Children's Home run by Esland South Limited in Kent

Inspection report for children’s home: SC059037 1 SC059037 Registered provider: Esland South Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home provides care for up to four children who experience social and emotional difficulties. There were three children living in the home at the time of the inspection.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There post of registered manager has been vacant since 28 November 2024.

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

Date of last inspection: 16 January 2024

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC059037 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/01/2024 Full Good 23/03/2023 Full Outstanding 02/02/2022 Full Good 30/07/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC059037 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy secure relationships with staff who know them well. Staff understand children’s daily routines and use informed assessments to provide daily structure and support for them. These positive relationships help each child to make progress from their own starting points, such as having more friendships, managing difficult emotions or taking part in community groups.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last full inspection, one child has moved into the home, and one child has moved on. Before the new child moved into the home, the previous registered manager completed a thorough assessment. They considered information from the child’s placing authority and the needs of children already living in the home. Following the move, staff supported all children to consider each other’s needs and resolve difficulties. This helped children manage this change positively.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s care planning records are reflective of their needs and have a focus on promoting positive behaviour. They provide clear and consistent guidance for staff and are kept up to date to reflect changes. This helps staff to provide children with attuned care and consistent boundaries.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children to attend their educational provisions daily and to manage any difficulties in school alongside education colleagues. This helps children to make progress in their attendance, participation and attainment. One child who was not in school when they moved into the home has been supported to return to school and is now attending full-time.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide a range of activities for children that broaden their horizons and enhance their life experiences. This helps children to develop positive interpersonal relationships with peers and safe adults outside of the home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff listen to children and their views are valued. They provide care that is nurturing and non-judgemental. Regular one-to-one time and house meetings help children to talk about worries with trusted adults, to share their feelings and to be involved in making decisions. Discussions are recorded sensitively to the child. This helps children to gain confidence, manage difficulties and express their own unique identities.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to be in touch with and see people who are important to them. Staff work well with family members and placing authorities to promote family time and to help children see friends. This helps children’s sense of identity and belonging.

p.3

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

Staff understand children and their individual vulnerabilities well. Children’s risk management plans include their individual support needs. Strategies used by staff to Inspection report for children’s home: SC059037 4 support children in managing risks are clear and are reviewed regularly. Known risks are considered throughout children’s plans and staff engage children skilfully to talk about safety. This supports children to assess risks and reflect on their behaviours with appropriate levels of support.

p.3

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

One child has gone missing from the home on several occasions. The child has a detailed missing-from-home protocol that provides clear guidance for staff and is kept up to date. When the child has gone missing from home, the response from staff has generally been proactive. However, in an isolated incident, staff did not follow one child’s missing-from- care protocol, causing a delay in police being notified. The registered manager reviewed this incident but did not identify the shortfall in practice. This was a missed opportunity to support staff to reflect and learn. Despite this, management oversight of missing- from-home incidents is generally managed well.

p.4

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

Staff promote positive behaviour and are proactive in supporting children to find constructive ways of processing difficult feelings. Praise and positive reinforcement, alongside incentives, help children to grow and develop a sense of their own identity from a safe base at home. For one child, this support had led to a sustained reduction in incidents of behaviours of distress.

p.4

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

For one child, there are significant risks, particularly in the community. Staff work hard to manage risky situations, to support the child’s understanding and to strike a balance between safety and independence. Decisions about changes to the child’s safety plans are complex, and managers have not always made these in collaboration with the team around the child.

p.4

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

When children have made complaints or allegations about staff, managers follow these up thoroughly in liaison with relevant professionals. Action is taken to address children’s concerns. Managers meaningfully consider learning and engage staff effectively in this process. This helps children to feel heard and receive safe care that takes their wishes, feelings and experiences into consideration.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is currently no registered manager. Senior managers are actively recruiting and there are suitable interim arrangements in place. The responsible individual and the interim manager have a good understanding of the home and the areas for development and are focused on the progress for children. This supports a child-centred culture.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are positive about their roles and the support they receive from managers and colleagues. They describe managers as available and say they feel well supported with their professional development. Staff receive regular good quality supervision and appraisal wherein there is a focus on staff health and well-being. Regular team meetings and team around the child meetings provide effective forums for staff support and reflection. This helps children to receive care from well-resourced staff and underpins a supportive culture. Inspection report for children’s home: SC059037 5 Staff complete a range of training relevant to their roles and to the specific needs of children. Managers have effective systems in place to provide oversight of training and progress with qualifications. This helps to ensure that children receive care from well- informed staff.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Family members and social care professionals provide positive feedback about the care of children, communication and partnership working. They can identify progress children have made while living at the home. One parent said, ‘They are doing an amazing job and [child’s name child] has made massive progress.’

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers carry out a range of safer recruitment checks before new staff start working in the home. However, they do not keep a clear record that confirms whether original copies of Disclosure and Baring Service (DBS) certificates, identity documents and qualifications have been seen. Therefore, it is not always possible for the manager to verify that these checks have been completed. Inspection report for children’s home: SC059037 6

p.5

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.

p.6

Requirements Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

p.6

Requirements Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans; and

p.6

Requirements Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (a) (d))

p.6

Requirements Due date

In particular, ensure that changes to children’s safety plans are made in partnership with the child’s social worker and other relevant professionals. 20 February 2025

p.6

Requirements Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

p.6

Requirements Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home;

p.6

Requirements Due date

or if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

p.6

Requirements Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

p.6

Requirements Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(d)) 20 February 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: SC059037 7 In particular, ensure that original copies of DBS certificates, identity documents and qualifications are seen, and a record is kept of this.

p.6

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that there is effective evaluation of all missing- from-home incidents to identify any gaps in staff training, skills or knowledge. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.31)

p.7

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: SC059037 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Esland South Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

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

p.8

Inspectors

Jacob Robson, Social Care Inspector Kelly Monniot, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC059037 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

p.8

Inspectors

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.9

Inspectors

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

p.9

Inspectors

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

p.9