Children's Home run by Esland North Limited in Nottinghamshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 1229229 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

The home provides care for up to two children who may experience social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by an experienced registered manager.

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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

Date of last inspection: 29 September 2021

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 1229229 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/09/2021 Full Good 10/09/2019 Full Good 16/10/2018 Full Outstanding 11/10/2016 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: 1229229 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is well decorated, and the back garden has been tailored to accommodate the children’s interests and toys. Children like having their photos taken with staff and these are on display throughout the hallway.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is good planning and preparation for when children join and leave the home. The manager can readily demonstrate how she stays in regular contact with children who are now living independently or with family. Children lead this level of communication, and the manager is guided by their needs. There was a good example of the manager supporting one young person through a court case, even though the child left the home some time ago. This demonstrates a strong commitment to children and their future well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are supported by the manager to understand children’s histories and family dynamics. Staff have a good understanding of children’s strengths and are reflective about ways in which children struggle. Care is adapted to meet each child’s needs. However, for one child, more needs to be done to support them to take proportionate risks in the community. This is necessary to build their confidence and independence skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported by staff to attend full-time education and are making progress. There was a good example of the manager advocating on behalf of a child and raising an informal complaint with the school. Throughout this matter being investigated, the manager maintained good links with the school.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Overall, children’s health needs are understood. However, where there are gaps in children’s health histories, the manager has not requested clarification from health professionals to address this. For example, for one child, who has an allergy, there is no record from a health professional which specifically details how the child has responded to this allergen in the past. This information is necessary to keep children safe and to ensure that children’s records are up to date.

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

Staff recognise the importance of adapting a child’s environment to help them feel safe and make progress. There was a positive example of staff helping one child to feel comfortable sleeping in a bed. This took time. Initially, the child slept in a tent on the floor, and then the tent was later moved on top of the bed. This child is also allowed to have zombie-themed construction toys in their bedroom because they help them to settle at night. Staff know the zombie characters and will join in the game and play with the child. Inspection report for children’s home: 1229229 4 Staff model healthy affection and positive relationships. They regularly hug children and ask them about their school day. Children like staff and are learning to trust them with their worries. Some children will tell staff that they love them before they go to bed.

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

Children are supported by staff to stick to boundaries. Staff are confident to say ‘no’ to children when it is appropriate to do so. When children are unkind to each other or to staff, they are encouraged to reflect on their behaviour and to apologise. Staff emphasise to children how behaviours make individuals feel, as opposed to children’s behaviours being either right or wrong. This is good practice because it responds to the problem without causing children to feel ashamed about their behaviour.

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

Staff remain calm when children’s behaviours escalate. This helps to reduce the severity of behavioural incidents for children. Ofsted has not been notified about all serious incidents; however, there is a pattern of staff keeping children safe. Children know how to make a complaint and are confident to do so.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff consistently describe the manager’s practice as ‘excellent’ and say that she is both personally and professionally supportive. Staff receive regular supervision meetings with their manager and relevant training. However, since the last inspection, progress in staff completing their necessary level 3 qualification has been very slow. Although the manager is raising this in supervision with staff, little progress has been made. The manager does not yet ensure that staff remain accountable for their own performance. The manager is in the process of supporting her senior team to develop further leadership skills.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s families are overwhelmingly positive about the care their children receive. Parents are comfortable confiding in the manager even when they are going through personal challenges. The manager regularly communicates with families and tells them about their children’s progress. One child’s grandparents describe staff as ‘adaptable’. For example, staff transport the child to their grandparents’ house so that they can enjoy Sunday lunch together. This means a lot to the child and their grandparents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Stakeholders are positive about care provided to children. They state that communication with staff is positive. When visiting the home, they are always made to feel welcome and are supported to spend time with children on their own.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children like the manager and recognise her as the most consistent person in the home. She knows the children very well and works hard to try and achieve good outcomes for the children in her care. Inspection report for children’s home: 1229229 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 registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to managers ensuring that all staff complete their level 3 qualifications. Managers must also 2 June 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 1229229 6 ensure that new members of staff complete their level 3 qualification within the necessary time frame.

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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. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 2 June 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should take the initiative in identifying others who must play a part for their children and engage with those relevant people proactively, advocating for the children in their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 12, paragraph 2.7)  The registered person should ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day-to-day basis. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)  The registered person should enable leaders to develop leadership skills and make staff accountable for their own performance. (‘Guide to the Children’s

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Recommendations

Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.2) Inspection report for children’s home: 1229229 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 for children’s home: 1229229 8

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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 Limited, Suites 1 and 5, Riverside Business Centre, Foundry Lane, Milford, Belper DE56 0RN

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Inspector

Andi Lilley-Tams, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1229229 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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