Children's home run by Esland North Limited

Inspection report for children's home: 2624054 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 privately owned children’s home provides care for up to three children with social and/or emotional difficulties and associated complex needs. There were two children living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in March 2021. The manager has been registered with Ofsted since June 2022 and is suitably qualified.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2624054 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/07/2022 Full Good 21/07/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2624054 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making positive progress. They are looked after by a committed team of staff who are attuned to their needs and provide nurturing care which supports children to grow and develop.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from in-house therapeutic input to help them recover from adverse childhood experiences. This support also extends to staff, who incorporate therapeutic strategies into their day-to-day care of children. Consequently, the children enjoy positive relationships with staff, who recognise their individual needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children in the home are not currently accessing mainstream education, although they benefit from daily individual tutoring and engage in a range of educational activities. Staff supported one child to communicate their wishes and feelings to their social worker in relation to resources to assist their education. Another child’s move into the home was carefully considered by the management team, and the impact of moving them back into education alongside this was well thought out.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from regular key-work sessions and the oversight of these by the manager is good. Themes from key-work sessions are analysed each month and children benefit from a ‘you said, we did’ approach in response to these themes. As a result, children feel valued and listened to and are able to reflect on a wide range of topics in their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Feedback from external professionals was positive. One social worker said, ‘I am so happy with the care they provide for [child’s name]. Couldn’t ask for better communication.’ Another social worker said, ‘They were great, and I have confidence in them being able to meet children’s needs. Communication from the home manager was very good.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have created a homely environment and value children’s feedback. The communal areas are homely and well used by the children. Children are able to participate in the day-to-day running of their home, including making meals and developing their independence skills. Children have pets and these are well cared for.

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

Children are kept safe from harm by staff and continuously supported to learn about how they can keep themselves safe. For example, one child made a poster about online safety with their tutor.

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

There is a proactive response when children are missing from the home and staff always look for children. Missing protocols are well coordinated with safeguarding agencies to promote the safety of children. Inspection report for children's home: 2624054 4 Children are supported by staff to think about their behaviour and feelings. Staff instinctively identify opportunities to speak with children following difficult events. A restorative and non-judgemental culture supports children to reflect on their actions and improve their self-regulation.

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

Risk assessments are routinely updated following emerging concerns and amendments are carefully coordinated with the placing authority and other relevant agencies. Children are supported to take appropriate risks, taking into consideration their age and individual circumstances.

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

Staff use physical intervention in a necessary and proportionate manner. Incidents are well recorded, and the manager demonstrates positive oversight of these, including staff debriefs and learning reviews designed to promote good practice. The impact of physical interventions on children is well understood and staff engage well with children following incidents to provide empathy and advice.

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

The management team has carefully considered learning from placement disruptions and acted promptly to address emerging safeguarding concerns when one placement was ending. The positive way this was managed minimised the disruption for all children involved.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures effective oversight of the staff team through good-quality supervision and reflective learning. All staff have had annual appraisals and the workforce development plan outlines a clear strategy for the continued development of the team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is clear evidence of management oversight of significant incidents. The manager carries out learning reviews when things do not go to plan and supports staff, through supervision and informal conversations, to consider subsequent learning. For example, the manager reflected with a staff member following an unsuccessful physical intervention and has planned additional training for the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from supportive managers, who are visible and invested in their welfare and development. Managers act promptly when identifying learning opportunities for staff. including using personal improvement plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

While there have been several placement disruptions since the last inspection, leaders and managers have maintained their focus on children’s welfare in making difficult decisions for children to move on. One social worker said, ‘Every avenue was explored before reaching the conclusion that [name of child] had to move on.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The majority of the staff team have completed all mandatory training. However, some staff are not fully up to date in line with the organisation’s internal policies and training requirements. This has not impacted on children’s welfare. All staff have completed safeguarding and first-aid training. Inspection report for children's home: 2624054 5 In one month during the inspection period the home was not visited by the independent person. In addition, the independent person did not have the necessary access to the provider’s recording system for this visit and was unable to review the individual records of one child. Inspection report for children's home: 2624054 6

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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, 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.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that the independent person visits the home each month and has appropriate access to the home’s recording system to enable them to inspect children’s records. 27 November

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Recommendation

 The registered person should enable all staff to complete core and mandatory training in line with the home’s workforce development plan and training matrix. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11) Inspection report for children's home: 2624054 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: 2624054 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 Ltd, Suite 1 & 5, Riverside Business Centre, Foundry Lane, Milford, Belper DE56 0RN

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Kathleen McGowan

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Inspector

Ashley Edwards, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2624054 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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