Children's Home run by Esland South Limited in Hertfordshire

Assurance visit report: SC425418 1 SC425418

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for a maximum of four children aged betwee10 and 17 who have emotional and behavioural difficulties, including, but not exclusively, mild to moderate learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered since August 2020.

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Information about this children’s home

Visit dates: 30 September to 1 October 2020

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Information about this visit

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), Ofsted suspended all routine inspections in March 2020. As part of a phased return to routine inspection, we are undertaking assurance visits to children’s social care services that are inspected under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF).

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Information about this visit

At these visits, inspectors evaluate the extent to which:

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Information about this visit

 children are well cared for  children are safe  leaders and managers are exercising strong leadership.

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Information about this visit

This visit was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000, following the published guidance for assurance visits.

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Information about this visit

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills is leading Ofsted’s work into how England’s social care system has delivered child-centred practice and care within the context of the restrictions placed on society during the COVID-19 pandemic. Assurance visit report: SC425418 2

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Findings from the visit

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit.

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The care of children

The children have built strong and trusting relationships with the staff. Children spoke about the staff with respect and warmth. They said that the staff are extremely helpful. The children feel that their views are listened to and acted on.

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The care of children

The staff have supported the children to understand the pandemic and the associated restrictions. This helps the children to feel safe and secure.

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The care of children

The staff have supported one child to attend education. They worked with the education provider to ensure that education was maintained during lockdown. A second child, who has recently moved into the home, is due to start education imminently.

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The care of children

The staff have a good understanding of the children’s physical health and well- being. They have supported children to continue to attend health appointments during lockdown.

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The care of children

The staff have compiled a family contact plan for one child to ensure regular telephone calls. Once restrictions were lifted, the child was able to see his family in the garden and has since resumed overnight stays. These arrangements maintain children’s family relationships.

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The care of children

The staff have managed potential symptoms of COVID-19 well. They ensured the required isolation period was adhered to by one child. The child was able to isolate in his room at a safe distance but did not feel lonely because of the way in which the staff managed the situation.

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The safety of children

The staff continue to safeguard the children. They provide comprehensive individualised risk assessments for each child. The staff update these assessments after an incident and review them regularly. The staff use behaviour management plans to identify potential difficulties and support the children to manage their feelings. This reduces unwanted behaviours.

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The safety of children

The children said that they know how to make a formal complaint but prefer to speak to the staff, who listen and help them with any worries or concerns.

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The safety of children

Staff are up to date with the organisation’s mandatory training and face-to-face training has commenced. Assurance visit report: SC425418 3 The staff know how to report concerns. Despite this, several safeguarding notifications have not been sent to Ofsted promptly. This prevents Ofsted having oversight of recent events at the home.

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The safety of children

Behavioural sanctions are fair and proportionate and are used as a last resort. However, following the use of sanctions, the children do not always have opportunities to discuss the incident that led to the sanctions. The manager has not recorded his review of the use of each sanction. Therefore, it is not clear that the records are properly monitored by the manager and that children’s views have been considered.

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Leaders and managers

The manager and the staff clearly put the children at the forefront of their practice. Children have maintained positive relationships with the staff because the staff team has remained consistent and stable throughout lockdown.

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Leaders and managers

The manager works effectively with external professionals. This partnership working has supported the children to maintain health and well-being appointments and continue with their education.

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Leaders and managers

The staff said that they feel supported by the manager and that staff morale has improved. However, there are gaps in the staff supervisions and the manager has received only one formal supervision since joining the organisation. This does not ensure that all of the staff are fully supported in their roles.

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Leaders and managers

The manager has monitoring procedures in place. He reviews trends and patterns in the staff’s practice and children’s behaviours. However, the managerial review of care failed to evaluate the quality of care for children. This limits the capacity to improve practice.

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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

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development; and

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. 30/10/2020 Assurance visit report: SC425418 4 (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— 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

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Requirement Due date

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)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 22/10/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 22/10/2020

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Recommendations

 The registered person should actively seek independent scrutiny of the home and make best use of information from independent and internal monitoring (including under regulations 44 and 45) to ensure continuous improvement. They should be skilled in anticipating difficulties and reviewing incidents, such as learning from disruptions and placement breakdowns. They are responsible for proactively implementing lessons learned and sustaining good practice. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24) Assurance visit report: SC425418 5

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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

Trish Palmer, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC425418 6 to 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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