Children's home run by Hexagon Care Services Limited in Preston

Requires improvement

The children's home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 Young people are not attending full time education or training, despite staff efforts.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 Written risk assessments are inaccurate and do not reflect current practice.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 Direct work with young people in relation to helping them understand personal, sexual, and social relationships and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful, is not completed.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 Young people have not had their statutory medicals.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 Young people’s views, wishes and feelings are not responded to promptly.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 Management arrangements are inconsistent, with no registered manager in post to-date.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 Monitoring and review systems are not effective in highlighting errors in written documents and do not demonstrate continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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The children's home provision requires improvement because:

 Significant events within the home are not notified to the appropriate bodies.

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The children's home strengths

  An experienced deputy manager has been in position and takes responsibility for the management of the home. A new manager has been appointed and is due to commence the role in the near future.

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The children's home strengths

 Young people with complex and challenging needs make some progress in relation to reducing harmful behaviours, such as, going missing from home and self harming.

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The children's home strengths

 A core staff team are in position and provide stability and predictability. They are qualified and experienced in working with young people with emotional and behavioural needs.

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The children's home strengths

 Young people take part in activities including; roller skating, trampoline sessions, cinema trips and meals out, which they thoroughly enjoy.

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The children's home strengths

 Contact arrangements are very well supported by the staff who transport them long distances.

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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

11: In order to meet the positive relationship standard the registered person must ensure that staff:

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Requirement Due date

(vi) help each child to understand personal, sexual, and social relationships and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful. 31/03/2016

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Requirement Due date

12: In order to meet the protection of children standard the registered person must ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

2(a)(i) risk assessments are updated, taking into account information in relevant plans,

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Requirement Due date

(c) the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards. 31/03/2016

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Requirement Due date

8: In order to meet the education standard the registered person must ensure that staff:

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Requirement Due date

2(x) help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child's relevant plans. 05/04/2016

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Requirement Due date

10: In order to meet the health and well-being standard the registered person must ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

(1)(a) the health and well-being needs of children are met. Specifically that they have statutory medicals. 05/04/2016

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Requirement Due date

13: In order to meet the leadership and management standard the registered person must ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

(2)(e) the home's workforce provides continuity of care to each child. In particular to the management of the home, and 05/04/2016 (h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home

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Requirement Due date

7: In order to meet the children’s views, wishes and feelings standard the registered person must:

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Requirement Due date

(2)(iii) help each child to understand how their views wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the reasons for the decision in relation to the child. 31/03/2016

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Requirement Due date

40: Notification of a serious events, the registered person must without delay ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

(4) serious events are notified to the appropriate bodies. 31/03/2016

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Information about this children's home

The children's home is one of a number of homes operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to six young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

03/09/2015 CH - Interim sustained effectiveness

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requires improvement

Young people living here have challenging behavioural and emotional needs. The staff team have worked hard to engage them in the opportunities the home has to offer. Despite their efforts, young people’s experiences and progress are inconsistent. For example, their attendance at full time school is limited and they are not achieving their potential. Private tutors are in place to provide them with some formal learning until placements can be secured. However, this lack of education can impact negatively upon their future life chances. Young people are registered with a local General Practitioner, Dentist and Optician. They attend appointments most of the time but they have not all had statutory medicals with the looked after children’s nurse. Gaining this is a struggle for the staff. Staff also encourage young people’s participation with the smoking cessation service with limited success. This does not ensure their optimal health.

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requires improvement

Young people are integrated within their local community. They engage in leisure pursuits, which they thoroughly enjoy. For example, they participate in roller skating, trampoline sessions, cinema trips and they see their friends locally. These experiences help them to have fun and build confidence. Staff support young people to stay in touch with their family and have a good understanding of their history and relationships. Practical arrangements are in place and staff transport and accompany them to contact that is a long way from the home. They work proactively with parents and placing authorities to make sure these significant relationships continue to be nurtured.

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requires improvement

Young people are invited to house meetings to discuss their views and wishes, but they do not always participate in these. Young people report that they are not listened to in these meetings as no one gets back to them about issues they raise. Similarly, the written records of the house meetings do not show that their wishes are promptly responded to. This does not encourage young people to participate in consultation processes, and experience that their views count, nor does it inspire confidence with the feedback process. During the inspection they raised their views to the senior manager about having an increase in their activity money. This is being considered.

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requires improvement

Young people currently living here are new to the home. Impact risk assessments, care planning and introductory visits are part of the process to enable them to be involved in decisions about their move. This also demonstrates the consideration of each childs’ particular needs and compatibility for group living. Judgement grade

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requires improvement

Young people spoken to generally feel safe here. Incidents of missing from home, child sexual exploitation and self harming behaviours have significantly reduced. Policies and procedures are in place to support this and staff have a good understanding of how to protect young people.

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requires improvement

Staff complete direct work with young people, although some are simply a recording of a quick conversation rather than meaningful time together away from the group to build resilience and confidence. In particular, working with them to understand sexual and social relationships and how these can be positive or harmful, is not complete.

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requires improvement

Risk assessments are in place but not reviewed to take account of current practice. This means that information sharing is unclear in safeguarding young people. Behaviour is well managed and physical interventions are reduced. All the staff are trained in a certified model of restraint to safely hold young people if necessary to keep them safe.

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requires improvement

The staff are all recruited and selected through a process that takes account of safe recruitment practice to promote the safety of young people. This includes checks with the disclosure and barring service, checks with previous employers and taking up references. This helps to safeguard them against unsafe adults.

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requires improvement

Young people live in a physically safe environment where they are protected by well managed health and safety procedures. Fire risk assessments are in place and regular fire drills take place so that children know how to safely exit the building. Again, staff are vigilant and take appropriate steps to verify visitor’s identity to make sure they are protected.

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requires improvement

The home has been without a Registered Manager since October 2015. An application to register another manager was submitted in that time but circumstances changed and this was withdrawn. The deputy manager has been running the home with support of the senior manager. A new manager has been recruited and appointed and is due to commence the position in April or May 2016.

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requires improvement

The deputy manager and staff have worked very hard in this time to improve care practice. They are well aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the home, such as stability of management, championing education and refurbishment of the environment. A written development plan is in place but is not complete as yet to demonstrate the future direction of the home.

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requires improvement

Quality monitoring systems are in place but these have not been effective as they could be in highlighting errors in care plans and risk assessments. Also, a serious event has not been notified to the appropriate bodies to share information in the best interest of young people. That said, independent monitoring is robust and provides constructive challenge to the operation of the home. This is welcomed by the leaders and managers to learn and improve care practice. The requirement from the last inspection has been addressed and the protocols for missing from home incidents are followed by the staff.

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requires improvement

The Statement of Purpose is kept up-to-date and clearly sets out the aims of the home. The physical environment of the home is tired although plans are underway to improve this. All young people have their own bedrooms, which are currently being re-decorated. Furthermore, the home is spacious, which allows for time away from the group. A games room with a pool table is enjoyed by young people.

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requires improvement

Staff confirm that they feel supported by the deputy manager and enjoy their work. They highlight that a further member of staff would be beneficial to the running of the home. A review of rotas shows that two members of staff are on shift at all times. Due to the complex nature of young people’s behaviours and lack of routine around education this prevents the staff from having sufficient time to complete administrative tasks. This was highlighted to the senior manager to consider in the interim.

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requires improvement

Staff work very well with partner agencies to promote young people’s needs and safety. Stakeholders comment; ‘staff are welcoming, very impressed with the home, strategies are working for the young person. Another said; ‘very good at communicating and there has been no concerns with regard to their management of child sexual exploitation.’

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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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