Children's Home run by Esland South Limited in Bexley

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC387684 1 SC387684

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Esland South Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run home provides care and accommodation for up to six young people. The home’s statement of purpose states that care is provided for young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home offers planned, emergency and respite placements.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a company which provides residential provision throughout England.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2020.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted conducted this visit on site after being informed of the suspension of the registered manager and a safeguarding concern. This visit focused on provisional management arrangements and the safeguarding of young people.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was conducted on site and involved meetings with staff and young people in the home. In addition, two allocated social workers provided feedback.

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This monitoring visit

There were five young people living at the home at the time of this visit.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager was suspended from duty on 29 January 2021. This followed several concerns raised by care professionals. These concerns are currently under investigation by the owners of the home and the host local authority. It was not possible to meet with the registered manager during this visit.

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This monitoring visit

A senior manager is committed to overseeing the home during the intervening period. She will work alongside the new deputy manager of the home, who Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC387684 2 commenced employment in June 2020. She will work in the home at a minimum frequency of four days per week.

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This monitoring visit

Managers are aware of the key areas that require improvement in the home. These include the consistency of behavioural management and the updating of risk assessments prior to key decision-making in the home. These assessments relate specifically to the use of door sensors and staff who work overnight in the home.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have responded to the safeguarding incident by providing waking night staff in the home and reviewing all risk assessments. The placing social workers of the young people concerned confirmed that safety plans are comprehensive and kept under regular review.

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This monitoring visit

The management monitoring reports do not fully evidence young people’s feedback or evaluate episodes of young people going missing from care effectively.

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This monitoring visit

Staff turnover is high. Nine staff out of a permanent team of 15 staff members have left the home since April 2020. This was also identified as a concern at the last inspection and the relevant requirement is repeated for this visit. Care professionals such as a therapist, and a young person, commented on the disruption and inconsistency resulting from this level of staff turnover.

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This monitoring visit

Despite the upheaval, staff are aware of the improvement plan and report that morale in the home is strong. One staff member commented, ‘I love my job here.’

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This monitoring visit

Feedback from social workers is positive. One social worker commented, ‘I appreciate the communication from the placement regarding the needs and concerns around young people placed with them.’

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This monitoring visit

This visit found that young people are safeguarded effectively.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 30/04/2019 Full Good 26/11/2018 Full Good 13/12/2017 Full Good 01/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC387684 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 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 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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should address the high levels of staff turnover and consequent lack of consistency for young people. 1 April 2021

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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

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)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that risk assessments are kept up to date and regularly reviewed. 1 April 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC387684 4

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Recommendations

 The registered person should oversee the welfare of the young peoplein their care through observation and engagement with each young person In particular, feedback from young people should be evidenced in the management monitoring report. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.23)

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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 South Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Barnaby Dowell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC387684 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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Inspector

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