Children's Home run by Esland North Limited in Warrington

Inspection report for children’s home: 2621334 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 children’s home provides care for up to three children with emotional and social difficulties. It is owned by a private company.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager resigned on 17 September 2021. Since the last inspection, a new manager has taken over the running of the home. The new interim manager has not yet made an application to Ofsted for registration.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: 2621334 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/01/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2621334 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive good-quality care that meets their assessed needs and circumstances. The manager and staff know children very well. It is a home where children feel comfortable enough to be themselves and where they are shown understanding and tolerance.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The arrangements for children’s care are informed by the understanding of the impact of early life trauma and children’s complex needs. Staff provide children with emotional warmth and clear routines, boundaries and expectations. This approach enables children to feel settled and make progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff make every effort to engage with children positively and gain their trust. They respond appropriately to children’s wishes and feelings. They make sure that children can reflect on their experiences and take part in the decisions affecting their lives. Children’s concerns and worries are taken seriously and resolved.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff make sure that the needs of children living far from their home are met. These children have access to local health services, facilities and schools.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children spend time with significant people in their lives. This is a positive and safe experience for children. Staff work effectively with children, families and social workers to repair and sustain important relationships .

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of education and learning. They have encouraged and supported children to return to school. The manager and staff understand the impact that trauma or emotional difficulties may have on children’s ability to take part in full-time education. They work effectively with schools and the virtual school headteacher to provide children with the right support to help them achieve their learning objectives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a homely environment. The house is well maintained and free from avoidable hazards. The recent decoration of the house has improved the quality of the accommodation.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand and monitor children’s individual health and emotional well-being. Children receive safe and effective advice, support and treatment that meets their health needs. The arrangements for managing children’s medication are safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

However, some children choose not to attend important health appointments, including going to the dentist. Staff struggle to help children to see the benefits of these appointments and to help children to feel comfortable to talk to health professionals about their health and emotional well-being needs. Inspection report for children’s home: 2621334 4

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

Children live in a safe and supportive home and are protected from harm. Children see managers and staff as trusted adults and tell them when they are worried or upset.

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

Staff are suitably trained and understand their responsibilities for safeguarding children. They understand each child’s vulnerabilities and identified risks. Staff always take appropriate action when they have concerns about children’s welfare.

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

Staff actively and continually assess the dangers for each child and follow up-to-date plans effectively to reduce the risk of harm. This includes risks from using technology and social media, misusing alcohol and self-injurious behaviour.

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

Staff help children to be aware of risk and learn how to protect themselves from harm. They take reasonable precautions to allow children to manage risks as part of their development. For example, staff routinely have conversations with children about using social media safely and how to ask for help when they need it.

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

Staff listen to children’s views about the best ways to help them when they feel upset or anxious. The manager and staff change their approach to helping children manage their feelings based on what children tell them. Children benefit from an engaging style of parenting, with clear and appropriate routines and expectations. This has resulted in children becoming more able to manage their emotions safely, with staff support.

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

Staff understand that children may communicate their feelings through their behaviour. They know that children need time to make sense of information. Therefore, staff use clear and effective communication that helps children to deal with any problems constructively.

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

Staff have the skills and confidence to manage difficult situations safely. They use restraint appropriately and only to protect children and those around them. The number of difficult situations and the need to use restraint has reduced significantly.

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

Strong management oversight of serious events involving children ensures that the strategies for protecting children are being used effectively. The manager makes sure that learning from these events informs and improves the support children receive.

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good

The leadership and management of the home are not yet consistently good. There is no registered manager. The current manager has overseen the home since August 2022 but has not applied to Ofsted for registration. The manager has not completed Inspection report for children’s home: 2621334 5 the required management qualification. Furthermore, there are shortfalls in the supervision and training of staff.

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good

Staff, including new staff, are not receiving regular practice-related supervision in line with the expectations set out in the home’s workforce plan. Consequently, staff do not always have opportunities to discuss their work with children, their learning from training and the quality of their work with their line manager. Some of the supervisors have not been trained to carry out supervision with staff. The records of supervision meetings are not always detailed enough to assist staff to reflect and develop their practice.

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good

Some staff have not completed all the training relevant to the assessed needs of the children in their care. For example, some staff have not received training in understanding children’s identity, and cognitive and emotional development.

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good

Nevertheless, the manager provides clear and effective leadership. They have high expectations for the standard of care that children receive. They aspire for children to be safe, happy, have their views taken seriously and reach their potential. This ethos and culture are evident in the quality of care that children receive and the running of the home.

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good

The arrangements for children’s care are carefully planned. Children only come to live at the home once managers are satisfied that staff can respond effectively to the children’s needs, and children are compatible and able to live together.

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good

The manager and staff have a clear understanding of children’s plans and the progress they are making. Regular meetings with the clinical team enable the manager and staff to understand what is working well for each child, identify shortfalls and make improvements.

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good

Productive staff meetings provide the manager and staff with opportunities to consider children’s needs and their progress. They reflect on their care of the children and identify and implement strategies that help children. Therefore, staff understand how to support each child in a consistent and coordinated way.

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good

Managers and staff maintain positive working relationships with parents, social workers, schools and clinical practitioners. They make sure that these partners play their role and provide children with the high-quality support that they require.

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good

Children are cared for by enough staff to safeguard and promote their needs. The manager always makes sure that children receive continuity of care from staff who they know and who know how to care for them safely. This is helping children to build trusting relationships with staff and develop a sense of stability and emotional security.

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good

The manager and responsible individual have a realistic understanding of the home’s strengths and the areas for improvement. This includes the consolidation of the staff team and the development of staff’s understanding of their roles and their expertise Inspection report for children’s home: 2621334 6 in supporting the children in their care. However, the home’s development plan does not have specific and targeted actions or show how the improvements will be achieved. Inspection report for children’s home: 2621334 7

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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 health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met; children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

understand the child’s health and well-being needs and the options that are available in relation to the child’s health and well-being, in a way that is appropriate to the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

take part in activities, and attend any appointments, for the purpose of meeting the child’s health and well-being needs; and understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well-being;

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(c)) 31 December

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development. (Regulation 33 (4)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to staff receiving training that enables them to have the knowledge, skills and confidence to meet the specific needs of each child in their care. In addition, that 31 December Inspection report for children’s home: 2621334 8 managers and senior staff are trained in carrying out supervision of staff.

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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. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to making sure that staff supervision takes place regularly and that new or inexperienced staff receive supervision more often, in line with the home’s workforce plan. In addition, that supervision provides staff with opportunities for reflective practice to develop their confidence, skills and knowledge and to identify any areas for improving the quality of care that children receive.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 31 December

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the actions in the home’s development plan are specific and targeted and show how those actions will be addressed. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 65, paragraph 15.4)

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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: 2621334 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Esland North Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Nick Veysey, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2621334 10 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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