Children's Home run by Esland North Limited in Derbyshire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC433430 1 SC433430 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 home is owned and managed by a private company. It provides care for up to 4 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

There were 3 children living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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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: 2 December 2025

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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: SC433430 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/12/2025 Full Good 21/01/2025 Full Good 26/09/2023 Full Good 12/04/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC433430 3

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Summary of findings

Leaders and managers have established a warm and welcoming home environment where children feel valued and cared for. Staff are developing positive relationships with children and understand their individual needs. Children are supported to express their wishes and feelings, which are listened to and reflected in day-to-day practice in the home. Effective management oversight ensures that gaps in knowledge or practice are identified and addressed promptly. Strong multi-agency working helps to promote positive outcomes for the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is a warm and welcoming environment where children feel safe and settled. Children’s bedrooms are personalised and reflect their own individual interests, helping to promote their sense of belonging and identity. Children appear comfortable and confident in the home and are developing positive relationships with staff and managers. Children are encouraged to share their views and are aware of the home’s complaints procedure. Children have access to independent advocacy services, to ensure that their voices are heard.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have a good understanding of children’s individual needs and interests. They promote a range of meaningful and enjoyable activities. Rewards and incentives are personalised to the children, helping them to feel valued and ensuring that their achievements are recognised. This encourages children to be proud of their progress and helps to build children’s self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Leaders and managers ensure that children are supported to spend safe and meaningful time with those important to them. Staff have developed positive relationships with family members, which helps to promote open and honest communication. Feedback from a parent was positive about the support provided by staff and managers and demonstrated that the child feels listened to and valued. This contributes to the child’s positive experiences and sense of belonging within the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Transitions into and out of the home are well planned and managed. Staff and managers work hard to ensure that children feel safe and supported during periods of change. One child moved on from the home to move into semi-independent accommodation. Staff had regular conversations with the child to understand their feelings about the move, and managers advocated effectively to ensure that the child’s wishes were reflected in the planning. The child was given thoughtful gifts to remember their time at the home, promoting the child’s sense of belonging and reflecting the positive relationships they have built with staff. Inspection report for children’s home: SC433430 4 One child has been out of education for a significant length of time. Staff and managers have worked effectively with education professionals and secured a placement for the child next term. However, support to address daily routines is yet

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

to be established. While the child is making progress in other areas, a more structured routine would prepare the child for returning to education and support the development of skills that are important for their move towards independence.

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

Staff are proactive in identifying any changes in children’s presentation and respond to concerns. When worries arise around a child’s emotional wellbeing or substance misuse, staff have open conversations with the child and liaise with the relevant professionals to identify the most appropriate support. When children are not ready to accept direct support, managers ensure the staff access specialist training to strengthen their ability to meet the child’s needs. Strong multi-agency working ensures that the support offered is appropriate and coordinated. This has been particularly effective for one child, who had a period of 14 weeks without substance misuse before moving out of the home.

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

Incidents for all children have reduced, reflecting the positive impact of the support provided by staff and managers. Risk assessments and missing-from-home protocols are clear, regularly reviewed and individualised to children’s needs. These provide staff with guidance on identifying any changes in children’s presentation and effective responses. When shortfalls in practice are identified, managers respond promptly through reflective oversight and additional training opportunities. This strengthens staff practice and helps to prevent similar incidents from occurring.

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

Key-work sessions with children are completed regularly and cover a range of topics, including exploitation, mental health and substance misuse. Records clearly evidence meaningful discussions with children that are in line with the ethos of the home and consistently capture the voice of the child. However, there are some inconsistencies in the level of detail in these records. Managers have already identified this as an area for development and have plans in place to provide guidance and support to staff to improve the quality and consistency of recording.

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

Children are informed when room searches are necessary, and the reasons for these searches are appropriately recorded. When items of concern are identified, staff respond promptly and records demonstrate the action taken to address the concerns and reduce the risks to children.

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

There have been no incidents requiring physical intervention since the last inspection. Staff manage incidents well and consistently follow the children’s individual behaviour support plans. Following incidents, children are supported to explore their thoughts and feelings through child-friendly conversations. These discussions demonstrate genuine curiosity from staff and provide children with opportunities to share their views. Inspection report for children’s home: SC433430 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by an experienced and suitably qualified registered manager who provides a child-focused and nurturing home environment. Feedback from staff is positive and highlights the manager’s supportive approach, particularly in relation to staff development and the children’s wellbeing. Feedback from professionals has centred around the support offered by management and the commitment shown to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and deputy manager work effectively together to ensure that the children’s best interests are at the centre of any decisions made. Warm and positive interactions were seen between managers and the children, who appeared comfortable and confident in their care. One child referred to the registered manager as being their ‘favourite part’ about moving into the home, reflecting the trusting relationship that has been built in a short period of time.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision and team meetings are reflective and provide staff with the opportunity to discuss issues relevant to the children’s care. Discussions focus on team dynamics, staff wellbeing and any additional support needs. Staff are also encouraged to reflect on positive aspects of their practice and how they demonstrate the values of the service. This enables staff to recognise their strengths and identify any areas of development to meet the children’s presenting needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have good oversight of practice and ensure that any concerns are responded to effectively. When concerns are identified in relation to staff’s practice, the manager takes effective action to explore this, including seeking support from leaders if needed. The manager receives regular supervision, which includes reflective discussions about the operation of the home, the children’s needs and any support or developmental needs of their own.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager provides staff with regular opportunities for reflection, learning and development. Staff benefit from relevant training and support that enables them to meet children’s needs effectively. The registered manager has a clear understanding of the team’s strengths and uses these to promote consistent practice across the home. Any learning and development needs are identified quickly, helping to ensure that children receive care from skilled staff. Inspection report for children’s home: SC433430 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should support children to develop independent daily routines that prepare them for education. Children should be encouraged to take increasing responsibility for their routines, appropriate to their needs, helping them to build confidence and preparing them to attend education. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 33, paragraph 7.2)

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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: SC433430 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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Inspector

Hannah Shoreson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC433430 8 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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