Children's Home run by Hexagon Care Services Limited in Lancashire

Good

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

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Positive relationships are evident between staff and young people  Young people, and their social workers, remark on the progress that young people have made since moving into the home  There has been a reduction in young people’s risk taking behaviours, such as going missing  Staff work with young people to help them understand the consequences of their poor decision-making. As a result, young people are better able to keep themselves safe  There has been an improvement in young people’s engagement in education  Young people receive support to maintain relationships with their family and friends  Staff are very committed to young people and understand their needs well  Young people learn independence skills that will help them when they move on from the home  Managers seek feedback on the services provided by the home in order to improve

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The children's home provision is good because:

Areas for improvement include: the need to provide casual staff members with regular supervision; and ensure the effective engagement of young people with health services

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets 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 with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the health and well-being standard the registered person must ensure that the health and well-being needs of children are met; specifically that staff work with young people to ensure their participation with appropriate health services (Regulation 10(1)(a)) 26/02/2016

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Requirement Due date

Ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision; specifically in relation to staff employed on casual contracts and that supervision agreements underpin any supervision practice in the home. (Regulation 33(4)(b)(c)) 26/02/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 ensure that placements for children are only accepted where the home are satisfied that they can respond effectively to the child's assessed needs and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 56, paragraph 11.4)

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Recommendations

 ensure that staff have access to the appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs; specifically training in the understanding of sexually harmful behaviours (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 53, paragraph 10.11)

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Recommendations

 ensure that staff consistently follow the home's policies and procedures for the benefit of the children in the home's care and that they fully understand their roles and responsibilities (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 54, paragraph 10.20)  ensure that when the placing authority or another relevant person does not provide the input and services needed to meet a child's needs during their time in the home, that staff challenge this and specifically that they document their actions. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 12, paragraph 2.8)

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Information about this children's home

This home is one of a number owned and managed by a private organisation. This children's home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to six male young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. There is also a registered school on site.

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good

Young people make good progress following their admission to this home. They experience consistent care, clear boundaries and benefit from good routines. Staff understand young people’s needs and the implications of their early life experiences. Young people respond appropriately to this approach with respectful relationships evident between staff and those they care for. Young people talk positively about the staff. For example, one young person commented, ‘All the staff are great and always show you the respect that you show them.’ A parent also commented, in a questionnaire requested by the home, ‘There was no hope until he came to the home. He has turned his life around positively since he moved here.’ Young people are welcomed into the home and learn to adjust to the routines and dynamics of group living. One young person commented in feedback taken by the home, ‘I didn’t want anything to do with the house when I arrived but my

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good

keyworker helped me settle in and I have now changed my mind.’ Although the home has been through an unsettled period, those currently resident are investing in the home, engaging with staff and looking towards the future. Young people say that they get on well together for the majority of the time and liken their relationships to those that they have with their siblings. One young person said, ‘We are just like a big family. They are like my brothers.’ Young people attend a variety of educational settings, dependent on their needs and abilities. Staff appreciate the significance of young people making the most of their educational opportunities. Young people’s attendance and attainment improves on admission to the home. Young people’s social workers comment on the positive support provided by staff. Similarly, one young person commented, ‘I go to school now and am calmer when I am there.’ Staff listen to young people and involve them in day-to-day decisions about the

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good

running of the home. Regular young people’s meetings also allow young people the opportunity to express their views. Young people are able to personalise their bedrooms, which helps them feel that they belong there. Staff support young people to spend time in the community with their friends but also successfully engage them in a range of activities. Young people attend youth club, play football, go ice-skating and to the cinema. Young people receive encouragement to assist in the daily running of the home. They prepare meals, along with staff, and help to keep their bedrooms clean and tidy. Young people who are in the process of transitioning from the home say that staff have helped them learn the skills that they will need to manage on their own. Staff ensure that young people are able to keep in contact with their family and friends, despite sometimes living a long distance away. They successfully facilitate

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good

a range of different contact arrangements. Relationships between young people and their family have improved because of this support. Staff ensure that young people are registered with appropriate health services on their admission. However, some young people continue to refuse to engage with some services, despite an obvious need to do so. This does not ensure a positive outcome. They provide young people with a range of health related information, so that they can make their own informed choices. For example, information on the effects of smoking or taking drugs. However, young people continue to use these substances recreationally, although these behaviours are reducing. Young people do meet with skilled professionals to help them address their addictions.

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good

Young people report feeling safe living in this home. They believe that staff try to keep them safe and that they work with them to understand the implications of their actions. For example, while some young people do go missing from the home on occasion, this has significantly reduced. Staff work with young people to understand the reasons why they are going missing. They have successfully negotiated new agreements with social workers and young people, so that young people do not feel the need to place themselves in risky situations. On the occasions when young people are missing, staff take appropriate action and ensure that relevant people are contacted to promote their safe return. They escalate concerns to a strategy meeting when required.

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good

Staff recruitment processes are thorough. A range of pre-employment checks ensures that only those who are suitable start work in the home. Managers consult appropriately with other agencies with a safeguarding responsibility, such as the police and the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO). Comprehensive records illustrate that thorough investigations follow a complaint or an allegation. Staff provide young people with details about how to raise such concerns on their admission to the home. Young people also say that they would be confident to discuss these issues with a member of staff or their social worker.

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good

Staff and young people are clear about the standards of behaviour that are acceptable within the home. The use of restraint and sanctions is minimal. When sanctions are imposed young people confirm that they are fair. They also receive rewards for positive behaviour. For example, one young person had a trip to Wembley stadium. Such positive experiences serve to motivate young people.

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good

Personalised risk assessments help inform staff about the pertinent issues for each young person and ensure that staff know the most appropriate way to manage any issues when they do occur. However, young people have been admitted in an emergency and without full information. In these situations, it is unclear what information staff receive, or the actions taken by managers to chase missing documentation. Furthermore, the current impact risk assessment format does not make it clear how the needs of the current residents have been taken into consideration, when concluding that a proposal to admit a new young person to the home is the right one.

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requires improvement

The Registered Manager has been in post for a number of years. The current provider registered the home approximately twelve months ago. However, the home continued to be operational throughout the re-registration process. The Registered Manager has the necessary skills and experience to manage a children’s home and has a level five management qualification. A deputy manager is employed to support him. The home’s Statement of Purpose has been recently updated and reflects the aims and objectives of the service. The young people’s guide to the home also outlines what young people can expect when they live in the home. Young people confirm that they are familiar with this document. However, they have often not received this in advance of moving in, due to the nature of their emergency admission. Permanent staff receive regular supervision and appraisal and report that this is beneficial to their practice. However, staff employed on casual contracts are not

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requires improvement

afforded the same opportunity. In addition, supervision contracts are not always in place or have not been updated following a change of supervisor. Hence, insufficient support is available to all staff and accountability is unclear. The majority of staff members have a level three child care qualification, and the remaining two are in the process of obtaining one. Staff speak positively about the support and training that they receive. However, training opportunities in order to meet the specific needs of the cohort of young people resident are not always sourced in a timely way. Consequently, staff do not always have the skills necessary to provide the young person with the best support. The Registered Manager has a targeted development plan for the home. This involves some maintenance and updating of the home. This was in progress at the time of the inspection. Managers regularly seek feedback from young people and

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requires improvement

stakeholders on their performance. This helps focus further developments. Managers demonstrate an awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of the home and acknowledge where improvements are required. Reports on the internal and external monitoring of the home are good. However, this inspection identified some inconsistencies in practice that had not been identified previously. This included poor quality and illegible records of staff handovers and staff not completing their daily checks. Action was taken to address these issues during the inspection. Managers know the young people well and are clearly able to demonstrate the progress they have made since moving into the home. The company have recently introduced a new system for monitoring this progress. This directs young people’s keyworkers to a range of resources to help them focus on particular issues. This ensures that staff focus their support on the most appropriate areas of need.

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children's home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children's home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children's home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place, however, the children's home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children's home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being

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What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the Children's

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Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, 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,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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