Children's home run by Esland North Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 1276249 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 is a privately owned home. It provides care for up to three children. The home can care for children with learning disabilities and emotional and social needs.

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Information about this children’s home

There are three children living at the home who have resided there since the last inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

There has recently been a change in manager, and the current manager has not yet applied 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1276249 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/06/2022 Full Good 10/02/2022 Interim Sustained effectiveness 26/04/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 05/03/2020 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: 1276249 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy spending time with caring staff who show a genuine interest in their lives. Staff attend parents’ evenings and go to shows put on by the children at school. School staff have commented on how proud the home’s staff have appeared and the excitement that this has given to one child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy spending time downstairs with one another or staff. There are half- assembled jigsaw puzzles that children enjoy returning to, to complete. Staff encourage children to help cook dinner or to put up decorations around the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to feel safe and secure. One child moved home several times before being cared for at this home. The child is now happy and settled, and they have a long-term plan to live at the home. Children say that they love where they live and wish to remain there.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are regularly talked to about their views, wishes and feelings. Children say that they feel staff listen to them and help them if they are upset. One child shared how ‘amazing’ she thinks the staff are and said that she ‘loved’ her keyworker.

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

Staff work in a multi-agency way with professionals such as the school and social workers. This helps them to understand the children’s needs and how best to respond to them. Professionals state that staff communicate with them well and aid children’s involvement in their own care planning. All children have been offered an independent advocate to further support this.

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

Staff spend time talking to children about possible dangers that they could be exposed to. When staff talk about sensitive topics, they are mindful of the child’s feelings. Staff adapt the way they approach a subject. This is dependent on each child’s individual needs and vulnerabilities. Staff are skilled at making these discussions relaxed and informative.

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

Staff only use physical restraint as a last resort. There is thorough management oversight of such practice. When reviewing the records, the manager looks for possible practice development needs. Staff speak to children to gain their views after a physical restraint has taken place. Children are offered the opportunity to make a formal complaint.

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

If children have intentionally hurt themselves, staff are both responsive and nurturing. Staff show professional curiosity when talking to children about why or how they have hurt themselves. Staff actively seek the appropriate support for the child. When children’s needs change, staff actively seek guidance on how best to support them. Inspection report for children’s home: 1276249 4

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Although the registered manager has recently left, this transition has been handled well. The acting manager and responsible individual have ensured clear management oversight of children’s care. Although this has been a big change for both the children and staff, it was managed sensitively. This has meant that staff and children have felt supported throughout and the change has led to minimal disruption in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is experienced and enthusiastic. The staff feel they have united in recent months and that the manager’s proactive response to issues has supported this. The manager has clear oversight of the practice in the home and staff’s written recordings. He is realistic about the team’s strengths and areas for development, meaning that he has an accurate vision of the quality of care in the home. Due to this, he can provide thorough and supportive advice to his team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are regularly offered training opportunities that they find beneficial. However, the manager does not yet have an effective process in place for monitoring when mandatory training will expire. This resulted in one worker failing to renew their safeguarding training. The manager is aware of issues with the recording system, and plans are already in place for a new method to take over.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager knows the children and their needs well. However, the manager has not yet done enough to challenge practice that needs to be improved. For example, he has not asked why the home does not have contact with one child’s parents. Inspection report for children’s home: 1276249 5

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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 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

In particular, this relates to ensuring that staff’s mandatory training does not expire. 25 February 2024

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff support children to build positive relationships with others. This includes staff having appropriate communication with parents, such as giving updates, to support parents’ conversations with their children during family time. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards, page 38, paragraph 8.6).

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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: 1276249 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: Esland Ltd, Suite 1 & 5 , Riverside Business Centre, Foundry Lane, Milford, Belper DE56 0RN

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Inspector

Ellen Monk, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1276249 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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