Children's Home run by Esland North Limited in Warrington

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2621334 1

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Esland North Limited

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children's home

This home is owned by a private company and registered to care for up to three children who may have social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children's home

There was one child living in the home at the time of the monitoring visit and inspectors spoke to the child.

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Information about this children's home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since April 2023. The manager has been on a period of leave since the full inspection. In his absence the responsible individual is overseeing the management of the home.

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This monitoring visit

This home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 17 and 18 October 2023. Following this inspection, three compliance notices were issued under section 22A of the Care Standards Act 2000. These compliance notices were in relation to regulation 6, the quality and purpose of care standard, regulation 11, the positive relationships standard, and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this monitoring visit was to review the actions taken by the provider to meet the compliance notices.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, the home has been fully redecorated throughout to improve the environment for the child. The child has been encouraged to contribute their ideas and choices when deciding on the new décor of the home. The child now has adequate clothing, and their basic needs are being met.

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This monitoring visit

The child is now being regularly consulted about their views. When the child shares their wishes and feelings, these are heard and respected by staff. The child is being encouraged to contribute to their care. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2621334 2 Staff are helping the child to understand how to take care of themselves while also providing appropriate support to the child. Staff have started to encourage the child to take on additional responsibilities and freedoms. When the child feels ready to take on more responsibility, staff have been willing to let them try.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are focussing more on the child and are beginning to put the child's needs at the forefront of their practice. Staff are setting aside specific time to spend with the child and are more present with the child throughout the day. Staff have been creative in encouraging the child to try new activities outside of the home.

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This monitoring visit

Consequences are no longer excessively punitive. Staff have been allowing the child to experience natural consequences rather than implementing additional sanctions. When the child does require a consequence as a response to negative behaviour, staff ask the child for their views about what will help them.

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This monitoring visit

Staff are better able to meet the child's behavioural and emotional needs. Staff have completed additional training and managers have modelled helpful de-escalation strategies to support staff learning. This has provided staff with a better understanding of the child's needs. Staff are now able to respond in a calm and nurturing way.

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This monitoring visit

Managers and staff have a better understanding of how they should respond when children raise concerns. Monitoring of incidents and work completed with children has improved. Management evaluation and oversight is now more robust. Senior staff are also contributing to the monitoring and completing bi-weekly checks to ensure that the child’s needs are being met.

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This monitoring visit

Staff said they are feeling motivated and positive about the changes that are being put into place to improve practice in the home. Work is being completed with the team to remind them how to raise any practice concerns should these occur.

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This monitoring visit

Following this monitoring visit, an internal case review was held to discuss the findings of the visit. It was agreed that sufficient action had been taken to meet the steps identified in the three compliance notices issued under regulation 6, the quality and purpose of care standard, regulation 11, the positive relationships standard, and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard.

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This monitoring visit

The other requirements raised at the full inspection were not looked at during this visit. Therefore, they remain requirements until the home’s next inspection. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2621334 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 17/10/2023 Full Inadequate 08/12/2022 Full Good 05/01/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2621334 4

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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, 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 with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The children's views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children's care and welfare and their lives.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

ascertain and consider each child's views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child's best interests when making decisions about the child's care and welfare;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child's views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child;

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Requirement Due date

regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home's care;

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Requirement Due date

is enabled to provide feedback to, and raise issues with, a relevant person about the support and services that the child receives; 8 January 2024 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2621334 5 is given appropriate advocacy support. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(b)(i)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children's views, wishes and feelings are heard. If there is a reason why a child's views cannot be followed through, there should be clear rationale of why this is not in a child's best interests. When children raise informal concerns, these should always be fully investigated.

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Requirement Due date

The enjoyment and achievement standard is that children take part in and benefit from a variety of activities that meet their needs and develop and reflect their creative, cultural, intellectual, physical and social interests and skills.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

develop the child's interests and hobbies;

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Requirement Due date

participate in activities that the child enjoys and which meet and expand the child's interests and preferences; and

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Requirement Due date

make a positive contribution to the home and the wider community; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to a range of activities that enable the child to pursue the child's interests and hobbies. (Regulation 9 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children are provided with activities outside of the home. Children's interests should be promoted. Children's activities and interests must be prioritised over staff tasks. 8 January 2024

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child's relevant plans, and, if 8 January 2024 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2621334 6 necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child's welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home's child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the home's day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child's health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(d))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that children's basic needs are always met. Staff must be provided with the skills and training to recognise when a child is struggling or likely to escalate their behaviour. Children's needs must be prioritised over staff preferences. Staff should be fully aware of how children's additional needs could impact on their perception and presentation. The home must be kept in good repair, with a warm and homely feel. The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development. (Regulation 33 (4)(a))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff are provided with suitable training to fully understand and meet the needs of each child living in the home. 8 January 2024 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2621334 7

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Recommendations

 The independent person should make a rigorous and impartial assessment of the care provided, taking into consideration information that is relevant to the care of the children and the leadership of the home. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards' page 58, paragraph 11.18)

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Recommendations

 The independent person should review the care provided to children, including children's experiences of living in the home, and the impact this care has on the progress of the children. ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards' page 64, paragraph 15.2)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children's home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2621334 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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Inspectors

Aislinn Cooper, social care regulatory inspector Sarah Gilbert, social care regulatory inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2621334 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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