037 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

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child‘s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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details of any methods used, or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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the name of the person who used the measure (―the user‖), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

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‖)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and 31/10/19 Inspection report children‘s home: SC059037 4 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)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)(iv))

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Recommendations

 As set out in the statement of purpose, the home must be able to respond effectively to the assessed needs of children (‗Guide to the children‘s homes regulations including the quality standards‘, page 15, paragraph 3.6). In particular, plans to meet these needs must be clear and effective in guiding all staff in how this needs to be done.  For most looked-after children, many of the planning duties fall to the placing authority. The registered person should ensure that they and their staff engage proactively with the placing authority to contribute fully to the relevant plans for the child‘s care on an ongoing basis. (‗Guide to the children‘s homes regulations including the quality standards‘, page 55, paragraph 11.3). In particular, ensure that the placing authority has a clear plan for children before the child is placed.  The registered person is responsible for deciding what each (regulation 45)

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Recommendations

review should focus on, based on the specific circumstances of the home at that particular time and any areas of high risk to the children that the home is designed to care for, such as missing or exploitation. They will also consider what information or data recorded in the home will form part of the evidence base for their analysis and conclusions. There is no expectation that the registered person will review the home against every part of the Quality Standards every six months – registered persons should use their professional judgement to decide which factors to focus on. The review should enable the registered person to identify areas of strength and possible weakness in the home‘s care, which will be captured in the written report. The report should clearly identify any actions required for the next 6 months of delivery within the home and how those actions will be addressed. The whole review process and the resulting report should be

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Recommendations

used as a tool for continuous improvement in the home. (‗Guide to the children‘s homes regulations including the quality standards‘, page 65, paragraph 15.4) Inspection report children‘s home: SC059037 5

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children spoke highly of the adults who care for them. They expressed appreciation for the opportunities they provide and the trouble they take to give them positive experiences. They expressed pride in their achievements and the progress they have made.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When children move in, they settle rapidly and develop feelings of security, even when their futures are uncertain. Staff are firm and clear in maintaining boundaries and structure for the children, who said that they feel listened to and that staff understand them. Children invest in the home and are involved in developing the physical environment, for example the gardens. This increases their sense of belonging and attachment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Sensitive and dedicated staff, who display care and acceptance of the children regardless of their diverse backgrounds and behaviours, enable children who are confused about their identities to explore their thoughts and feelings and begin to build a clearer sense of who they are and how they fit into the world.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who are approaching stages of transition are able to talk clearly about their futures with positivity and aspiration. They spoke warmly of the various activities and opportunities that staff have presented for them to identify and develop their abilities and interests in preparation for adulthood.

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

The children said that they feel safe, valued and cared for. Behaviours, activities and associations that placed them at significant risk of harm before they moved in reduce substantially. Incidents of children going missing and those requiring staff to physically intervene, are rare; episodes of children threatening to self-harm or actually self- harming reduce considerably.

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

Staff know the children well and carefully identify and consider their associated risks and ways in which these can be best managed and reduced. On the occasions when children may or do place themselves at risk of harm, the response of staff is rapid and comprehensive. Plans and practices are reviewed and improved where possible; professional meetings and discussions are convened, and well-timed reflective sessions are held with the children concerned. Practice around the recording and managerial oversight of instances of staff needing to physically intervene with children does not however, currently fully meet requirements. The way that staff assess and find ways to avoid direct physical contact, and that they do this as a last resort, nevertheless meets requirements.

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

Good staffing levels are maintained to ensure that each child is always sufficiently supervised for their assessed level of need. The children increase in their ability to deal Inspection report children‘s home: SC059037 6 with hazards and keep themselves safe. Staff are skilled in supporting the children to expand their experience of the world and to take risks appropriate to their stage of development. The home also uses a very effective system to individually moderate, monitor and control the children‘s access to the internet. In addition to keeping the children safe, this provides staff with opportunities to teach the children how to recognise and deal with online hazards and threats.

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

The children are very well supported to maintain helpful and positive contact with their families, and staff will do whatever is required to facilitate them spending time together. They plan these occasions carefully and remain vigilant and alert to any issues that may threaten the well-being or safety of the children during these visits and will not hesitate to take appropriate action to safeguard them, should the need arise.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Good succession planning has helped to reduce the disruptive effects of a change in managers, and the experienced deputy has been promoted to replace the previous manager, following a period of transition.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team has become more stable and settled, and an able senior member of staff is now available to deputise for the manager when necessary. These were areas for improvement identified at the last inspection and contribute to the children feeling secure in a predictable environment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The new manager leads a committed staff team with enthusiasm and a strong focus on the children and their progress and on providing them with a positive care experience. She feels meaningfully supported and enabled by the wider leadership in the organisation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager uses a range of weekly and monthly monitoring procedures, prescribed by the organisation, to gauge the standard of care being provided. This information does not, however, readily translate into meaningful information that can be used by the manager to analyse and understand the strengths and weaknesses of the home and to make plans to improve the quality of care. The most recent regulation 45 report provides very little analysis or planning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Placing authorities have not been sufficiently held to account to provide a clear plan for the placement of some children before they have moved into the home. Subsequent efforts by the manager to gain clarity and direction for these children have, however, been persistent and determined, and she provides strong advocacy for them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The practice of safer recruitment, induction and ensuring the completion of satisfactory probation periods is thorough. Staff express appreciation for the relevance and good standards of staff development and training. Disciplinary processes are effectively applied when staff have under-performed; lessons are learned, and staff practice is improved. Inspection report children‘s home: SC059037 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: SC059037 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 and 5, Riverside Business Centre, Foundry Lane, Milford, Belper, Derbyshire DE56 0RN

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Inspector:

John Pledger, social care inspector Inspection report children‘s home: SC059037 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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