Children's Home run by Esland North Limited in Lincolnshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2505378 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 run children’s home. It offers care for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties, and those who may have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Three children were living in the home at the time of this inspection. All three children contributed to the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2019.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2505378 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/03/2024 Full Outstanding 06/02/2023 Full Good 28/09/2021 Full Good 10/02/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: 2505378 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children have good relationships with staff. The staff spoke enthusiastically about the children, and they offer a high level of nurturing care. This provides the children with a strong sense of belonging. Children talk about not wanting to leave the home, and when they do, they wish to remain in communication with the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children have trusting relationships with staff and feel able to share personal information. The staff are extremely committed to the children. Their sensitive support provides the children with informed and high-quality support. This helps each child embrace their identity and build their self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are making exceptional progress relating to their health, emotional well-being and social development. Staff use incentives to support the children’s development. They are committed to ensuring that children’s views are embedded in their daily care. Some children access specialist emotional well-being support. This is offered in line with their individual needs and wishes. Professionals highlighted that the children felt ready to access this support because of the child-centred and nurturing care offered by staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff are aspirational for the children and offer them exceptionally individualised care. Support offered by staff has helped one child develop cooking and budgeting skills, secure part-time employment and pass tests to have a moped. These opportunities significantly help children develop their confidence and independence skills .

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The children benefit from and enjoy a variety of activities in the home, such as playing board games and enjoying time in the cinema and games room. Staff help the children to have fun and enjoy exciting new experiences, such as days out and holidays abroad. Staff capture each child’s experiences at the home in personalised memory books that are full of photos and memorabilia.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff understand who the important people are for the children, and they advocate on behalf of the children. They have helped children to increase family time and enjoy spending time with friends. These opportunities allow the children to have fun and develop relationships and life skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff place great value on children’s education and are proactive in supporting children to aspire. Some children are making significant progress in school and college or are excelling in their chosen career. Staff use incentives to support some children who struggle to attend educational settings, and they work with education professionals to help children overcome personal challenges. However, some records do not fully evidence the consistent support offered to some children. This means it is not always clear how staff work collaboratively with all agencies to offer consistent support. This is necessary to further develop some children’s learning and attendance. Inspection report for children’s home: 2505378 4

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

The children feel safe because of the consistently nurturing care they receive and the trusting relationships they have with staff. The children understand how to make complaints and feel able to discuss any concerns with staff.

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

The home has a strong safeguarding culture, and staff have meaningful discussions with children regarding difficult topics. Staff research areas of known concerns and assist children to understand how to keep themselves safe. For example, staff researched the topic regarding the impact of alcohol use and how to support a child to carry out CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). This meant that staff could offer exceptional support to help children understand some of the associated risks. This assists children to build confidence and develop their life skills.

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

Staff understand the children’s known associated risks. Risk assessments and plans are very detailed and written from the child’s perspective. The registered manager spends time with the children reviewing their care plans and risk assessments. These opportunities provide children and staff with a chance to reflect on their progress and associated risks. This child-centred approach ensures suitable plans are in place to keep children safe.

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

The staff spend time with children, and positive parenting is embedded in the children’s care. Consequences are used as minimal; staff help children to understand actions, and they explore alternative ways of supporting the children. Staff place an emphasis on using de-escalation skills and offer the children creative alternatives to help them express their emotions if they are upset. For example, children have access to communication aids and sensory equipment. The nurturing support from staff has led to a reduction in significant incidents and helps the children become increasingly safe.

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

Children do not go missing from the home. The risks are reduced because of the homely environment offered. However, missing-from-home protocols are in place. The children’s plans offer staff an understanding of the actions that they should take to reduce harm for children. Additionally, the registered manager has systems in place to support staff’s ongoing understanding around safeguarding practice. This ensures that children’s safety and well-being have the highest priority.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is ambitious and aspirational for the children. She works with a deputy and staff who are equally committed to ensuring that the children have high- quality care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers are motivated and have strong oversight of the home. They consistently use monitoring and reviewing systems to drive the quality of care offered to the children. Detailed workforce and home development plans help staff progress children’s continued development and opportunities. Inspection report for children’s home: 2505378 5 Leaders and managers understand children’s plans, and the registered manager is influential in securing the required support for children. This has assisted children to access suitable therapeutic support. In addition, leaders and managers ensure that significant professionals understand children’s wishes regarding their care plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

All staff were extremely positive regarding the support they receive from the registered manager. Staff feedback included comments suggesting that the registered manager is ‘the best manager’ and is ‘inspirational and goes out of her way to support staff’. Staff receive regular supervision and timely development reviews that are highly reflective and child-centred.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers support staff to embrace learning and development. This creates a positive learning culture. This is apparent in staff researching topics that help them offer the children high-quality support. Training is progressed in line with the home’s policies, and actions are taken to ensure that staff have timely opportunities to access any missed development. The support from leaders and managers continues to strengthen staff practice and the quality of care for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Team meetings are regular and offer staff the opportunity to talk about children’s individual needs. Additionally, they have the support of the home’s clinician, and they research topics such as the importance of seeking children’s voices and understanding trauma-informed care. This helps ensure that the children are offered a highly nurturing approach in line with the home’s model of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

All professionals talked about positive communication with leaders, managers and staff. They consistently highlighted that the children are making ‘excellent progress’ because of the care offered by the staff. Inspection report for children’s home: 2505378 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that they work in close partnership with all agencies that support the children’s learning. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 11, paragraph 2.3)  The registered person should ensure that staff offer the children consistent support that helps them participate positively in learning activities and formal education. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 26, paragraph 5.3)

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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: 2505378 7

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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

Gina Lightfoot, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2505378 8 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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