Children's Home run by Esland North Limited in Wiltshire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2519260 1

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Esland North Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is privately owned and provides care and accommodation for three children who are experiencing emotional and behavioural difficulties and/or have learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager resigned on 9 December 2020. A new manager has been appointed and is in the process of registering with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

On 8 December 2020, an on-site visit was undertaken to address specific concerns received by Ofsted. The concerns related to the leadership and management of the home, the safeguarding of three children, suitability and sufficiency of staff, and behaviours of children and damage to the home.

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This monitoring visit

The provider had recognised the seriousness of the situation and begun to take steps to identify an alternative home for one child who had recently moved in. This child moved out on the day of the visit and Ofsted issued a restriction notice.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was to review the progress made and to monitor the restriction notice.

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This monitoring visit

Following this monitoring visit, there have been several staff changes, including the registered manager, the deputy manager and some care staff. A new manager has been appointed, senior members of staff have been identified and the recruitment of care staff continues.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have worked with their staff team to review the widespread failings that led to the restriction notice. Immediate repairs were undertaken to the home and new items have been purchased. The home now presents as homely, comfortable and clean, and the locks on internal doors have been removed. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2519260 2 Reporting and recording systems have been reviewed and they are being shared with the staff. These new systems are being tested for effectiveness.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders and managers have completed a review of all practice and procedures and produced a comprehensive action plan. Regular team meetings and supervision sessions have provided the staff with opportunities to reflect and learn. As a result, additional training opportunities are available to all the staff.

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This monitoring visit

The action plan has been submitted to Ofsted and action to meet this plan has commenced. Leaders and managers have worked hard to address the shortfalls. Because of this work, some requirements made at the previous monitoring visit have been met. Ofsted will continue to monitor the progress towards meeting the remaining requirements set out below and the notice of restriction.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 29/10/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2519260 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

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children personal items that are appropriate for their age and understanding; and

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home.

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Requirement Due date

The conditions are— 8 January 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2519260 4 that the care is approved, and kept under review throughout its duration, by the placing authority;

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Requirement Due date

that the care is delivered by a person who—

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Requirement Due date

has the experience, knowledge and skills to deliver that care. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(v)(vii)(viii)(c)(i)(ii) (3(a)(b)(c)(i))

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful; 8 January 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2519260 5 help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children;

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Requirement Due date

understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable; and

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)(xi)(xii)(xiii)(b))

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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.

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Requirement Due date

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

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; 8 January 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2519260 6 manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(b))

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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 fulfil their 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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; 8 January 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2519260 7 demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(i)(h))

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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

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Inspector

Linda Bond, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2519260 8 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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Inspector

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