Children's home run by Esland North Limited

Inspection report children's home: 2679098 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

The home is operated by a private organisation. It provides care for one child who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children's home

There was one child living in the home at the time of the inspection. The inspector spoke to the child.

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Information about this children's home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2023.

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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

Date of last inspection: 19 November 2024

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: 2679098 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/11/2024 Full Good 19/04/2023 Full Good Inspection report children's home: 2679098 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children have left the home since the last inspection. Their experiences of living in the home varied. One child left in a planned way. During the inspection, the child spoke to the inspector about their experience of living in the home and the support that they received. The child praised the staff team for supporting them to find suitable accommodation that met their needs. They also commended the team for helping them to develop their independent skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Another child did not have the same positive experience and their time in the home ended prematurely. In response to this, leaders and managers have met to discuss the care planning process and any lessons learnt.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is well maintained. The child is supported to personalise their bedroom to their own taste. Their belongings, such as the woodwork that they have created can be seen around the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child has developed positive and trusting relationships with staff, which contributes to their sense of security and wellbeing. The child spoke highly of the support that they receive and shared that they enjoy living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child's learning needs are well understood. Staff work jointly with education professionals to ensure that learning is matched to the child's abilities. The child's tutor commended the staff team for the support and encouragement they offer to the child. This includes ensuring that the child is supported to complete any additional work the tutor sets. However, there is not a clear plan of alternative education in place, to ensure that the child is receiving adequate learning opportunities in addition to the current arrangements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is supported to spend meaningful time with their family. Staff facilitate this by routinely transporting the child to family time. Staff understand the risks associated with these visits and carefully balance appropriate supervision with the child's need to enjoy private, quality time with their loved ones.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is supported to maintain existing friendships and develop new ones. Friends are welcome to spend time with the child in the home. These arrangements are carefully assessed, to ensure that potential risks are identified and appropriate measures put in place to manage these effectively.

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

Incidents of children going missing from home are well managed. Staff search for children and work closely with safeguarding professionals such as the police, ensuring that all available resources are used to increase the effectiveness of the search. Inspection report children's home: 2679098 4 Risk assessments clearly outline the child's current risks and guide staff on how to respond to protect the child from harm. Staff spoken to understand the child's risks and how to manage these.

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

The use of physical interventions is reasonable and proportionate. However, records indicate that on one occasion an unapproved hold was applied by a staff member who had not received training in the provider's recognised behaviour management approach. Failure to ensure that staff are appropriately trained compromises the child's safety and welfare.

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

Incident records do not consistently demonstrate that all staff involved in physical interventions receive a debrief. Additionally, records evidence that the child was not always given the opportunity to reflect on the intervention used. When they were, there was no exploration of how the child felt about the physical intervention.

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

Direct work on topics such as healthy relationships and substance misuse supports children to understand the risks associated with their behaviour. However, Leaders and managers have not completed direct work concerning the dangers associated with having an electric bike and scooter in the home with the child, in order to minimise the risk of a fire in the home.

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

Pre-employment checks are completed by leaders and managers. This process is used to identify the suitability of people working in the home and ensure that they can safely care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is suitably trained and qualified. She has a good understanding of the child's support needs and ensures that these are documented in their care plan. Staff say they feel supported by the registered manager and have confidence in her management of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Multi-agency working is effective. The registered manager works closely with relevant professionals to ensure that the child receives appropriate support in line with their assessed needs. Consequently, the child has begun to engage with services in response to their use of substances.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are well attended. They are used to discuss practice issues and to support learning and development. In addition, staff benefit from supervision that is practice related and reflective.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The child's case records clearly identify their care and support needs. Leaders and managers have been able to demonstrate the effectiveness of care in the home and the progress children make.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have not ensured that all staff have the necessary skills and experience to meet the complex needs of children that have lived in the home. This has Inspection report children's home: 2679098 5 contributed to one child's time in the home ending prematurely, with insufficient planning. Consequently, the child's experience of leaving the home was not positive. Inspection report children's home: 2679098 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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.

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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

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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

Regulation 13 (1)(b)(2)(a)(c)). 23 April 2026

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children's home.

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that direct work is completed with the child around the safe handling of an electric scooter and electric bike. 23 April 2026

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and 23 April 2026 Inspection report children's home: 2679098 7 has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure.

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Requirement Due date

Regulation 35(3)(b)(i)(ii)(c)). The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children's home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home's statement of purpose.

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that all children are supported to leave the home in a planned and positive way. 23 April 2026

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that in addition to accessing a tutor, the child has access to a plan of alternative education that they participate in daily. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations, including the quality standards' page 28, paragraph 5.15)

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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 children's home: 2679098 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: Suites 1 & 5 Riverside Business Centre, Foundry Lane, Belper, Derbyshire DE56 0RN

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Inspector

Chibuzo Otache, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 2679098 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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