Children's home run by Esland North Limited

Inspection report for children's home: 2624054 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 privately owned children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to three children with social and/or emotional difficulties and associated complex needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in March 2021. The manager has been registered with Ofsted since June 2022.

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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 requires improvement to be 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 for children's home: 2624054 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/07/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2624054 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have positive relationships with staff. This was evident in the observations made during the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children experience planned and sensitively handled moves into the home. This careful planning has helped a new child to quickly settle in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children can pursue their interests, develop their confidence and engage in varied leisure activities. Children particularly enjoy attending local clubs, such as ‘dojo’, and going swimming. Consequently, children are having positive experiences growing up.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child moved out of the home in an unplanned way. The registered provider engaged appropriately with the placing local authority and external professionals to try and make this as positive an ending as possible. Staff have stayed in touch with the child by providing outreach support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged and supported to make decisions about their lives and to influence the way the home is run. For example, one child asked for the window restrictors in his bedroom to be removed after he had made significant progress. The manager carefully considered this request and after assessing the risk decided to action the child’s wishes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The physical, emotional and health needs of each child are identified and appropriate action is taken to secure the right health services to meet children’s individual needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children have made progress in their education. One child has just completed his GCSEs and has applied to attend college in the new term. One child who is currently finding the school day difficult is being offered the opportunity to reflect on his future educational choices.

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improvement to be good

There are plans in place to replace carpets in the home that are worn and stained, but the planned replacement has been delayed for several months. The electrical sockets in one child’s bedroom are overloaded, which has not been picked up as a potential health and safety hazard. The child has also been able to use candles in his bedroom without the knowledge of the registered manager or any risk mitigation.

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improvement to be good

Safeguarding concerns are not always reported to Ofsted in line with regulation. This hinders the regulator from having the required regulatory oversight of the service between inspections. Inspection report for children's home: 2624054 4 One allegation investigation outcome was not managed effectively. The registered provider has now taken steps to reopen the investigation. Although this shortfall has not impacted on the care of the current children living in the home, this does not demonstrate best practice.

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improvement to be good

Incidents of children going missing from the home have reduced. There are clear risk mitigation plans in place when children go missing from home and staff follow these plans. This includes searching the local area, contacting people who may know the child’s whereabouts and informing external professionals.

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improvement to be good

The registered manager is proactive in educating children about positive relationships. There are no incidents of bullying between the children and the staff are consistent in providing appropriate boundaries for the children.

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improvement to be good

Staff use consequences when children display negative behaviour. However, in applying these consequences, little consideration is given to whether these are restorative in nature and proportionate. The manager has identified this shortfall and is in the planning stage of addressing this at the next staff team meeting.

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improvement to be good

There is suitable safer recruitment practice in place, which demonstrates the adults are suitably vetted to work with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has a clear vision for the home. External feedback is positive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a small staff team in place which is sometimes supported by regular agency staff. Staff team meetings are regular and use scenarios to reflect on current practice and how this can be improved.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has established review systems to ensure that children’s care is monitored effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel supported by the registered manager. However, supervision sessions are not always regular and records do not demonstrate how staff are able to reflect on their practice. Although the registered manager receives support, she has not had her annual appraisal.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive mandatory training as part of their induction. This is monitored by the registered manager to ensure that staff can attend any updates or additional training to support their ongoing development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A complaint received from a neighbour was managed quickly and led to an improvement in relations. This included the staff and children being invited to the neighbour’s jubilee party. Inspection report for children's home: 2624054 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

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

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(vi)(vii)(d)) 30 September

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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

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

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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

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received

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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)(b) (2)(g)(ii)(h)) 30 September Inspection report for children's home: 2624054 6 This is with specific reference to managing allegation investigations.

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Requirement Due date

No measure of control or discipline which is excessive, unreasonable or contrary to paragraph (2) may be used in relation to any child. (Regulation 19 (1))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure consequences are restorative in nature and proportionate. 30 September

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)(c)) 30 September

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)(e)) 30 September

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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 for children's home: 2624054 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Esland North 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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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Kathleen McGowan

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Inspector

Sara Stoker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2624054 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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