Children's home run by Esland North Limited

Inspection report for children's home: 2679098 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 children’s home is owned by a private company. It is registered to provide care for one child who may experience social or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2023.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account good

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Overall experiences and progress of

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

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Overall experiences and progress of

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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Overall experiences and progress of

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

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Overall experiences and progress of

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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Overall experiences and progress of

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2679098 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/04/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2679098 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of the inspection, one child was living at the home. The child spoke positively about the year they have spent being supported by the team and the progress they have made.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one child has experienced a positive move out of the home. The child moved as the wanted to live with other children. The child was supported to celebrate their time living at the home and took with them gifts and a blanket printed with photos of memories made with the team.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager has worked closely with the virtual school head to find the most suitable education provision for the child to attend. This has not been easy and has taken some time and perseverance, but the child continues to make some progress and is encouraged to pursue their aspirations.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s emotional and physical health needs are understood by staff. The child is supported to attend regular health appointments and has access to therapeutic support to help them with their emotional well-being and mental health.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has been supported to re-establish a positive connection with people who are important to them. The staff have worked hard to support these relationships, such as arranging a family Christmas in the home to allow parents and siblings to come together.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has been supported to enjoy several experiences, such as fund-raising events, a holiday to Spain and a prom organised by the team that was also attended by children and staff from other homes. Consequently, the child is developing their confidence and self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child engages in regular discussions with staff about important topics, including how to keep themselves safe and healthy relationships. Staff actively seek the child’s views and wishes and support them to participate in the complex decisions about their life, such as moving on into independent living. This is helping the child to understand why change happens and means that the child now has a sense of taking ownership and control of their life.

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improvement to be good

Risk management is not consistently robust. On two occasions, staff have failed to take appropriate action following significant incidents, and they have not shared concerns with professionals in a timely way. Leaders and managers have missed opportunities to address these shortfalls with staff to improve safeguarding practice in the home. Inspection report for children's home: 2679098 4 Management oversight of incidents is not always effective. On occasion, safeguarding advice given by the on-call manager and a child’s placing authority has contradicted the organisation’s policy regarding substance misuse. This has not been identified or challenged by leaders and managers.

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improvement to be good

The child understands how to make a complaint, and complaints have been responded to promptly. This has supported the child to feel valued and listened to.

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improvement to be good

Behaviour management in the home is effective, and there have not been any instances requiring children to be held to keep them safe.

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improvement to be good

Staff have supported the child with direct work on how to stay safe; consequently there has been a reduction in how often the child going missing from home. When incidents have occurred, staff have followed the child’s safety plan and ensured that they have been supported to return safely.

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improvement to be good

Allegations made against staff are investigated and shared with relevant safeguarding professionals. However, there have been delays in Ofsted being made aware of a number of concerns as required by regulation. This reduces the regulator’s oversight of practice in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitably qualified and experienced. She is ambitious about making positive changes and is committed to improving practice in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff, family and professionals all spoke positively about the leadership in the home and the progress made by the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are well attended and focus on the child’s well-being and provide staff with opportunities to reflect on their practice. Staff also benefit from regular training opportunities to keep their skills and knowledge up to date.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Management monitoring systems are not yet robust. Records do not always include the most factual or accurate information, and opportunities to review records effectively have been missed. The quality of recording in the home requires improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are regularly supervised; however, it is not always clear that leaders and managers address shortfalls in safeguarding practice to support staff’s professional development and improve support for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has ensured that the home is a warm and welcoming space for the child. There are photos displayed of happy memories being created and the child enjoying time spent with staff and family. This has supported the child to invest and take pride in the home. Inspection report for children's home: 2679098 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 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 necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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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

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that staff are aware of their safeguarding responsibilities, take action to safeguard children and promptly share concerns with professionals. 24 December 2024

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

promotes their welfare. 24 December 2024 Inspection report for children's home: 2679098 6 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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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

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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))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person should ensure that they have oversight of all work being completed, evaluate incidents to establish patterns and trends and identify areas of learning in order to make continuous improvements.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(e)) 24 December 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that supervision of staff practice provides opportunities for staff to engage in the safeguarding culture of the home so they understand what they would need to do if they are presented with a safeguarding concern. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’ page 43, paragraph 9.14)  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Information should be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child and take into account any relevant plans. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) Inspection report for children's home: 2679098 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: 2679098 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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Inspector

Kelly McCurdy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2679098 9 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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