Children's home run by Esland North Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2501791 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 privately run home provides care for up to three children who experience social and emotional difficulties, and those who have mild to moderate learning disabilities. At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home.

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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 good

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good

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

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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: 2501791 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/06/2024 Full Good 27/02/2024 Full Inadequate 14/06/2022 Full Good 09/06/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2501791 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from nurturing relationships with staff who know them well. Staff express and demonstrate a positive, empathic approach to care. Children say that they feel safe in the home and have adults they can trust and talk to. Their relationships with staff support them to make progress from their own individual starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support and encourage children to take part in a range of activities and experiences. Children talk proudly about their achievements, such as playing pool, go- karting and being part of rugby club. This supports children’s self-esteem and helps them make memories.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views are valued, and they are encouraged to express them. Children are supported to have advocates if they wish. Regular house meetings and one-to-one time provide opportunities for children to share wishes and feelings and exercise choice over things like meals, activities and changes to the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff and managers promote and reward children’s attendance and engagement in education. They work proactively to try and overcome barriers and advocate strongly for children if they feel their needs are not being met. Support in this area has helped one child who had a prolonged period out of school to begin to access and enjoy education again.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The interior of the home is in good repair and furnished in a child-friendly manner. Photographs of children and their artwork are displayed in communal spaces, and staff help them to personalise their bedrooms. This helps to give children a sense of ownership of their home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are extensive renovations being conducted on the exterior of the building, requiring scaffolding and daily building work for over three months. Managers completed a risk assessment, and suitable measures are in place to manage inherent safety risks. However, the ongoing work detracts from the homely atmosphere and impacts on children’s ability to use external areas. Managers were unable to provide a completion date or evidence of efforts to avoid further delay with this.

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

There is a strong safeguarding culture in the home. Staff have a good grasp of their responsibilities. They are guided by plans for children that are clear and regularly updated, which supports effective responses to safeguarding concerns.

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

Concerns about online safety for one child are well understood by staff. There are clear plans in place to manage risks as well as to support and educate the child. Managers Inspection report for children’s home: 2501791 4 arranged additional specialist training for staff to support this work and review plans in partnership with the child’s social worker.

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

When children go missing from home, staff respond appropriately in line with children’s individual protocols. They are active in seeking to find children and liaise with police and other relevant professionals to this end. Following any missing from home episodes, there is prompt follow-up work with children to help them reflect and inform efforts to reduce the risk of future missing incidents.

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

Staff take a child-centred approach to behaviour management. They seek to engage sensitively with children if they are upset or presenting behaviour that challenges and to de-escalate situations. When physical restraint is used, it is always as a last resort and is subject to timely, effective oversight. This includes follow up discussions with children and staff involved to consider better ways to support them.

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

When there are allegations about staff, managers take prompt action to address and investigate concerns. They consult appropriately with safeguarding professionals, such as the local authority designated officer, to guide investigations and consider learning from these to improve practice.

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

When staff come to work in the home, managers undertake appropriate checks to ensure that new staff are vetted and safe to work with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, management arrangements have been stable. The registered manager has now completed their level 5 qualification. Managers show a good understanding of children and are aspirational for them. Staff say that they are well supported by managers who are regularly present and available in the home which creates a supportive culture.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Senior managers have a good understanding of the service and its strengths and weaknesses. They are actively involved in the day-to-day running of the home and provide a high level of support to the manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular one-to-one supervision and appraisal in line with company policy. The structure for staff support also includes regular team meetings and team around the child meetings with clinical input. These help staff to reflect and implement care in line with the ethos in the statement of purpose.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There have been significant changes to the staff team since the previous inspection. Managers have taken proactive steps to recruit and fill vacancies; however, staff retention remains a challenge. In response, managers made a child-centred decision not to admit a third child until staffing levels are stable. This demonstrates an understanding of the importance of consistency for children. To maintain continuity, managers use staff from other homes within the organisation, who are familiar to the Inspection report for children’s home: 2501791 5 children. While this approach reduces disruption, arrangements are not always communicated effectively to children and staff, which can lead to anxiety for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff and managers are required to complete a suitable range of training to guide them in their roles. The system for monitoring staff progress with training and qualifications is generally effective and managers take action to provide additional support and guidance to staff if needed. However, for one member of staff, managers did not hold accurate information about their training needs and progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers understand the importance of relationships with others in children’s lives. They communicate effectively with professionals and family members to ensure children receive coordinated care. This includes providing challenge to partner agencies when they feel responses are not meeting the needs of children or there has been delay. Inspection report for children’s home: 2501791 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, 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 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

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; and enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that building works to the outside of the home are completed without further delay. 25 December 2025

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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; 11 February 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 2501791 7 ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that all arrangements for temporary staff to work in the home are explained as early as possible to children and permanent staff, so that children can be helped to understand who will be caring for them.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that they have a good understanding of the training needs of all staff and that all staff are up to date with required training. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards,’ page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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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: 2501791 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: Esland Ltd, Suite 1 & 5 , Riverside Business Centre, Foundry Lane, Milford, Belper DE56 0RN

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Inspector

Jacob Robson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2501791 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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