Children's home run by Esland North Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2540927 1 Registered provider: Esland North Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and operated by a private provider.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for up to three children who may have emotional and social difficulties or learning disabilities. Two children were living in the home at the time of the inspection. One child spoke to the inspector.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in August 2025.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 4 February 2025

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2540927 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/02/2025 Full Good 28/02/2024 Full Good 08/03/2023 Full Good 01/03/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2540927 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making progress. Staff help children to prepare for independence and develop skills for adulthood. One child is proud of how they are now using public transport to help them attend activities and visit family members.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children achieve in education. Both children have started college. Staff collaborated with school to help one child maintain their education placement and complete exams. Transitions to college have been well supported by staff. Each child has received individual key-work sessions and advocacy discussions about plans in relation to education.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Health needs are promoted by staff, who take children to routine and emergency medical appointments. When children feel worried about appointments, staff explain the process and offer emotional support. For one child, this supportive approach has meant that they have felt able to access dental treatment.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment is welcoming and comfortable. The manager has encouraged children to personalise the home by shopping for soft furnishings and colour schemes. Children’s bedrooms are often updated at their request. Children have framed photos displayed in their bedroom and have memory books to capture their time here. Staff and children have created a shared ‘family tree’ where photos are displayed in a way that is comfortable for children.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff listen to children’s wishes and feelings through regular conversations. There are fortnightly ‘chat and chill’ meetings. These foster a space where children can share their successes and grumbles about the preceding two weeks. The meetings have been revised, with the input of children, to include meaningful conversations, such as on Black History Month, local crime statistics and anti-bullying topics. This helps to create an environment where tolerance and other people’s views are respected.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff take children to visit family members, which helps nurture relationships that are important to them. One child regularly stays with family members overnight. Staff support the overnight stays through sharing information, which develops a consistency of care for the child. For children who have been bereaved, staff understand the impact of this loss and have engaged children in activities to help them process their loss.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have access to therapeutic services when they need them. Children report their emotional well-being has improved because of this. Therapists meet with staff to help embed therapeutic care approaches with children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2540927 4

p.3

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

Children feel safe and can name staff they trust. Children regularly seek out staff to talk to and gain advice. When children are communicating online, staff demonstrate curiosity and help children to think about how they can stay safe through key-work sessions.

p.4

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

Children contribute to care plans that inform staff of how they would like to be helped if they are upset or angry. Staff understand and implement children’s behaviour support plans effectively. Children know that staff will follow their plans when they are upset and in need of support, which offers them a sense of reassurance that their needs will be met.

p.4

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

Staff know how to help children who have self-harmed. When one child hurt themselves, there was a kind response from staff and medical treatment was sought. Staff have worked with professionals to help one child access support from a mental health service. Staff are vigilant to changes in children’s presentation and help children to use strategies they find helpful to promote good emotional health. One child celebrated the progress they have made in relation to their mental health and how they have not self-harmed for over six months.

p.4

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

Staff use physical intervention as a last resort to ensure the safety of children or staff. They complete detailed records, which include the reasons why physical intervention was used. The duration of and the type of hold used is clearly documented. The records reflect the proactive steps taken by staff to try and avoid the use of physical intervention. This enables managers to monitor and review this practice effectively.

p.4

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

Managers have successfully embedded a learning culture in the team. There is frequent feedback given to help develop staff practice. There have been notable improvements in recording and using language that cares. However, sometimes information is not consistent across different documents and discussions with social workers are not clearly recorded, particularly in relation to when children have raised concerns. This could make it confusing for children accessing their records in the future to understand how staff kept them safe.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leadership is strong. The manager is supported by a deputy manager who knows the children well. Managers are passionate about the care of children and work well together. There has been a period of sickness that affected the timeliness of a registered manager being in post. However, during times of leadership instability, the organisation provided consistent, temporary leadership and management cover, which means there has been limited impact on children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2540927 5 The manager works effectively with key people involved in children’s care. One school commented that the communication was ‘strong and effective’, helping to create a collaborative approach to care. Professionals recognised the manager’s advocacy skills in relation to the children as a strength. This has meant that children’s wishes and feelings are listened to by the professional network.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers review children’s progress regularly. They complete debrief discussions with staff and children following significant incidents and actively engage staff in lessons learned exercises to continually develop the workforce.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel well supported by managers. They receive regular supervision, which is reflective. Monthly team around the child meetings are facilitated by a therapist. The meetings provide a space where team reflection is encouraged. Staff consider the needs of the children and staff responses together. This helps to develop a consistent approach to the care that children receive.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

When new staff are employed, there is a thorough induction process with a high level of supervision. The probation period is meaningful; actions are taken by managers if staff do not meet the required standards during this time.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have received training in the specific needs of children. The manager has enabled staff to access further training to better understand their roles and responsibilities. Two staff have not achieved the residential childcare qualification required in the required timescales. Managers have plans in place to ensure that this shortfall is addressed. Inspection report for children’s home: 2540927 6

p.5

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all staff in a care role have the qualification in regulation 32(4) within the relevant timescale listed in regulation 32(5). The registered person may extend the time period if the member of staff has not worked in the role for a prolonged period, such as sick leave or maternity leave, or if it is not reasonable to expect the member of staff to complete in this timescale due to the nature of the hours they work. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.12)  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 Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

p.6

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: 2540927 7

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Esland North Limited

p.7

Children’s home details

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

p.7

Inspector

Ali Owens, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2540927 8 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.

p.7

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.8