Children's home run by Esland South Limited in Nottingham

Inspection report for children’s home: SC024089 1 SC024089 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

The home is privately owned and is registered to provide care for up to three children with social and/or emotional difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since July 2021.

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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: sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC024089 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/03/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 02/06/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/08/2019 Full Outstanding 19/02/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC024089 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are two children currently living at the home. No children have moved into the home or left since the last inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from positive relationships with staff, based on honesty and mutual respect.

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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.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a range of activities, including going on holiday, trips to the park and having fun at home on the trampoline.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are able to stay in touch with their families, friends and other people who play a significant role in their lives. Each child’s views and wishes regarding the nature and extent of contact are respected and plans are put in place to make this safe and meaningful. This bespoke support has resulted in one child no longer going missing from the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress. For example, one child has learned how to express his needs to staff. This child’s social worker commented that this was the best placement they could ever get.

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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 medical, dental and other health services. Staff have provided a tailored support plan for one child to attend the dentist. This has reduced the child’s distress and enabled them to receive dental treatment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make progress in their education. Staff work closely with children’s teachers to ensure that each child’s individual needs are taken into account.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager helps children to understand the risks of social media and how to stay safe online.

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

Children are given individual support in line with their needs and wishes. This support enables children to feel empowered to raise concerns around staff practice and to be confident that their opinions matter.

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

When children go missing from the home, staff follow clear plans. When one child went missing for an extended period, staff worked tirelessly to gather as much information as possible and then to share this promptly with all the safeguarding agencies. This close partnership working resulted in the child’s safe return. Inspection report for children’s home: SC024089 4 Staff are able to identify when children are struggling and to put in place the right level of support.

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

The use of physical restraint is rare. However, when it is used, children are sometimes also given a consequence that is not always appropriate or proportionate to the child’s presenting behaviour. The registered provider has recognised this is an area for development.

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

The registered manager ensures that staff are safely recruited. However, the same level of oversight has not been applied to agency members of staff. This shortfall was addressed by the provider during the inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager takes a child-centred approach. She has aspirations for the children and is a strong advocate for them. Because of this, children are making good progress from their starting points.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is aware of the impact staff shortages can have on the children, especially given the staff team is small. The manager has a plan in place to address this shortfall. Meanwhile, the use of agency staff is carefully managed to ensure that staffing levels continue to reflect children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision and feel well supported. However, some members of staff have not received an annual appraisal. The responsible individual is supporting the registered manager to address this shortfall.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professionals are positive about the impact staff are having on children’s progress. One social worker commented on how good the matching of the children had been and how this had enabled their child to settle into the home well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The provider supports all staff to gain the level 3 diploma in residential childcare. Although staff receive a range of training to inform their practice, there are some gaps in staff’s mandatory training. Inspection report for children’s home: SC024089 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 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.

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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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that all staff receive all their mandatory training. 30 November

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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

This relates to the use of consequences. 30 September

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Recommendation

 All staff must have their performance and fitness to carry out their role formally appraised at least once annually. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5)

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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: SC024089 6

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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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Inspectors

Sara Stoker, Social Care Inspector Dorothy Thompstone, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC024089 7 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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