Children's home run by Esland North Limited in Amber Valley

Inspection report children‟s home: 1214270 1 Registered provider: Esland North Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for one young person who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is privately run and managed.

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Information about this children’s home

The previous registered manager resigned in August 2019.

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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 good

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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: 24 January 2019

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children‟s home: 1214270 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/01/2019 Full Good 15/11/2017 Full Good 12/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 27/04/2016 Full Good Inspection report children‟s home: 1214270 3

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Recommendations

 Damaged items should be replaced or fixed quickly. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.19) This is with specific reference to repairing the damage to the wall in the bedroom.  The Statement of Purpose is of particular importance to this standard (regulation 6(2)(a) and (b)(i)). Homes are required to develop and keep under review a “Statement of Purpose” (regulation 16 and schedule 1). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.5) This is with reference to ensuring that only accurate information is included in the statement of purpose. Inspection report children‟s home: 1214270 4

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for one young person. This young person receives outstanding care and support from a highly committed staff team. The young person was able to tell the inspector that he rated the level of care that he receives from staff as 10 out of 10. Staff said that they were amazed that the young person talked to the inspector, as he is very anxious about meeting new people. This demonstrates how much progress this young person is making in developing his social and emotional skills. The inspector observed highly positive relationships between staff and the young person. There was evidence of fun and light-hearted conversation between them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home is situated in a rural setting, with stunning views across the hills. The young person said that he liked living at the home as it helped him to feel calm. The home environment is nurturing and very child-centred in its choice of decoration. Staff have ensured that the young person has a range of sensory objects casually placed around the living areas. The subtle placement of these items ensures that the young person can feel relaxed and calm, soothing any worries or anxieties that he may have. This nurturing environment provides a safe sanctuary for the young person. There is evidence of damage to a bedroom wall, and this needs repair to restore the homely feel of the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The young person has access to a wide range of activities in the community. Until recently, he attended the local youth club. He enjoys the local skate park and cinema, takes local country walks and goes to Laser Quest. All these activities are helping this young person to develop his social and emotional skills and to grow in self-confidence. Staff continue to support and encourage the young person to engage in a wide range of activities with his peers. They are wholly sensitive to the young person’s needs and ensure that activity participation is introduced sensitively and at a manageable pace that is suitable for the young person.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Since moving to the home, there has been a significant increase in this young person’s education. The structure and boundaries of school help with his daily routine. His attendance is 100 per cent. This is a huge, significant and positive turnaround for this young person. He now enjoys attending school and is maintaining his education. The young person is making gradual and steady progress with his learning. He is learning in a small, nurturing classroom environment, and this has helped to develop his social skills with his peers. The young person has detailed educational planning meetings to coordinate his education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The young person has access to health services within the local area. He is registered with the local doctor and dentist. His emotional and psychological needs are well supported by weekly therapeutic play-therapy sessions. Records indicate that there have been noticeable improvements in his behaviour since attending these sessions. Inspection report children‟s home: 1214270 5 Maintaining contact with his family is very important to this young person. The young person has really enjoyed having a family contact in the home facilitated by staff. This arrangement ensured that the young person and his mother were able to spend quality time together in a relaxed and calm environment. The young person’s mother said: ‘I have seen a change in [name]; he is much calmer. He recognises his boundaries. It is not like he is in care; the home is lovely, and I have really enjoyed contact with him at the home.’

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

Staff complete excellent quality key-work sessions with young people. There are detailed records which indicate the inclusion of reflective discussions. Staff think creatively and use a range of resources. One example is a board game that helps the young person to identify with his feelings and that emotions have many different faces. Through the discussions, staff are helping the young person to understand both his behaviour and how to manage his feelings. A wide range of subject areas are covered in the young person’s meetings book. Staff say that this is the best time to engage the young person about some serious subjects. The inspector was able to see that a range of topics is covered, such as substance misuse, respecting personal space and county lines. Thus, the young person is helped to understand the world in which he lives.

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

Risk assessments are detailed and comprehensive in their information and are followed well in practice. There have been no reported safeguarding concerns or episodes of risk- taking behaviour. Risk assessments are individualised and cover the major areas associated with previous risk-taking behaviour. One example is a risk assessment about county lines, based on the local area risk assessment. Although the young person is not currently active in the community unaccompanied, staff are preparing him towards independence as he matures. Consequently, staff are preparing, and pre-planning, in case an incident occurs. The safety considerations show that the young person is appropriately safeguarded.

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

Behaviour management plans are updated monthly, or more frequently if an incident has occurred. The document shows the control measures before, during and after the incident. A communication passport, ‘When I say, what I mean, what I need’, helps staff to understand the young person’s behaviour in closer detail. This is especially important for this young person, whose emotions and behaviours can escalate quickly.

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

Staff meticulously help and support the young person in his care planning meetings. The young person had requested that he wanted more contact with his grandparents. Staff ensured that he had the opportunity to express his wishes and feelings, and this request has now been granted. Alongside this, staff have supported the young person to maintain letterbox contact with one of his brothers and sisters. Staff worked slowly and sensitively with the young person to support him to put a letter together for his little brother.

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

To support this young person further, staff have ensured that he has access to an advocate. She said: ‘I am incredibly impressed with the home. They continue to meet Inspection report children‟s home: 1214270 6 [name’s] psychological, physical and developmental needs. I am so impressed with how they work with him.’

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

Positive sanctions and rewards are used. The young person was rewarded with extra Wi- Fi time for managing an incident well. Staff use restorative measures and involve the young person in thinking about his behaviour when there have been challenges. Physical intervention is only ever used as a last resort and the episodes of restraint have been fair and proportionate.

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

The company has its own internal tracking system for online safety. This means that there are robust mechanisms in place to monitor and track what the young person is accessing online. Further detailed work has been completed with the young person in one-to-one sessions to ensure his online safety.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The previous registered manager resigned in August 2019 to take on additional duties within the company. She was instrumental in providing high-quality leadership and management to the home, and continues to have positive rapport with the young person. The acting manager has applied to Ofsted to become the registered manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Information recorded in the home’s statement of purpose indicates that the acting manager is registered for this home, which is inaccurate and misleading to the reader.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The acting manager is skilled, experienced and familiar with the company ethos, as he has been with the company for a few years. The handover between the managers has been coordinated in a planned and measured way that is sensitive to the young person’s difficulties in coping with change.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home benefits from a small staff team of skilled professionals. This helps to provide consistent care for the young person. The young person has developed trusting and beneficial relationships with a nurturing staff team. Staff understand the young person well and are patient and resilient when managing his emotional needs. Staff recognise that he does not manage change well. Staff are mindful that any change is handled sensitively and at a pace that is suitable for the young person. For example, as part of the current placement planning, staff strive to keep the voice of the young person central to any decision-making.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have excellent working relationships with key professionals. They work alongside therapists, school, social workers and health professionals. One professional said: ‘I am so impressed with how they [staff] work with [name], and they are a joy to work with. The staff team is excellent. I am fully satisfied that the staff meet his needs and his needs are met.’ At present, therapeutic support is provided by an independent therapy service. Staff would like to see a more integrated approach that helps to inform their day-to-day practice. That said, staff have organised separate consultation sessions with a psychologist do so. Inspection report children‟s home: 1214270 7 Staff continue to develop as a team and have regular training that is bespoke to the needs of the home. A comprehensive training matrix covers a wide range of mandatory training. Staff have the opportunity for continued professional development on an

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

internal management pathway. To comply with the requirements from the last inspection, staff have had medication refresher training and redesigned the recording system for prescribed medication. This system is now clear and compliant with regulations.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff demonstrate a good working knowledge of the controlled intervention model to manage physical restraint. Controlled intervention is used only as an absolute last resort. The acting manager ensures that records are clearly noted in both the log book and the young person’s file. This is to ensure that the correct protocol and procedures have been followed. Management oversight has helped in this area, as any required learning has been included in staff’s supervision sessions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

An independent person completes independent monitoring of the home. This monitoring celebrates the good practice and has not highlighted any concerns at the home. The manager has utilised this system effectively to assist and improve the practice in the home and to address any areas for further development. Inspection report children‟s home: 1214270 8

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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: 1214270 9

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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 Limited, Suite 1, Riverside Business Centre, Foundry Lane, Milford, Belper, Derbyshire DE56 0RN

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Inspector

Kamal Bhamra, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: 1214270 10 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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