Children's Home run by Esland North Limited in Warrington

Inspection report for children’s home: 2649743 1 Registered provider: Esland North Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private organisation. It can provide care for one child who may have social and 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 inspection. The child spoke to the inspector about their experiences of living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 1 August 2023.

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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

Date of last inspection: 14 November 2023

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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: 2649743 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/11/2023 Full Good 14/09/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2649743 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child living in the home has made good progress. They live in a warm and nurturing environment, which helps them to feel safe and settled. As a result, the child is thriving in all aspects of their life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have strong partnership working with the professionals at the child’s school. Education professionals say that the child is making ‘amazing’ progress at school. This means that the child is gaining essential skills that they will need for the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to have a busy and active life outside of school. The child enjoys new activities as well as socialising with peers their own age at a local youth club. Staff celebrate the child’s dedication to learning new skills, such as playing musical instruments. This supports the child to build self-esteem and have positive interests.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff support the child to see their family members. Members of the child’s family say that staff are flexible when accommodating their visits to the home, and they feel welcomed. This means that the child has cherished time with the people who are important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child lives in a homely environment. Each room is personalised to the child, with photos of the child and their family, notes of affirmation to and from the staff, and décor that the child has chosen. This ensures that the child has an environment that supports their feelings of positive self-worth. However, the main bathroom in the home requires maintenance to the floor, bath sealant and grout. This detracts from the welcoming environment that the manager is striving to maintain.

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

Staff keep the child safe. The risk of the child going missing is low. If the child were to go missing, staff know how to respond to ensure that they return home safely. This ensures that staff have the knowledge and skills to keep the child safe when unanticipated risks occur.

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

Staff have conversations with the child about any risks they are exposed to, effectively. Although there has been a significant turnover of staff in a short period of time, this does not appear to have had a negative impact on the child’s relationships with the staff. The child says, ‘I can talk to them [staff] about private things without them judging me.’ This means that the child can confidently explore their own strategies to keep themself safe.

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

Staff use incentive charts to encourage the child to make positive choices about their behaviour. The child is involved in reflective conversations to decide on consequences for negative behaviours when they are needed. However, managers have not ensured that Inspection report for children’s home: 2649743 4 all records clearly state whether a reward or consequence has been given. This limits the manager’s oversight of the impact of their use.

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

Staff follow guidance in the child’s individualised risk plans to keep them safe. However, the child’s plans do not inform staff of the necessary checks they need to complete to ensure that the child is safe when online. Also, staff do not clearly record the checks they have completed. Although this has not impacted on the safeguarding actions of the staff, it is a missed opportunity for managers to ensure that the child’s plans are effective.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager ensures that the child is supported to share their views. She models using curiosity in conversations with the child, and there are multiple ways in which the child’s voice is heard. As a result, the child has a significant input into their own care planning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers ensure that staff receive the necessary training to fulfil their roles. Training that is specific to the child’s individual needs is sourced and provided for staff. This means that staff have a clear understanding of their responsibilities in caring for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers use the expertise of the therapist commissioned by the provider effectively. The child can access direct therapeutic support if they wish. Consultations are held between with the therapist, members of staff and external professionals on a frequent basis. This ensures that there is a consistent therapeutic approach across all professionals supporting the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers ensure that safer recruitment checks are in place. This ensures that all staff working in the home are safe and suitable to do so.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have implemented systems of monitoring into the home since last inspection. However, they are not yet fully embedded. Therefore, there are shortfalls in managers identifying patterns and trends. This is a missed opportunity for managers to ensure that the care of the child is continuously improving.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers ensure that staff are provided with opportunities to reflect on their practice. Team meetings and supervisions are held regularly and offer a space for staff to discuss how they can improve their care. However, shortfalls in staff practice are not identified and addressed by managers quickly and effectively. This limits the benefits of the reflective practice being held with staff. This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered person notified Ofsted of a period of absence by the registered manager, and the management arrangements of the home, in line with the regulation. However, the registered person did not share all the required information and did not inform the Inspection report for children’s home: 2649743 5 regulator of the registered manager’s return. Although this has not impacted on the child, it limits external oversight of the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2649743 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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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;

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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)(a)(b)(c)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that there are systems of monitoring in place that identify patterns and trends that can be shared with the relevant professionals and improve the care of the child. In addition, ensure that shortfalls in staff 21 March 2025 Inspection report for children’s home: 2649743 7 practice are identified at the earliest opportunity and addressed quickly and effectively.

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Requirement Due date

If the person who is in day-to-day charge of the children’s home proposes to be absent from the home for a continuous period of 28 days or more, the registered person must give notice in writing to HMCI of the proposed absence.

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Requirement Due date

Except in the case of an emergency or unforeseen absence, a notice under paragraph (1) must—

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Requirement Due date

be given no later than one month before the proposed absence commences, or within such shorter period as may be agreed with HMCI; and

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Requirement Due date

specify with respect to the proposed absence—

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Requirement Due date

the address, name and qualifications of the person who will be responsible for the home during the absence.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI of the return to duty of the person in day-to-day charge of the home not later than seven days after the date of that person’s return. (Regulation 48 (1) (2)(b)(iv) (5)) 21 March 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all incidents of control or discipline are clearly recorded by staff. Incidents should be recorded in a way that is easily identifiable, with clear oversight from the manager. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’ page 46, paragraph 9.36)  The registered person should ensure that risk plans contain the necessary steps that the staff need to take to keep the child safe. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’ page 56, paragraph 11.2)  The registered person should ensure that the child is provided with a home that is a warm and welcoming environment. In particular, ensure that repairs are made to the bathroom floor, and that the grouting and bath sealant are free from mould and discolouration. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’ page 15, paragraph 3.7)

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Information about this inspection

Inspection report for children’s home: 2649743 8 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: 2649743 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Esland North Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Sarah Gilbert, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2649743 10 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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