Children's Home run by Esland South Limited in Greenwich

Inspection report children’s home: SC386134 1 SC386134 Registered provider: Esland South Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is a privately owned children’s home. The home’s statement of purpose states that the home cares for up to four children with social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered by Ofsted in March 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC386134 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/10/2019 Full Good 15/07/2019 Full Inadequate 14/08/2018 Full Good 23/11/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC386134 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of the inspection, three children were living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Despite the impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, new children have received good inductions to the home. This initial support has enabled children to quickly develop trusting relationships with the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff actively encourage children to participate in a range of diverse and fun activities. This encouragement helps children to pursue their hobbies and to develop positive childhood memories.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children feel listened to and are confident to raise complaints. One social worker commented that a child’s complaint had been dealt with extremely well. However, on one occasion, staff forgot to record the outcome of a child’s complaint. This created a missed opportunity to capture the details of how children’s concerns are concluded.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote children’s physical, emotional and psychological well-being. However, staff do not always ensure that medication records include details about how medication should be administered. This shortfall has the potential to compromise the safe administration of medication.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work hard to enable children to stay in touch with people who are important to them. This includes families being encouraged to visit. This positive support has been instrumental in children re-establishing and maintaining significant relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are proud of the children’s educational achievements and support them to have future ambitions. Consequently, children are happy to attend school and are proud of their achievements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff regularly refer children to specialist support services to ensure that their complex needs are met. As a result, children get the help they need at the right time.

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

Staff understand children’s individual needs, behaviours and risks. Detailed risk assessments help the staff to be proactive in keeping children safe. Consequently, children rarely go missing from the home or require any form of physical intervention.

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

Staff are quick in managing any potential incidents of bullying. Children quickly receive help and support to learn about the impact of bullying and why it is wrong. Inspection report children’s home: SC386134 4 This includes receiving bespoke key-work sessions and group discussions to explore the impact of bullying.

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

In recent months, the home has undergone a programme of repair and redecoration. Consequently, children now live in a more homely environment. However, leaders and managers have not given sufficient thought to a practice of putting fire extinguishers behind locked doors. They are consulting the fire service on this practice as this has the potential to compromise children’s and staff’s safety.

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

Since September 2020, children have made several allegations against members of staff. Leaders and managers have made sure that the designated officer is informed and that concerns are fully investigated. However, a recent whistle-blowing allegation against a senior member of staff in the organisation has not been managed effectively. The record of the incident is poor, and leaders and managers have omitted to inform the regulator as required by regulation. This failure to follow the organisation’s whistle-blowing policy puts children and staff at risk.

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

Recruitment and vetting of staff are thorough. Comprehensive checks help to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager was recently registered with Ofsted. The home is fully staffed by permanent staff who are passionate about providing a good quality of care to the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff supervision has improved in recent months. However, staff sometimes have their supervisions cancelled at short notice to cover staff shortages in other homes in the organisation. This impacts on staff benefiting from receiving regular supervision and having the opportunity to talk about their practice and to have their learning and development reviewed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff training is good and meets the specific needs of the children living in the home. Staff team meetings take place regularly and staff feel well supported by the new manager. However, group supervision does not form part of the team meeting despite this being described in the home’s statement of purpose.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers actively challenge placing authorities and partners when necessary. As a result, children know that people who care for them will speak up for them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers regularly review and act on any known external risks to children. This includes seeking the advice and guidance from local partners and agencies. This commitment to partnership working means that the welfare of children is central to all decisions. Inspection report children’s home: SC386134 5

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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.

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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

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to ensuring that all staff including leaders and managers understand and follow their own whistle-blowing policies and procedures. 6 September 2021

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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

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious.

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Requirement Due date

A notification made under this regulation— 6 September 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC386134 6 must include details of—

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Requirement Due date

the other persons, bodies or organisations (if any) who or which have been notified; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions taken by the registered person as a result of the matter;

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Requirement Due date

must be made or confirmed in writing. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)(5)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose. (Regulation 16 (5))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that individual and group supervision take place as specified in the home’s statement of purpose and supervision policy. 6 September 2021

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that prescribed medicines are only administered to the individual for whom they are prescribed. Medicines must be administered in line with a medically approved protocol. Records must be kept of the administration of all medication, which includes occasions when prescribed medication is refused. This includes ensuring that records are signed and dated. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the children’s home complies with relevant health and safety legislations. This is particularly in relation to consulting with the fire service regarding fire extinguishers behind locked doors and ensuring that the home complies with any recommendations as advised by the fire service. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. This relates to ensuring good records are kept of all actions taken in relation to complaints. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) Inspection report children’s home: SC386134 7

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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: SC386134 8

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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

Jayshree Pillay, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC386134 9 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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