Children's home run by Esland North Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2539201 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 privately owned. It is registered to provide care for up to three children or young people with emotional and social needs. At the time of inspection, three children were being cared for in the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is led by an experienced manager who registered with Ofsted in May 2022.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none. Inspection report for children’s home: 2539201 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/05/2022 Full Good 21/01/2022 Interim Improved effectiveness 13/04/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 20/01/2020 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2539201 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two siblings moved in during the inspection period. The manager considered the impact for all children. This enabled the siblings to maintain their relationship by living together. The manager has a good understanding of how individual siblings experience family time. She is a strong advocate when reviewing arrangements with children’s social workers. Therefore, children are helped to maintain the most positive relationships with their families.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to explore their identities. One professional said a child has been supported to explore their sexuality. Staff record children’s experiences in individual scrapbooks. Staff prepare weekly summaries, which provide photographic accounts of memories for children and are well received by social workers. Staff complete a daily positive comment book for each child for them to keep. Children see that staff care for and value them. This promotes their self-esteem.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are sensitive to children’s needs, and they know them well. Children make progress because staff work at the right pace for each child. For example, for one child who struggles to sleep, staff have supported them to relax at bedtime with the use of audio books. The manager has good oversight of how children are helped with their emotional well-being. She receives support from the provider’s therapist. Children are learning to understand their responses to difficult feelings.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged by staff to be healthy and stay fit. For example, one child has learned to swim, and a different child attends a football club. Staff recognise the importance of stimulation and friendships for children. Although one child has been anxious about taking part in social activities outside of the home, staff have persevered, which has resulted in the child taking more chances and being more sociable.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to access education. One child has been supported by staff to build up to full-time schooling. This was after a long period of having a reduced timetable. Staff supported a different child with anxiety when they were experiencing a change of school. One social worker said the manager has ‘been the strongest voice in getting the right education for him’. Staff discuss children’s aspirations and celebrate children’s educational achievements. This promotes children’s self-esteem and widens their future opportunities.

p.3

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

Staff review and update risk assessments and support plans. Staff have a good understanding of how to keep children safe. Children trust staff when sharing their problems. Children are not going missing from the home. The manager works well with other professionals to address online safety risks. Children are kept safe as plans reflect their individual understanding and vulnerability. Inspection report for children’s home: 2539201 4 When used, physical interventions are brief and proportionate. Afterwards, staff and children receive follow-up discussions to make sure that everyone feels safe. Staff use de-escalation strategies effectively. There have been no allegations against staff. Staff communicate well with other agencies. There is good use of positive praise and rewards, which the children respond well to.

p.3

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

Children live in a comfortable and well-maintained home. The manager follows the children’s wishes, such as changing bedrooms or having their photos displayed. The manager makes efforts to ensure that damage following incidents is repaired swiftly. This reduces the sense of shame some children feel following damage to property.

p.4

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

There have been incidents when staff have locked doors to safeguard children. These restrictions of movement are brief and are deemed proportionate. However, staff do not consistently recognise how this measure could constitute a form of physical intervention. This is an area for development, and the manager has already started to take steps to address this.

p.4

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

At night-time the living room is locked, despite there being no specific safety reason for this to happen. The manager is in the process of reviewing this practice.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is proactive in pursuing her vision for further improvements to the home environment. She is supported by the responsible individual in progressing with this. The manager’s focus on high standards shows children they are valued. Likewise, new staff feel valued because their ideas are listened to and put into action.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers lead a motivated team of staff who speak highly of the support they offer one another. Staff say that the manager goes above and beyond in looking after their well-being. Managers acknowledge when staff work extended hours, for example, by giving them ‘care packs’ to help them relax. Staff appreciate that the manager and deputy manager will also cover shifts when necessary.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There have been several changes in staff since the last inspection. Staff have left for varying personal reasons. The manager limits the impact for children by careful rota planning. Vacancies are being filled and safer recruitment practice is followed. New staff feel welcomed. Children have meaningful relationships with committed staff.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive reflective supervision. This helps the staff’s professional development and provides the direction they need to give good care to children. Staff value supervision. Inspection report for children’s home: 2539201 5

p.4

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children can access all shared areas of the home, unless there are specific reasons why this would not meet a child’s needs. Limits on privacy and access may only be put in place to safeguard each child in the home (regulation 21 (c)(i)). Any decisions to limit a child’s access to any area of the home and any modifications to the environment of the home, must only be made where this is intended to safeguard the child’s welfare. All decisions should be informed by a rigorous assessment of that child’s needs, be properly recorded and kept under regular review. Information on restraint and deprivation of liberty is contained in the protection of children section of the guide from paragraph 9.41. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.10)  The registered person should ensure that restrictions of liberty of movement

p.5

Recommendations

should be recorded as restraint. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 47, paragraph 9.42)  The registered person should ensure that records of restraint enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. The review should provide the opportunity for amending practice to ensure it meets the needs of each child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59)

p.5

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: 2539201 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Esland North Limited

p.6

Children’s home details

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

p.6

Inspector

Helen Gronhaug, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2539201 7 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

p.6

Inspector

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.7

Inspector

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

p.7

Inspector

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

p.7