Children's Home run by Emsee Living Ltd in Milton Keynes

Inspection report for children’s home: 2731497 1 Registered provider: Emsee Living LTD

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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 provides care for up to three children who experience social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, there were two children living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since September 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 outstanding

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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: 27 November 2024

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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: 2731497 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/11/2024 Full Good 20/03/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2731497 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have made positive progress since moving to the home. This is because they benefit from highly individualised care that has supported them to settle. Children demonstrate a strong sense of belonging. They are looked after by a committed and stable staff team, and this means that all the foundations are in place for children to make progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The architectural structure of the home means that it is separated into two distinct environments, and children are supported to develop and personalise their respective spaces in accordance with their wishes and feelings. Consequently, children’s physical environments reflect their personalities and unique characters.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

For one child, staff have supported positive family time. This has included a sibling visiting the child in the home alongside a previous foster carer. This has helped to improve their sibling relationship. Staff maintain good communication with children’s families and preferred adults in accordance with their respective care plans.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most of the time, children’s educational needs are well supported, and children receive educational support reflecting their individual needs. One educational professional said, ‘Staff have been always present and sympathetic to [Name of child]’s physical and mental health, as well as to their educational needs.’ One child accesses education across three different settings. At times, this can be disruptive and has a negative impact on the child’s engagement. Plans are already progressing to assess this child’s educational needs and determine how these are best met in the longer term.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is a strong commitment to acting on children’s wishes and feelings, and senior leaders have advocated for children when this has been required. For one situation, an independent advocate was promptly arranged. This was important and the communication by senior leaders to the child regarding this step was very child centred, and demonstrated high attunement to the child’s individual needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children consistently benefit from a wide range of positive experiences. Moving to the home has enabled children to benefit from opportunities that have previously not been available to them. Staff encourage children to explore their interests and develop their use of community resources. This has helped to promote the development of peer relationships for children. For one child, this has also helped them to meet some peers who will be attending the same school as them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff create photographic memory books and use handwritten notebooks to write positive affirmations to children. This helps children to know that they are loved and well looked after. In addition, this secures children’s memories of living in the home and will help them to recall their experiences when they move on. Inspection report for children’s home: 2731497 4

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

Children are very settled and safeguarding concerns are infrequent. There have been no incidents of children going missing from the home since the last inspection. When safeguarding concerns have occurred, staff follow well-developed safety plans and this promotes consistency for children. One professional told the inspector, ‘Staff work in a very child-centred, therapeutic way with [Name of child] and this has helped them to achieve their goals, and to de-escalate any risky behaviours.’

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

Children have developed positive relationships with staff and can identity preferred staff to help them. Senior leaders are passionate about recruiting staff with similar interests and relatable connections to children, and this reflects a strong child-focused culture. Staff celebrate each child’s individual personalities and children benefit from a diverse staff team. As a result of this, children are well prepared to live in an everchanging world.

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

Children’s plans demonstrate a sound understanding of their presenting needs and the actions required to promote their well-being. Staff have made appropriate referrals to external professionals to ensure that children benefit from a range of knowledgeable adults to ensure that all their needs are met.

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

The management team understands the importance of evidencing the steps that it takes to keep children safe and promoting consistency across the team. In an isolated example, one staff member did not respond in accordance with the child’s plan or the organisation’s wider therapeutic approach, and effective action was taken to resolve this. Communication with children following any difficulties is particularly effective. For example, managers frequently write letters to children to provide reassurance and help them to understand the steps that are being taken to support them, and ensure that their wishes and feelings are heard. This is reassuring for children and helps them to know that staff have their best interests in mind.

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

Any staff who join the home are fully vetted and this minimises the risk of unsafe adults working with children. All staff follow a comprehensive induction, and a range of additional training is provided, which helps staff to continually develop their knowledge and skills, improving their ability to help children.

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

All children benefit from regular conversations with staff about generalised safeguarding topics and targeted support and advice, reflecting each child’s individual needs. While there is a clear emphasis on staff keeping detailed recordings of each conversation, leaders and managers recognise the importance of making more direct connections between this support and the progress that children make. This will help children to better understand their experience through care and the progress they have made since moving to the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2731497 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Effective action has been taken against previous regulatory shortfalls and no additional requirements or recommendations were made during this inspection. The management team has used learning and reflection from the last inspection to think carefully about the care it offers to children and support needs the team is able to meet.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers are tenacious and advocate strongly for children. This includes challenging community and statutory services to ensure that they are complying with their respective responsibilities. Consequently, children know that managers want the best for them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The immediate management team consists of the home manager and two deputy managers. All have significant relevant experience in supporting children and act as positive role models for staff. The staff team is further supported by the organisation’s two directors, who have substantial social care and leadership experience and are visible and supportive individuals in the staff team. This has helped to create an open, supportive and transparent culture between care staff, managers and directors.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The day-to-day management support in the home is exceptional and staff are well supported by management figures, who work in unison and with a shared focus on children’s well-being. Children directly benefit from this, as the range of experience within the home’s management structure covers a diverse spectrum, allowing flexibility in deciding who is best placed to support staff or children when any challenges arise.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers demonstrate a good understanding of diversity and difference, responding sensitively to the changing needs of staff and children in a supportive and anti-oppressive manner. This provides the foundations of an environment for staff and children, which is nurturing and respectful, and one that embraces the uniqueness of each person as an individual. This is aspirational for staff and children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers demonstrate a strong commitment to children’s progress and welfare, meaning that managers have high aspirations for the impact they can have on children’s lives. This culture has been embedded into the staff team. Consequently, morale in the team is very high and staff praise the practical and emotional support they receive from the management team. One staff member said, ‘The registered manager is fantastic with children, she is very knowledgeable, and the children know they can approach her about anything. Overall, she is a great leader and a genuinely amazing individual.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Although all staff receive regular practice-based supervision, supervision records do not always convey that staff are encouraged to personally reflect on their practice, skills and experience of working in the home. This has not impacted on children, and leaders recognise this is an area for potential development. Staff undertake a wide range of training that helps to prepare them for their role and continually develop their skills and experience. Inspection report for children’s home: 2731497 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: 2731497 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 1 Turnpike Lane, London N8 0EP

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Nuala Harrington

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Inspector

Ashley Edwards, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2731497 8 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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