Children's Home run by Esland South Limited in Greenwich

Inspection report for children's home: SC386134 1 SC386134 Registered provider: Esland South Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run home provides care for up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in December 2008. The manager registered with Ofsted in March 2021 and is suitably qualified.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, there were two children living at the home.

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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: SC386134 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/08/2024 Full Outstanding 05/12/2023 Full Good 14/03/2023 Full Good 28/07/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC386134 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children receive exemplary, high-quality care from a dedicated and compassionate staff team. Staff understand the concept and importance of role modelling for children and are skilled at weaving in their experiences to guide them. Staff meticulously ensure that they provide tailored care that meets every child’s needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home is warm and welcoming. Staff have worked hard alongside children to make the home a nurturing and homely environment. There are lots of games for children to play with and books for children to read. In addition, the outdoor space provides an area where children can relax. Staff clearly take pride in the home for children and help children to maintain a lovely environment for them to live in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are settled and they are thriving due to exceptional care from a skilled and experienced staff team. Staff accept and value children for who they are. Children’s personalities flourish. The manager and staff have created a safe and playful environment that helps children to relax, to be themselves and to learn. As a result, children have excellent experiences and make outstanding progress which goes beyond expectations.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff use child-friendly creative approaches which are individualised for each child. Children’s care plans reflect this, and staff review and update them regularly. All areas of the care plan highlight children’s starting points and progress. There are clear plans in place for staff to support children to continue to achieve their goals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The use of research has helped managers, leaders and staff to develop their relationships with the children. Their relationships are extremely positive and caring. Staff spend quality time with the children, planning and doing activities together such as singing, plaiting hair and watching children’s favourite programmes. Staff regularly celebrate the children’s achievements with them. One child recently went to an event called ‘Shining Stars’ to receive an award for their progress. The child said, ‘I had an amazing experience and feel extremely proud of my achievements.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff see education as vital to children’s lives and children’s learning outcomes are exceptionally good. Both children enjoy and attend education consistently. One child has 100% school attendance. In addition, they engage in extra tuition which has helped them to understand core subjects better. Staff work collaboratively with education professionals in supporting children to achieve their goals. For example, staff supported one child to learn how to plait hair, which led to them taking part in an event at school where they taught their peers how to plait hair.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children receive support to develop their independence and life skills. Children’s progress is regularly reviewed and measured, and this supports staff to continue meeting children’s needs. Inspection report for children's home: SC386134 4 Children experience well-planned moves to the home. Since the last inspection, one child has been welcomed to the home and benefited from thorough introductions. Two children have moved out of the home. This was carefully planned to support both children to have positive moves.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are supported to have family time, direct and/or indirect, with their family, friends and other people who are important to them.

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

Children feel safe living at the home. Staff support children to learn essential life skills to keep themselves safe in the community. Staff have a good understanding of children’s risks. There has been a significant reduction in risks for all children, and they are making safer choices since moving into the home.

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

Children do not go missing from the home. They have a strong sense of feeling safe and they know that staff care for them. For one child, this has led to significant positive changes in their behaviour.

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

Risk assessments provide staff with clear guidance to keep children safe. Robust and effective control measures are implemented to support children to reduce risk-taking behaviour, such as self-harm. Children are supported to keep themselves safe on the internet and this is monitored closely by the staff. One child wanted to understand what grooming was, and staff supported their understanding of this.

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

Physical restraint is rarely used. The staff’s knowledge of the children and their behaviour support plans means that staff can identify triggers to children’s behaviour and use effective de-escalation strategies, without the need to use physical intervention. Positive reinforcement is used to promote children’s good behaviour. Consequences are rarely used and when implemented are restorative in nature.

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

Children are supported to understand how to stay safe, through regular one-to-one sessions with their key worker. As a result, one child is now able to safely access the community independently, in line with clear safety agreements. However, one child still needs more support to better understand positive relationships, sexual health and their identity.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is led and managed by a highly committed and experienced registered manager. She is a positive role model for both children and staff, by promoting a nurturing and homely environment. The manager and staff know the children extremely well and have high aspirations for them. Feedback from children and external professionals about the leaders, managers and staff is overwhelmingly positive. Inspection report for children's home: SC386134 5 The culture of the home is characterised by high expectations. Leaders and managers collaborate proactively with other professionals and build positive relationships with parents. Professionals and parents receive regular updates on the progress and experiences of children. This results in a shared approach to providing children with good-quality care and support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The independent visitor regularly secures the views of children and professionals, and their views are captured well in monthly reports. However, reports do not always include the views of parents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders ensure that staff have access to a wide range of training opportunities and effective supervision. Staff describe the managers as extremely supportive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Children’s records and management reports consistently reflect children’s lived experiences. They have a strong emphasis on the individual child, their views and their personality. Children’s records show their achievements and acknowledge areas for development and growth.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Continual professional development is a key strength of the home. The registered manager is innovative and embeds staff learning through research-based tasks. This supports staff confidence and helps them to deliver high-quality care to children that enables them to thrive physically, socially, emotionally and educationally.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Robust monitoring and a detailed development plan demonstrate that leaders and managers understand the home’s strengths and areas for improvement. The registered manager conducts a thorough analysis of data relating to each child’s risks and behaviours, tracking their progress over time. This enables her to identify trends and patterns in the home and take action to help children reduce their risks. Additionally, the manager’s review of the quality of care report provides a comprehensive account of the progress children have made, which is shared with the wider professional network.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has established excellent relationships with key external agencies. This ensures that children receive the services they need when they need them. A social worker spoke highly of the care provided. The responsible individual and manager are both influential in decision-making about children. This enhances the life chances for the children in their care. Inspection report for children's home: SC386134 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that, in line with their individual health plans and the ethos of the home, children are offered advice, support and guidance on their identity, sexual health awareness and healthy relationships. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.18)  The registered person should ensure that the independent visitor actively seeks the views of parents involved in children’s care, to ensure continuous improvement. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)

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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: SC386134 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Esland South Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Ruth Okezie, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC386134 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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