Children's Home run by Esland North Limited in Cambridgeshire

Inspection report for children's home: 2784699 1 Registered provider: Esland North Limited

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children's home

This home is privately run and provides care for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children's home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 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: not previously inspected

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children's home: 2784699 2

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of the inspection, two children were living at the home. One child shared their views as part of the inspection.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves into the home are sensitively planned. Managers consider children’s needs, the skills of staff and mental health resources available. Managers are thoughtful, and they consider the child who currently lives in the home. As a result, children experience planned moves with minimal disruption.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff build positive relationships with children. Staff understand how adverse childhood experiences affect children’s ability to trust adults. They use therapeutically informed approaches. Staff spend time with children building consistent and caring relationships. This approach helps children to settle. A social worker said, ‘[Name of Child] is building trusting relationships with adults, presenting as more settled and showing a greater willingness to talk about her past.’

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff prioritise children’s education. Staff transport children to school. At home, staff encourage one child to attend their online tuition. Both children have education offers tailored to their needs. Leaders and managers work collaboratively with professionals to meet children’s educational needs. For example, they are working together to identify the most appropriate school for a child who is due to move from an alternative provision to a specialist school.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children engage in a wide variety of enrichment activities, including bike rides, art and craft in the home, roller-skating and ice-skating. Staff offer children opportunities to choose and plan their activities. These help children to build positive memories that they will remember into adulthood.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to spend time with important people in their lives. Staff regularly promote family time and update parents on children’s progress. Children spend time with friends in the community. This helps children to maintain relationships with families and friends.

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home’s decor is of a very high standard and children’s bedrooms reflect their preferences. The house is cosy, warm and inviting. This helps to enhance children’s sense of comfort.

p.2

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

Children said that they feel safe and trust the staff. Staff understand children's historical backgrounds and risks. Staff regularly consult the home’s therapist on strategies to support children’s emotional development. As a result, children receive individualised care. Inspection report for children's home: 2784699 3 Staff use therapeutically informed approaches to care for children. Staff support children to develop positive coping strategies to manage upsetting feelings. For example, staff developed a strategy for a child to use when experiencing thoughts of self-harm. A social worker said, ‘Staff are responsive to self-harming incidents and work therapeutically to understand triggers and provide emotional support.’

p.2

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

Children rarely leave the home without permission. When they do, they receive well- coordinated care. Staff follow clear protocols and immediately search for children in the local area to bring them safely back home. Staff also notify the police and request for return home interviews.

p.3

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

Staff have conversations with children to keep themselves safe on issues such as internet safety and stranger danger awareness. Staff supported one child to meet their friends in the community and children are helped to access social media. Consequently, children take age-appropriate risks and develop their independence.

p.3

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

Staff offer children consistent boundaries and routines, and this is individualised for each child. Children are provided with a structure to their day. This helps children to feel settled and reduces their anxieties.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by a suitably experienced and qualified manager. She is supported by a deputy manager. Children are cared for by consistent staff and agency staff are rarely used. Management and staff are aspirational for children. The staff reflect the ethos of the home in their warm interactions with children.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers work effectively with other professionals. They meet regularly with other professionals to discuss children’s needs and their support for children with complex emotional needs. This enables staff to get regular clinical guidance and multi-agency support.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff use therapeutically informed, kind language in children’s records. Staff praise children and recognise their achievements. This helps children to develop a positive self- image.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have positive morale and feel well supported. They are provided with regular supervision sessions and team meetings that focus on their well-being and children’s needs.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff access a wide range of training that enables them to understand children’s developmental needs. Most staff have the relevant level 3 qualification. However, two staff members have not achieved this within the required time frame.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children receive good levels of care. Managers actively monitor the quality of care provided to children. Managers have good oversight of the home and effective Inspection report for children's home: 2784699 4 monitoring systems in place. Managers encourage staff to reflect, which helps to improve practice. As a result, children receive attuned and individualised care.

p.3

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff have failed to ensure that one child has an up-to-date local authority care plan. This means staff cannot fully reflect on children’s needs as they compile a care plan. Inspection report for children's home: 2784699 5

p.4

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 must comply within the given timescales.

p.5

Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

p.5

Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or

p.5

Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

p.5

Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

p.5

Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014,1st April 2016. (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b)) 30 April 2026

p.5

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that relevant plans for children form the basis of their care. Relevant plans are defined in the interpretation section of the Regulations (regulation 2) as: any placement plan; any care plan; any statement of special educational needs; and any education, health and care plan (EHC plan). ('Guide to the Children's Homes Regulations, including the quality standards', page 10, paragraph, 2.1)

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspector has 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 Inspection report for children's home: 2784699 6 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: 2784699 7

p.5

Children's home details

Registered provider: Esland North Limited

p.7

Children's home details

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

p.7

Children's home details

Responsible individual: Samantha Mitchamson

p.7

Inspector

Priscilla Koroka, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2784699 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