Children's home run by Esland North Limited

Inspection report for children's home: 2688829 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

This home is owned by a private company. It provides care for up to two children who may display complex behaviours because of their experiences. The home offers short- term placements of 12 weeks to assess children’s care needs before they move to long- term care arrangements.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, one child was living in the home. They spoke to the inspector.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in February 2024. They are suitably qualified and experienced.

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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 requires improvement to be 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: 21 January 2025

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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: 2688829 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/01/2025 Full Good 11/04/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2688829 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress as a result of living in this home. Despite recent instability in leadership, staff have maintained a consistent and nurturing environment. Children benefit from strong relationships with staff who understand their needs and provide individualised care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, four children have moved out of the home and three children have moved in. Children’s moves are well planned and include visits to the home. This helps children to feel informed and reduces anxieties they may have. All children have moved on from the home in a planned way in line with recommendations from the assessment that is completed while children live in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child currently living in the home said that they feel safe, listened to and happy. They described having trusted adults to talk to and recognised the positive impact that living at the home has had on their well-being. This demonstrates the effectiveness of staff in building meaningful relationships, which support children to feel safe and help them to quickly settle.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is warm and welcoming. The child’s bedroom is personalised, and their artwork is displayed throughout the home, promoting a sense of pride and belonging. Staff efforts to improve the garden were recognised by the wider organisation, which awarded the home first place in an internal competition. This recognition has boosted morale and reinforced the value placed on the environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education is tailored to children’s individual needs. A tutor based at the home delivers structured learning, and staff support children to develop their understanding of risk and build essential life skills through regular discussions and workbooks. Accredited work and certificates provide tangible recognition of progress, helping children to build confidence and establish healthy routines.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to pursue their interests through adventurous activities such as climbing and mountain biking. These experiences are captured in memory books, which help children reflect on their achievements and build positive memories.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff actively support children to maintain relationships with people who are important to them. A parent described the home as ‘amazing’ and ‘like a little family,’ highlighting the quality of communication and emotional support provided. Family visits are facilitated in line with the child’s wishes, strengthening their sense of identity and emotional resilience.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are responsive to children’s cultural needs. For example, one child was supported to develop a hair-care routine appropriate to their hair texture. This has promoted self- esteem and helped the child establish a healthy personal care routine. Inspection report for children's home: 2688829 4

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

Children are safeguarded effectively. Their care plans and risk assessments provide staff with clear, practical guidance that is consistently followed. As a result, children experience stability and feel safe. Staff demonstrate skill and commitment in managing complex behaviours, which has contributed to the absence of unplanned endings.

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

Incidents of children going missing from home are rare, reflecting significant progress given the high levels of risk some children presented when they moved into the home. Since the last inspection, there has been one incident of the child going missing from home. Staff responded appropriately, and the child’s social worker visited the home to ensure that their views were heard, and safeguarding practice was maintained. However, the discussion was not clearly recorded. While staff consistently create detailed records following incidents, some of these records lack clarity. This is a recording issue and has not impacted on the quality of care.

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

Staff receive a comprehensive and targeted training programme. This includes training tailored to specific risks, such as self-injurious behaviours. Training equips staff with the knowledge and confidence to respond to safeguarding concerns and contributes to the safe and supportive environment children experience.

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

Staff are supported by an in-house clinician who leads regular reflective sessions. These discussions help staff to explore challenges, identify learning and develop strategies that are responsive to children’s needs. This clinical input strengthens the home’s safeguarding culture and enhances staff confidence.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The home has experienced a period of instability in its leadership and management arrangements, which has affected the consistency and quality of oversight. Internal processes are in place to address the identified shortfalls, with a clear focus on strengthening leadership and improving the overall management of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, the registered manager was absent for a total of six weeks, and the responsible individual has been away since July 2025. Although the deputy manager and senior leaders provided interim support, the lack of consistent oversight has affected the quality of support available to staff and the robustness of monitoring systems.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager has now stepped down from a dual-registered role to focus solely on this home. This change is expected to improve consistency and strengthen leadership. Staff speak positively about the manager and deputy, describing them as approachable, knowledgeable and committed. Feedback from staff highlights a strong team culture and a sense of being valued, which has helped maintain morale during a challenging period. Inspection report for children's home: 2688829 5 The manager has not consistently submitted notifications to Ofsted in a timely manner. Although the independent visitor identified this and the manager took action, delays have limited regulatory oversight and missed opportunities for external scrutiny.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Managers always complete evaluations following incidents. However, evaluations do not always identify all learning. This reduces opportunities to improve practice and ensure continuous development. Additionally, not all staff have received annual appraisals, which limits the ability to review performance, identify training needs and support professional growth.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager demonstrates a proactive and informed approach to leadership. Research is undertaken into areas relevant to the needs of children and the service, and this insight is used to inform practice. For example, a recent team meeting focused on case studies relating to disclosures. This session was informative and supported staff to develop their understanding of how to respond appropriately, contributing to a safe and reflective culture in the home. Inspection report for children's home: 2688829 6

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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.

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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; and

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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)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the home having stable and consistent leadership, including a responsible individual who is present, active and competently overseeing the quality of care at the home.

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Requirement Due date

Additionally, managers must ensure that evaluations after incidents identify all learning. 6 January 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(c)) 6 January 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— 6 January 2026 Inspection report for children's home: 2688829 7 an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(e))

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 2688829 8

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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

Laura Norcop, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2688829 9 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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