Children's home run by Esland North Limited in Preston

Inspection report for children’s home: SC480161 1 SC470457 Registered provider: Care and Management Services Limited. Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home provides care for up to three children who have complex behaviours because of their childhood experiences.

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Information about this children’s home

Three children lived at the home at the time of the inspection. All three children shared their views with the inspector.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered since November 2020 and is suitably qualified.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC480161 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/10/2024 Full Good 12/09/2023 Full Good 28/02/2023 Full Good 06/12/2022 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: SC480161 3

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improvement to be good

All three children have moved into the home since the last inspection. Two children moved in quickly, as they needed stability. They are in the process of settling in and developing relationships with staff.

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improvement to be good

The four children who have left the home all made progress with their education, independence skills, self-esteem and confidence. Staff helped the children to move to supported accommodation or to live with family. The registered manager and staff continue to offer outreach support to these children and are part of their social network.

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improvement to be good

Two of the children who have moved visited the home during the inspection. They said that they felt cared for and valued by the staff and manager. However, one child said that when they moved, they did not feel emotionally ready. At the time, staff did not provide the child with advocacy support to enable their voice to be heard when decisions were being made about their care planning.

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improvement to be good

Children are encouraged to engage with their educational tutors. However, the time children spend in tutoring is limited, and outside of this, there are no educational or structured activities to enhance their learning. One social worker told the inspector that their child spends significant periods of time in their bedroom, and this is not appropriate for their emotional well-being. A lack of structure does not support children to have consistent and meaningful routines.

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improvement to be good

The support for children to lead healthy lifestyles is inconsistent. Children are not regularly eating nutritious, balanced meals. Furthermore, staff have not completed any educational work about healthy eating with one child who prepares their own meals. There was a significant delay in the request being made by staff for one child’s annual health assessment. This does not ensure that children’s health needs are adequately met.

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improvement to be good

Most areas in the home are warm and welcoming. However, one child’s bathtub had mould around the edge, and part of their bedroom wall was not clean. During the tour of the home, staff referred to one of the bathrooms as the ‘staff bathroom’ and said that children were not permitted to use it. This has the potential to give the home an institutionalised feel.

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improvement to be good

Children are supported to spend quality time with family and friends as appropriate. The children have enjoyed a summer holiday to the seaside and have taken part in leisure activities in the home and the community. They are making some memories, which they will cherish for a long time. Inspection report for children’s home: SC480161 4

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improvement to be good

Children are forming meaningful, positive and trusting relationships with the adults who care for them. Staff take time to help children learn about how to keep themselves safe. There has been a significant reduction in the risks that children face. The children told the inspector that they feel safe living at the home and that they can speak with the manager and staff if they have any worries about their safety.

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improvement to be good

Social workers said that staff communicate with them about significant incidents and mostly follow safeguarding processes and procedures. However, there have been occasions where staff have not promptly put into practice recommendations from one child’s assessments. This does not show that they fully understand their responsibilities in working together with partner agencies to keep children safe.

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improvement to be good

When children are missing from the home, staff mostly follow children’s missing- from-care protocols. There was one occasion where managers had opportunities to directly support a child and bring them home safely but left most of this responsibility to a parent. This shortfall in practice was also raised by the child’s social worker as a concern.

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improvement to be good

The use of restraint is rare. Since the last inspection, there have been three recorded incidents where restraint was used. During one of these incidents, managers failed to explore with staff whether the hold used was lawful and proportionate. This is a missed opportunity to identify any potential safeguarding concerns or learning or to address shortfalls in staff practice.

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improvement to be good

There was a delay in managers notifying Ofsted of a significant incident. This does not support Ofsted to have an oversight of safeguarding incidents that occur at the home. This shortfall was raised at the last inspection and remains an ongoing concern.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The home is managed and led by an experienced registered manager. However, the oversight of the operation of the home has been poor. The registered manager has faced some challenging circumstances that have impacted on his ability to review and evaluate the service effectively. Senior managers’ auditing processes and support systems have failed to promptly identify, track and address shortfalls.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Reviews of the quality of care have not been undertaken by managers for a considerable period. Consequently, managers are not fully aware of the areas where improvement is needed to ensure consistent care for children. In addition, the regulator’s oversight of the quality of care and safety of children has been reduced. Inspection report for children’s home: SC480161 5 An independent person has been appointed to visit the home monthly. However, subsequent reports are not submitted to Ofsted in a timely way, and there are significant delays. This reduces the external oversight of the operation of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

A social worker said that the communication from the registered manager and staff can be poor and that, on some occasions, there has been no one from the home in attendance at children’s care planning meetings. In addition, the social worker is not always updated by staff about the child’s day-to-day experiences as agreed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The registered manager has failed to submit updated copies of the home’s statement of purpose to Ofsted for more than a year. In addition, the workforce and development plan has not been kept up to date. This is a missed opportunity to assess areas of strength and areas for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Despite the shortfalls, the registered manager and a full staff team are in post, with some staff having worked at the home for several years. The staff feel supported and valued by the registered manager and say they have been given opportunities to progress their careers. The staff have received the company’s mandatory training to help them meet children’s complex needs. Inspection report for children’s home: SC480161 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to develop and maintain effective professional relationships with such persons, bodies or organisations as the registered person considers appropriate having regard to the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the children’s home is to provide care and accommodation. (Regulation 5 (a)(d)) 31 January 2026

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(iv)(c)(i)) 31 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC480161 7 The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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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

is given appropriate advocacy support. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(b)(iii)) 31 December

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(v))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager should ensure that children are provided with structured learning opportunities to support their educational progress. 31 January 2026

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child; 31 December Inspection report for children’s home: SC480161 8 that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(b))

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)) 31 January 2026

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Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b)) 31 January 2026

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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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)(e)) 31 January 2026

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person to ensure that the independent person’s report is submitted to HMCI promptly. 31 January 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC480161 9 The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”).

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a)) 31 January 2026

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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: SC480161 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Care and Management Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Park business centre, Wood Lane, Birmingham B24 9QR

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Inspector

Rumbi Mangoma, Ofsted Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC480161 11 regulates 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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