Children's home run by Esland South Limited in Nottingham

Inspection report children’s home: SC024089 1 SC024089 Registered provider: Esland South Limited 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 and is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children. According to the home’s statement of purpose, these are children who are experiencing emotional and behavioural difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in September 2018.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 19 February 2019

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC024089 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/02/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness 29/10/2018 Full Good 29/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 14/11/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC024089 3

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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.  The registered person is responsible for deciding what each (regulation 45) 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

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Recommendations

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 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: SC024089 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children say that staff really care about them. They feel settled, and build a sense of belonging and develop an attachment to the adults who care for them. They put down roots and invest in the running and development of the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The sensitive support of staff and increased feelings of security help the children to re- engage in education. This is rapid and sustained, and they make meaningful academic progress. Educators speak highly of staff’s dedication and determination in supporting the children to return to formal schooling. Parents are proud of children’s return to education and the academic progress that they make.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are supported to explore new avenues of opportunity, expand their experience of the world and discover new interests and abilities. Like caring parents, staff think ahead and help children to acquire skills and knowledge that will equip them for success as adults.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The approach to considering new children moving into the home is thorough and careful. Preparation is detailed and includes the participation of those children already settled in the home. This prepares staff and helps children to settle quickly and develop feelings of inclusion and belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Skilled and thoughtful staff plan their direct work with the children and focus on the areas most critical to their safety and best progress. The children develop insight into unhelpful behaviours. They become more able to regulate their feelings and can reflect clearly on the progress that they make.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff take exceptional steps to promote positive relationships between the children and their families and to involve them in the children’s progress. This includes arranging family breaks tailored to the needs and circumstances of the family and child, maintaining close communication with families and including them in important events. This helps the children to feel settled and supported in their care arrangements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children’s feeling of security and the progress that they make enable them to look outwards and to be sensitive to the needs of others. They become involved in charitable causes and in helping other children to make progress. This helps them to become more positive about themselves and to increase their aspirations for the future.

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

Children’s feelings of security and belonging, generated by their warm and reliable care, help them to contain their impulsive, risky and self-harmful behaviours. Previous persistent patterns of these behaviours reduce substantially or disappear altogether, and the children become significantly safer. Inspection report children’s home: SC024089 5 Skilled and knowledgeable staff help children to understand their harmful behaviours and to develop strategies to reduce risk and learn from their experiences. The children reflect on their previously dangerous behaviours, and they now recognise how much safer they are and feel. One said, ‘I think that I would either be dead or in gaol if I had not come here’. Parents and placing social workers confirm the exceptional progress that the children make and sustain in becoming safer and settled.

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

Staff can quickly and accurately identify the key risks for children. They take appropriate steps to address and reduce these risks. They meaningfully engage the children in the plans and activities in order to help them to become safer. Staff are skilled in supporting the children to take risks in keeping with their abilities, and they become more confident and more able to keep themselves safe.

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

On the rare occasions when children go missing or leave the home without permission, the response of staff is immediate and is sustained until the child is located or returns to the home. Children report feeling reassured and cared for by the actions of staff, on these occasions.

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

The recruitment and selection process for staff actively involves the children. It is thorough and focused on identifying those who are most able to help the children to make progress and keep them safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager leads a cohesive staff team with confidence and close attention to detail. The expectations of what the children can achieve are high. The commitment of staff to supporting the children to make the best possible progress is strong.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The strengths of the home, as well as the areas requiring further development, are well understood by the registered manager. He demonstrates an exceptional grip on all aspects of the running of the home and the progress of the children. This understanding and expertise is however, not currently being effectively and routinely channelled into his regulation 45 reviews of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager’s practice of partnership working with other key agencies is of a high standard, and he demonstrates excellent knowledge of their roles and responsibilities. This ensures that they generally perform as expected in supporting the best outcomes for the children. When this is not the case, the escalation of concerns is well informed and effective. The culture of advocacy and of ensuring that the children get what they require is strong.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Plans and activities to support the progress of children are innovative and creative. This results in high levels of engagement and positive outcomes for the children. New methods of working are well resourced and are informed by research and practice- related literature. This creative approach to practice keeps staff fresh and the children enthused. Although staff are clear and joined up in their work with children, the written care plans do not identify how the staff work as a team in order to meet the specific Inspection report children’s home: SC024089 6 needs of individual children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

A supportive environment for staff is maintained through regular, well-attended team meetings, good communication and good-quality, regular and effective staff supervision. This includes supervision of the registered manager. These practices contribute to the high levels of sustained consistency in staff’s response to the children’s needs. Inspection report children’s home: SC024089 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 difference 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: SC024089 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:

John Pledger, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC024089 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector:

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Inspector:

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Inspector:

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