Children's home run by Esland North Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2648208 1 Registered provider: Esland North Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private company. It is registered to provide care for one child who may experience social or emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since August 2022.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home. The child spoke to inspectors about their experiences of living in the home.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 1 November 2022

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2648208 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/11/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2648208 3

p.2

improvement to be good

In comparison to their individual starting point, the child is making positive progress in most areas of their life. The child has been supported to develop trusting relationships with staff. The child can identify staff who they feel able to talk to about any worries that they may have. However, evidence of work completed with the child is not always well recorded. This does not enable the child to have a clear understanding of their journey through care.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff support the child with their education. They have secured tutoring in the home for the child. When the child is not undertaking formal education with a tutor, staff conduct informal educational activities with the child. However, there is no clear education planner in place to support the child or staff to understand what educational activities should be completed. This does not enable staff to provide consistent educational support to the child.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff encourage the child to take care of their health and hygiene. They take the child to planned and emergency health appointments. However, there have been times that health needs and assessments have been identified to support the child, but have not been followed up. This does not ensure that the child is kept healthy.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff support the child to spend time with family members when this is agreed by other professionals. However, staff do not challenge decisions made by other professionals about family time, despite the child clearly expressing their wishes and feelings around this. This does not provide the child with the advocacy they need to further develop family relationships.

p.3

improvement to be good

The home is a safe environment and has sufficient space for the child who lives there. Communal rooms are well decorated, but the child’s bedroom is in need of redecoration. A maintenance request has been made; however, this has not been escalated or actioned in a timely manner.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff have developed positive working relationships with other professionals, and they keep them informed of children’s progress. Children’s achievements are documented and celebrated. The staff team is supported by a psychotherapist to better enable it to provide trauma-informed care for the child. This supports children to improve their self-esteem and self-worth.

p.3

improvement to be good

The child states that they feel safe living in the home. Their risks have reduced since they moved to the home. Staff have supported the child to better understand and manage their emotions to enable them to develop better coping strategies. Inspection report for children’s home: 2648208 4 However, the child is not consistently taught how to keep themselves safe online and in the community.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff respond to safeguarding concerns appropriately. However, continuing opportunities to support and educate the child after an incident are missed. Staff complete regular direct-work sessions with the child. However, staff do not provide consistent and proactive work that is planned based on the child’s presenting needs, including helping the child to stay safe online. When further learning needs are identified during work or planning, these are often not followed through. This does not enable the child to learn how to keep themselves safe.

p.4

improvement to be good

Physical interventions are only used as a last resort. Since the last inspection, there have been two instances of staff holding the child to keep them safe. Any interventions used are appropriate and well recorded.

p.4

improvement to be good

Children do not make allegations often, but when these have occurred, leaders and managers have taken action and have referred them to the relevant safeguarding professionals. When the child has raised concerns about the behaviour of a member of staff, there has been no ongoing discussion with the child about what this behaviour could mean. Initial concerns about the conduct of a member of staff were shared appropriately with other agencies, but further concerns have not been shared. This does not ensure the safety of children.

p.4

good

The home is managed by a permanent, suitably experienced and qualified registered manager. The manager also manages another home in close proximity to this home. She divides her time between both homes, but competing demands mean that she has not always been available to support the team with challenging circumstances. Consequently, staff do not always feel well supported.

p.4

good

There has been some instability in the staff team since the last inspection which has led to a lack of consistency for the child living in the home. However, there is now a full and permanent staff team in place, as well as a recently appointed deputy manager. This will provide more stability to the child and deliver consistent messages and boundaries.

p.4

good

Supervision sessions between the manager and the staff team take place regularly and are detailed and reflective. The manager has clear expectations for staff and is able to challenge staff when they do not meet those expectations. However, when gaps in knowledge are identified, there is no clear plan for how they will be addressed.

p.4

good

Team meetings are held monthly, and staff have access to regular therapeutic consultations with a qualified psychotherapist. This provides the opportunity for staff to consider the child’s needs and presenting behaviours. Inspection report for children’s home: 2648208 5 Management oversight of individual incidents and other records is evaluative and provides constructive challenge to the staff team. However, there is a lack of clear evaluation of patterns and trends in the home to determine what is helping or hindering the child’s progress. This does not enable the manager to fully contribute to better care planning for the child. Inspection report for children’s home: 2648208 6

p.4

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, The 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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

p.6

Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

p.6

Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

p.6

Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c))

p.6

Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that appropriate challenge and escalation are provided when children’s best interests are not met. 23 August 2023

p.6

Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

p.6

Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

p.6

Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.6

Requirement Due date

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans; 23 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2648208 7 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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well- being. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iv))

p.7

Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that identified health needs for children are followed up. Ongoing work should be completed with children to help them understand their health and engage in relevant appointments.

p.7

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.7

Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

p.7

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.7

Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

p.7

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

p.7

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi))

p.7

Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that all safeguarding procedures are fully followed in every instance, with concerns followed up later when needed. In addition, they should ensure that work is completed with the child to ensure that they know how to recognise and respond to unsafe situations. 23 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2648208 8 The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

p.7

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.8

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.8

Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; and

p.8

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f)(h))

p.8

Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that they are consistently evaluating patterns and trends to identify areas of good practice and learning in order to make continuous improvements. They should also ensure that they are consistently available to support the staff team. 23 August 2023

p.8

Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

p.8

Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

p.8

Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c))

p.8

Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that records are consistently kept to provide the child with a good understanding of their journey through care. 23 August 2023

p.8

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children live in a warm and welcoming environment with a homely feel. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) Inspection report for children’s home: 2648208 9  The registered person should ensure that there is a clear education plan for each child when not in full-time education, which all staff can access and follow. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15)

p.8

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: 2648208 10

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Esland North Limited

p.10

Children’s home details

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

p.10

Inspectors

Aislinn Cooper, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Sarah Huntbatch, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2648208 11 regulates and inspects 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.

p.10

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.11

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.11

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.11