Children's Home run by Esland North Limited in Lincolnshire

Inspection report children's home: 2635062 1 Registered provider: Esland North Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned children’s home that provides care and accommodation for up to three children. The home cares for children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

This is the home’s first inspection following its registration in May 2021. The registered manager has been in post since the home was registered and is suitably qualified.

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Information about this children’s home

This inspection was brought forward in order to address specific concerns or allegations received by Ofsted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded. The care and experiences of children and young people are poor.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: Not previously inspected

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: Not applicable

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: Not applicable Inspection report children's home: 2635062 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not previously inspected Inspection report children's home: 2635062 3

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inadequate

Children do not feel valued or listened to. They have raised concerns about the conduct of managers. Children consider that the conduct of managers has been aggressive and hostile. However, leaders have not addressed these concerns effectively. When children have raised other less significant concerns, these have been investigated. However, managers have not reviewed the outcomes with children to ensure that they are satisfied.

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inadequate

Staff and managers do not have the skills to meet the needs of children. The management style is authoritative and controlling. Interactions with children have not taken account of the emotional impact of self-injurious behaviours and early childhood trauma on children. As a result, children have experienced insensitive and inappropriate care.

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inadequate

The home has had a high level of staff turnover, with six of the seven staff members currently in probation. The high turnover of staff means that children have not been able to build supportive, trusting relationships with staff members. Because so many staff have left the home, children are hesitant to build relationships with new staff.

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inadequate

Managers have not worked effectively with partners to make sure that children’s educational needs are met. Not all children have a clear plan for their education. One child has remained out of education after completing her GCSE exams, without a plan in place to return to any form of education.

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

Children do not trust the managers of the home to respond appropriately to their concerns. Children are fearful of the potential response from managers if they complain about the home. Children have not had access to advocates and have not been given the confidence to access support from independent adults. This significantly weakens the effectiveness of the home’s safeguarding processes.

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

Staff have not been able to provide reassurance to children because they are equally mistrustful of managers. Staff also fear repercussions from managers if they raise concerns about the care provided to children. Staff did not feel confident to follow whistle-blowing procedures when they were concerned about the conduct of managers and concerned about the children. Children have been at risk of harm because whistle-blowing procedures were ineffective.

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

Risk assessments do not provide staff with clear guidance to follow in the event of a serious incidents. Care practice is not reviewed effectively after serious incidents. When risk management plans are amended, this information is not always shared with staff. For example, some staff were not made aware of the fact that they Inspection report children's home: 2635062 4 needed to increase the frequency of checks on a child, following one incident. This left the child at risk of harm.

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

Behaviour management strategies are inappropriate to the needs of children living at the home. The manager and deputy have interacted with children in a way that has made them feel intimidated and belittled. Staff report that house rules are changed without explanation and that new rules are imposed arbitrarily on children. Children say that this has resulted in them feeling anxious and unsettled.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers have imposed unnecessarily restrictive routines on children. They have not taken sufficient account of children’s needs and previous experiences. For example, the routines of the home, particularly at night-time, have been enforced in a way that has prevented children from comforting each other when they are in distress. This has left children feeling isolated and increased their level of distress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers have failed to treat children with dignity, respect and nurture. Some actions of managers appear deliberately provocative. For example, a child was brought a black bed when they specifically requested a white bed. This had a considerable impact on the child who associated a black bed with previous negative experiences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Management monitoring systems are poor. The manager has not identified shortfalls in practice and has not thoroughly evaluated incident records and risk management strategies. For example, managers have approved risk management plans when they have not included all the required information. In addition, children’s records make reference to the wrong child and information had been copied and pasted from other children’s assessments.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Managers have not been able to recruit and develop a staff team with the experience or needed to care for children’s complex mental and emotional health needs. Staff have not completed behaviour management training or training in the home’s therapeutic approach. This limits their ability to provide safe, nurturing care to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

In response to the inspector’s findings during this inspection, the home’s senior managers and directors acted decisively to address the identified concerns. Actions have been taken to promote the safety and well-being of children. A new management team has immediately started work at the home. The new managers have a proven track record of delivering good-quality care. Inspection report children's home: 2635062 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 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

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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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

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. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that children receive personalised care that meets their needs as set out in plans. 28 November Inspection report children's home: 2635062 6 The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child;

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Requirement Due date

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s privacy will be respected and the circumstances when it may have to be limited;

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Requirement Due date

is enabled to provide feedback to, and raise issues with, a relevant person about the support and services that the child receives;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the views of each relevant person are taken into account, so far as reasonably practicable, before making a decision about the care or welfare of a child. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(b)(i)(iii)(d)(iii)(e)) 28 November Inspection report children's home: 2635062 7 This specifically relates to ensuring the wishes, views and feelings of children are listened to and acted upon.

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

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Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring appropriate action is taken to identify educational arrangements for children. 28 November

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Requirement Due date

The enjoyment and achievement standard is that children take part in and benefit from a variety of activities that meet their needs and develop and reflect their creative, cultural, intellectual, physical and social interests and skills.

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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

develop the child’s interests and hobbies; 28 November Inspection report children's home: 2635062 8 participate in activities that the child enjoys and which meet and expand the child’s interests and preferences; and

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Requirement Due date

make a positive contribution to the home and the wider community; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to a range of activities that enable the child to pursue the child’s interests and hobbies. (Regulation 9 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically related to ensuring children’s health and emotional needs are understood and addressed. 28 November

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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 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; 28 November Inspection report children's home: 2635062 9 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

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring managers have an understanding of children’s emotional needs and the impact of trauma on their day-to-day lives.

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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

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; and

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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)(v)(vi)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This is specifically in relation to ensuring leaders take action to protect children’s welfare. It also relates to ensuring children’s risk assessments reflect their needs and identified risk, providing guidance on how staff should respond to risks. 28 November

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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— 28 November Inspection report children's home: 2635062 10 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

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;

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Requirement Due date

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

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; 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)(f)(g)(i)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to managers embedding monitoring systems in the home to improve the quality of care. It also relates to the manager ensuring staff have received all required training.

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report children's home: 2635062 11

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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: 2635062 12

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Esland North Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Zoey Lee, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 2635062 13 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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