Children's home run by Esland North Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2690569 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 children’s home is privately owned. The home provides care for one child who may have social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home does not currently have a registered manager.

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Information about this children’s home

The interim manager is in the process of applying to register with Ofsted.

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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: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2690569 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s experiences of moving into the home are positive. There is good planning before their move to the home. The child currently living in the home met the staff before their admission. This assists and reassures the child, and it helps to support them to be able to settle more quickly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child benefits from having the same staff caring for them. This supports the building of more trusting relationships. There are positive routines that support the child’s well-being and needs. The encouragement provided by staff is supporting the child to attend school more routinely.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is fully consulted about the decisions being made about their care. Staff strongly advocate for the child, sharing the care and support plans with them and ensuring the child’s views are included. This helps the child to understand what is written about them. This also enables them to have a meaningful say about what is important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s support plans are regularly reviewed and updated. They detail how the child is to be cared for by staff. There are regular and meaningful key-work discussions recorded with warmth and care. These cover matters that are important to the child and support their progress. However, there are aspects of the behaviour support plan that do not set out clearly the child’s presenting behaviour and the specific strategies for all staff to implement consistently.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s health needs have improved and are well met. There is a focus on following a healthy lifestyle. Staff support the child to attend their routine health check-ups, such as going to the dentist or optician, including having injections for previously missed essential immunisations.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Maintaining and building important family relationships are promoted well. The child has visits and regular phone contact with family members. The parent said she is kept up to date about her child’s care and is made welcome on visits to the home. This supports and rebuilds those crucial support links with the child’s family.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work tirelessly to engage the child in new leisure and social activities, for example hair, beauty and pamper sessions and regular walks with the dog. One of the child’s favourite activities is a visit to the nail salon. This supports the child’s interests and builds self-confidence and self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is encouraged and helped to learn daily life skills. These include keeping their bedroom tidy, food shopping and cooking. This assists the child to gain the age-appropriate skills that will help them in adulthood. Inspection report for children’s home: 2690569 3

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

Children benefit from staff having a real understanding of their past experiences and vulnerabilities. Staff have a clear awareness of the identified and presenting risks for the child in their care. Training provided to staff equips them with the necessary knowledge and skills, for example missing-from-care procedures, safeguarding, behaviour management and first aid. This helps to ensure that the staff know what action to take to better protect the children and keep them safe.

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

The child’s risks have been reduced from their starting point. Staff follow the regularly reviewed risk assessments and the specific strategies. Professionals confirm that this has helped to keep the child safer.

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

The child responds well to the sensitive and understanding approach used by the staff. The staff work closely with the child to discuss serious incidents, such as when their behaviour escalates or they have gone missing from the home. This is reflected in key-work sessions and one-to-one records. The staff’s support positively assists the child’s continued progress.

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

When allegations have been made, the staff follow the agreed procedures and protocols in place to safeguard the children. Allegations are managed in a timely manner. This helps to protect the children.

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

Safer recruitment practices are followed, and all appropriate checks are undertaken. This helps to ensure that the children are better protected.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The new manager is enthusiastic and committed to providing consistent and good- quality care to children in a homely environment. There has been a change of manager since the home was registered, and there has been additional senior management support. This has provided good and continued leadership oversight during this transition period.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are meticulous internal and external monitoring systems that detect omissions and shortfalls. The deficiencies found are promptly addressed. This makes certain that good care and work practices are maintained in line with the requirements of the Children’s Homes Regulations.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff show a high level of positivity and compassion when they speak about their work with the children. There is a strong ethos of teamwork, commitment and wanting the best for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from receiving training that equips them well to care for the children and conduct their work to a good standard. This includes an induction, mandatory training and training in more specialist areas, for example trauma-informed practice, self-harm and deprivation of liberty. Several staff are undertaking the level 4 qualification in caring for children and young people. Inspection report for children’s home: 2690569 4 Team meetings are purposeful. There is a focus on learning and reflection on practice. In addition, support from the clinical team feeds into this process to assist in understanding and continually improving the care provided to the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from regular monthly supervision sessions. For staff going through their probation, supervision takes place more frequently. This supports the provision of continued good care, staff practice, development and well-being. Inspection report for children’s home: 2690569 5

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Recommendation

 The registered person should always make sure that the staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. In particular, behaviour support plan records should record information under the correct heading and include clear and specific strategies for the staff to follow. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 2690569 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Esland North Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspectors

Debbie Foster, Social Care Inspector Beth Forster, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2690569 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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