Children's home run by Esland North Limited

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1274670 1 Registered provider: Esland North Limited

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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 for up to two children who have social and emotional difficulties or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

Since the last inspection, the manager has left. A new manager has been in post since August 2022. She is experienced and has applied to Ofsted to register as the manager.

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Inspection date: 7 March 2023

Judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

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Inspection date: 7 March 2023

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1274670 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection

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The care of children

At the time of this inspection, no children were living in the home. The home has not been operational since May 2022. The provider has used this time to appoint a new manager and new staff and the home is now preparing for children to move in.

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The care of children

The one child who was living at the home at the time of the last inspection had a planned move out of the home. Only one other child has lived in the home since then. The child only lived at the home for three weeks as staff were unable to meet their needs. The manager who was in charge at the time the child moved in did not undertake sufficient planning to consider the child’s needs or staff’s ability to meet those needs. Documentation to inform care planning was incomplete and there were no arrangements in place for the child’s education.

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The care of children

The child’s placing local authority made the decision that the home was unable to keep the child safe or meet their needs and therefore ended the child’s time at the home, with immediate notice being served.

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The care of children

The staff and managers who currently work in the home were not involved with this child’s time at the home. The new manager has revised the assessments that will be used to plan for any new child moving into the home.

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The safety of children

The poor planning before the arrival of the last child who lived in the home compromised their safety and well-being. The manager did not ensure that required risk assessments were in place. As a result, staff did not have the required guidance they needed to keep the child safe. The lack of clear strategies to protect the child, combined with staff’s poor decision-making, contributed to the child being exposed to harm on one occasion. The manager’s response to this incident was poor. The child’s placement ended following this incident and the home became non- operational.

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The safety of children

A review of the safeguarding incident was completed by one of the provider’s service managers. The review identified improvements that could be made to reduce the likelihood of such incidents occurring again. These improvements have been implemented, although remain untested as the home has not been operational.

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The safety of children

The new manager has taken appropriate steps to ensure that the new staff have the required skills, experience and knowledge. This includes putting in place training in Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1274670 3 relation to the safeguarding of children. The effectiveness of this will not be tested until a child moves in.

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The safety of children

The new manager has taken steps to address one of the recommendations raised at the last inspection by introducing a new system to monitor any consequences imposed on children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The new manager has been in post since August 2022. There has been a significant delay in the manager submitting their application to Ofsted to be registered, however, this has now been done.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

A new staff team has been appointed. Those staff who have already started work are working at the provider’s other homes until a child moves into this home. The manager has maintained contact with those staff who are dispersed to other homes and provided them with regular supervision. It is planned that these staff will begin to move back to the home as they ready themselves for the arrival of the first child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Significant training has been put in place for the new staff team to ensure that they have the necessary skills and knowledge to meet the needs of children as outlined in the home’s statement of purpose.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The manager has responded to the requirements and recommendations of the last inspection, for example, introducing a new impact assessment template, putting in place a system for management review of consequences and setting up methods to capture positive memories to contribute to life-story work. However, these systems have not yet been tested as no children have moved into the home. Staff have now completed the level 3 diploma or are enrolled on the course.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/03/2022 Interim Improved effectiveness 19/10/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 02/12/2019 Full Outstanding 06/02/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1274670 4

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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

Janet Fraser, His Majesty’s Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 1274670 5 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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