Children's home run by Esland North Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 1274670 1 Registered provider: Esland North Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home provides care for up to two children who have experienced trauma and encounter associated difficulties with their emotional well-being. The home may also care for children who have a learning disability.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2025. The manager has an appropriate management qualification.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

A child moved into the home in November 2024 and remained living at the home at the time of this inspection. The child was seen and spoken to during this visit.

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

Overall judgement at last inspection: Requires improvement to be good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: None Inspection report for children’s home: 1274670 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/06/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 23/03/2022 Interim Improved effectiveness 19/10/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 02/12/2019 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: 1274670 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the service reopened in October 2024, one child has moved in and continues to live at the home. The child is settled and making good progress from their starting point.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education is a high priority for the child. Staff are supporting them to move to a new school that meets their assessed needs. They work effectively in partnership with education professionals to support a phased introduction, which is gradually increasing the child’s confidence and attendance.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff know the child well and respond flexibly and adaptively to their changing needs. For example, they support the child to develop independent living skills at a pace that suits them. Staff encourage the child to complete everyday personal care routines and household tasks within agreed timescales, before stepping in to offer support alongside them. Staff celebrate the child’s progress and express pride in their growing independence.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s views are central to the running of the home. Staff consult the child on all aspects of their care and support them to take increasing control over decisions that affect them. Staff understand the importance of recognising achievements and creating positive memories. The child has personalised memory books containing photos and comments that capture their time at the home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage the child to participate in appropriate community-based activities and go on holidays. They also support the child to develop and maintain relationships with family and friends. Where appropriate, staff listen to family members and include them in the child’s life. Whenever possible, they work with the child to increase time spent with individuals who are important to them. This includes providing staff support during visits or when taking part in activities.

p.3

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

The registered manager and staff prioritise the child’s well-being and safety. They use daily ad hoc discussions and educational resources to introduce and explore topics such as safe relationships, going missing from the home, phone use and online safety. This proactive approach supports the child to better understand risks and begin to develop strategies to keep themselves safe.

p.3

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

When the child becomes unsettled, staff recognise that this is often linked to wider issues they are struggling to understand or cope with, including historical trauma. Since the child moved into the home, there has been one missing-from-home incident, which was managed appropriately and in line with procedures. Inspection report for children’s home: 1274670 4 Staff focus on rewarding positive behaviour and encouraging the child to make constructive choices. They help the child understand how their behaviour affects themselves and others. Inappropriate behaviour is managed through natural consequences, and physical restraint is used appropriately and only as a last resort.

p.3

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

The registered manager monitors incidents and the use of physical restraint to identify patterns and trends. Staff attend relevant and informative training that enables them to reflect on and develop their practice, while also strengthening their relationships with the child. As a result, incidents at the home are reducing, and strong routines and boundaries are helping the child to feel safe and secure.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has worked at the home since August 2025. She received a planned and thorough induction from the previous registered manager, which supported a smooth transition for the staff team and the child. This process enabled her to build positive relationships and establish a strong foundation for leadership.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The responsible individual and registered manager have a clear understanding of the home’s strengths and the areas they wish to develop. They use a combination of internal and external auditing tools to inform improvement plans and drive progress.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager places the child at the centre of her practice. She operates an open-door policy, ensuring she is accessible to both staff and the child. Staff speak positively about the support they receive and report high morale within the team.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from regular, high-quality supervision and annual appraisals. Team meetings are informative, and child focused. Clinicians attend meetings alongside staff to discuss the child’s development and therapeutic parenting approaches. This enables staff to reflect on incidents and consider alternative strategies to support the child effectively.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager maintains strong relationships with external agencies. The child’s social worker and education professionals are highly complementary about the nurturing and well-planned care provided by staff and the positive progress the child is making. One professional commented, ‘The relationship we’ve built is fantastic; we communicate daily regarding the young person in our care, which ensures that everyone is on the same page. It’s brilliant to have the care staff always on hand to attend meetings and provide their support when needed. They are incredibly calm, supportive, personable and professional, making collaboration feel effortless.’

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The service has made good progress since reopening. The responsible individual and registered manager continue to reflect on practice and seek ways to improve outcomes for the child. No requirements or recommendations were made following this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: 1274670 5

p.4

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: 1274670 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Esland North Limited

p.6

Children’s home details

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

p.6

Inspector

Dawn Bennett, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1274670 7 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.6

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.7

Inspector

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

p.7

Inspector

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

p.7