Children's home run by Esland North Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2624054 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 owned children’s home provides care for up to 3 children with social or emotional difficulties and associated complex needs. There were 3 children living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

At this home, staff are referred to as adults. This language is reflected in the report.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered since November 2024.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 4 September 2024

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2624054 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/09/2024 Full Good 26/09/2023 Full Good 19/07/2022 Full Good 21/07/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2624054 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children who live in this home are happy and making excellent progress in all aspects of their lives. The children have trusted relationships with dedicated adults who are attuned to the children’s individual needs. The adults know the children well and support them to have respectful and caring relationships with one another. The adults do this by consistently modelling empathy and warmth, which is reflected in how the children talk about and respond to each other.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s cultural needs are met exceptionally well by skilled adults who place value on celebrating diversity. Within days of moving into the home, one child was accompanied by staff to choose culturally familiar food and to speak their first language. Adults sensitively supported this child to reconnect positively with their faith and understand their religious identity. This restorative approach has helped to enhance the child’s sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are encouraged to have fun. Adults recognise and celebrate children’s skills and talents including singing, cooking and carpentry. Children attend football matches to see their chosen team and have opportunities to holiday abroad at a destination of their choosing. One child spoke excitedly about their planned trip to Greece this year.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

All children are making exceptional progress in their education from their starting points. Adults go above and beyond to ensure that children can remain in their chosen schools and routinely drive children for significant distances to school. Adults remain in the local area, so that they are available to support children at times of additional need in their school day.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children have high aspirations for their future and work hard to achieve them. Children are on track to achieve their goals, such as sitting GCSE exams, completing college courses and seeking apprenticeships. One child has driving lessons booked for their upcoming 17 th birthday and is enjoying their first part-time job.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children receive timely support to prepare them for independence and moving on. They are supported to develop a range of independent living skills. Adults support children to develop skills and gain qualifications that they need to succeed in adulthood. The registered manager supported a child to gain professional beauty qualifications and public liability insurance, so that they had good foundations for a career when they moved on.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Leaders and managers have intentionally created shared spaces for socialising as well as quieter spaces in the home to cater to all children’s preferences. The walls are decorated with pictures of the children celebrating achievements and activities. The newest child had their photos on the walls within 24 hours, which helped them to feel welcomed and part of the family. Inspection report for children’s home: 2624054 4

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

Managers and adults understand children’s vulnerabilities and the impact of past harm that children may have experienced. Adults are adaptive to risks and respond dynamically to behaviours that children present with. Adults skilfully recognise children’s behavioural communication and they support children to take ownership of their own safety. This approach empowers children and is a significant strength of the care provided at this home.

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

Sanctions are not used in the home. Adults model appropriate behaviour and any consequences used are natural and restorative. This supports children to reflect and learn. The culture of the home enables children to feel comfortable to seek support and advice at any time. This was evident when a child called adults for support when they were exposed to cannabis smoke in the community.

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

Children have positive experiences of moving into the home, even when this is at short notice. Adults work quickly and sensitively to understand children’s needs, which ensures that risk management and safety plans are current. Plans are child led, and managers liaise closely with children’s professional networks to ensure that children get the right support. Adults create a culture whereby children feel a sense of belonging and connection. One child said, ‘The home is great, really lovely, adults here are lovely.’

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

When children move out of the home, adults ensure that plans are made well ahead of time and are managed well. Children are provided with beautiful ‘moving on’ books, which are individualised and reflective of children’s time at the home. Children who have moved on remain in contact with the adults, reflecting the integrity of the relationships between them and the ongoing care provided to children even after they have left.

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

Children rarely go missing from the home. Adults and managers understand their responsibilities if this does happen. They work effectively and proactively with other agencies to manage any such incidents and conduct prompt follow-up work with children to reduce the risk of reoccurrence.

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

Physical restraint has not been used in the home for a significant amount of time. When interventions are required, they are managed well and used as a last resort. Adults are trained and management oversight ensures that measures are proportionate and necessary.

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

Children know how to make a complaint. When they do, adults ensure that their views are taken seriously and provide appropriate responses. This helps children to feel heard and valued. Any allegations are robustly investigated and resolved. Children are kept at the centre of the process and informed of the outcome. Inspection report for children’s home: 2624054 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is led by a suitably qualified and experienced registered manager and her deputy. The registered manager is passionate about providing exceptional care for children and strives to ensure that children feel ‘claimed’. They have curated a team that is committed to providing children with high levels of care and opportunities to flourish.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers are fully involved in the children’s lives, and have a good knowledge of their needs, starting points and progress. They are dedicated to being trusted individuals for children and have high aspirations for them. This supports a culture of care and provides positive role modelling for adults working in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

All adults are aware of their responsibilities, which are diligently fulfilled. Arrangements are made for regular supervision and purposeful team meetings, which are informed by research and evidence-based practice. The in-house clinician provides support and bespoke training to adults, depending on the individual needs of the children. The adults feel valued and supported effectively. One adult said, ‘It is like being part of one massive family.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There is excellent collaboration with other key professionals to ensure effective communication and joined-up working. This helps to secure the best possible care, experiences and outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Feedback from professionals is overwhelmingly positive. They praise the communication received from adults and the progress children make from their starting points. One social worker said, ‘They have been brilliant, they are a lovely home, and I am really pleased we are able to find them for [name of child].’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Before new adults come to work in the home, managers conduct safe recruitment checks to reduce the risk of children encountering unsafe adults. However, managers were unable to demonstrate that checks of original DBS certificates and identification documents are consistently undertaken and clearly recorded. Managers added prompts to their vetting forms immediately to ensure that such checks are recorded clearly in future.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Children receive care from a skilled and appropriately qualified workforce. Managers support adults to study for required qualifications. The registered manager has effective systems in place to monitor adults’ progress and address any delays preventing completion within statutory timescales.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Adults are positive about their roles and the support they receive from managers and colleagues. Adults have a good understanding of the children and demonstrate an empathic approach to care. Inspection report for children’s home: 2624054 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that they maintain all elements of good employment practice. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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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: 2624054 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Esland North Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Samantha Mitchamson

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Inspectors

Gemma Bullen, Social Care Inspector Jacob Robson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2624054 8 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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