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

Assurance visit report: SC489516 1 SC489516

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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home is owned by a private company. The home provides care and accommodation for a maximum of two children aged between 10 and 17 years. It specialises in caring for children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and/or moderate learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The acting manager was appointed on 19 October 2020 and is not yet registered with Ofsted. The home has not had a registered manager since September 2019.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: Requires improvement to be good

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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. 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: SC489516 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

At the time of the visit, two children were living at the home. One child had recently moved into the home. One child moved during the national lockdown period to another of the organisation’s homes. This was to reduce the risks of the child becoming involved in criminal activity due to unsafe associations that they had made in the area.

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The care of children

The environment has improved since the last inspection. Children enjoy personalised bedrooms in a comfortable, clean, well-furnished home.

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The care of children

Staff enjoy spending time with the children. They take part in a range of activities with the children at home and in the community. This has contributed to the positive relationships that the staff have built with children.

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The care of children

Staff supported children with bespoke packages of learning during the lockdown period with the help of virtual tutors. Children’s participation in learning was variable. However, one child enjoyed completing projects of their choice about current social issues. In addition, this child chose to use this time to raise money for charities by baking and selling cakes.

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The care of children

Staff act on the children’s views. Children are involved in planning their daily routines, meals and activities. The manager deals with children’s complaints quickly and formally. Staff helped one child to access an advocate to help them to express their views about their care plan.

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The safety of children

Staff take appropriate action to keep children safe when they go missing from the home or are placing themselves at risk of harm. The staff involve relevant professionals in a timely way. Staff help children to understand how to recognise risks and keep themselves safe. They do this through targeted and unplanned key- work sessions with the children.

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The safety of children

Staff do not routinely use physical restraint to manage children’s behaviour. When restraint is used, it is proportionate to keep everyone safe. Professionals have found staff to be patient and vigilant. Staff take part in debriefs following incidents. These discussions offer a reflective space for staff to review their practice and build their collective knowledge of managing children’s behaviour.

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The safety of children

The location risk assessment is comprehensive and clear. The manager has a good understanding of the risks in their local community. The manager uses this Assurance visit report: SC489516 3 knowledge when considering new referrals to ensure that children are not exposed to increased risk in the area.

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The safety of children

Individual risk assessments are not always accurate. This means that staff are not following the most up-to-date written guidance in place to keep children safe.

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The safety of children

The impact risk assessment for the recent admission does not accurately represent all the behaviours that the child has displayed in recent months. Such omissions could lead to poor matching decisions and increased risk to the children and staff team.

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Leaders and managers

The previous manager has moved roles within the organisation and ceased managing the home at the beginning of October. She continues to provide support at the home and has maintained relationships with the children. The deputy manager has recently stepped up to the role of acting manager.

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Leaders and managers

Staff morale is high. The staff say that they feel supported by the manager and each other. They say that the recent change of manager has not unsettled the home. This is because the acting manager is someone who knows the home well.

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Leaders and managers

The manager has been proactive in building relationships with the local parish council to help integrate the home into the community, challenge stigma and to address issues of safety in the location.

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Leaders and managers

The manager has made good progress in addressing previous shortfalls. The independent visitor provides effective external scrutiny that supports continual improvement. However, actions identified during the monthly visits are not always addressed by the manager in a timely way. There was also delay in the completion and submission of the manager’s six-monthly report. This means that the manager is not consistently using the quality assurance mechanisms available to continually improve the service.

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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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. 30/11/2020 Assurance visit report: SC489516 4 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child.

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to their full potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(h)) 30/12/2020

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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, Suites 1 and 5 Riverside Business Centre, Foundry Lane, Milford, Belper, Derbyshire DE56 0RN

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Inspector

Paula Edwards, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC489516 5 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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Inspector

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