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

The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

children and young people since the most recent full inspection. This home was judged good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness . Since the last inspection, children and young people have continued to make progress. An experienced staff team, who have a good understanding of the young people and their individual needs, supports them. The staff team works hard to develop trusting, caring and positive relationships. This contributes to children and young people feeling safe and valued. Staff support them to engage in individual key working sessions to enable them to discuss their wishes and feelings and reflect on their achievements and future plans. Over the last few months, there have been a number of notifications to Ofsted due to increased challenging behaviours from children and young people with complex needs. The home’s staff have followed all required procedures, notifying relevant

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

people and enabling open and transparent oversight of incidents. The home works in partnership with other professionals to ensure that strategies implemented are supportive and appropriate. Positive behaviour is promoted through praise and rewards. Sanctions and consequences for negative behaviours are discussed with young people who have the opportunity to record their views regarding these. A recent review of behaviour management strategies identified, on occasions that responses have been reactionary and recommended behaviour management plans to be updated with emphasis on diversionary tactics to be clearly recorded. Refresher training has ensured that all staff have up-to-date knowledge. However, some recent recording demonstrated there was still some confusion about the behaviour management policy and could lead to some inconsistency in practice. Staff work in partnership with placing authority social workers to support current

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

and future plans for children and young people. This has resulted in positive transitions for some of them to return to placements nearer to their own homes or within foster placements. Communication between the home and the children and young people’s future placements ensures that the people who are going to provide future support have the necessary understanding and knowledge of the young person. This enables continuity of care and minimises potential anxieties for the children and young people. However, although the individual work is undertaken, inconsistent recording within individual transition plans do not reflect work undertaken. All the children and young people receive education. The vast majority attend school. Where education is provided on an interim basis within the home by tutors arranged via the local authority, the home has effectively supported the increase of initial allocated hours. This helps young people to access educational opportunities

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

and gain qualifications to enhance their future life chances. Staff understand the potential risk of child sexual exploitation and work in partnership with professionals to minimise this. Missing from home strategies are in place for each child and young person and although some of them have previously had a history of going missing prior to moving into the home, there have been no incidents of this occurring. All children and young people have risk assessments in place in relation to their individual needs and abilities. However, some risk assessments do not reflect the changes to some behaviour. Although staff demonstrate verbally that they are aware of the changes and increased risks, this could result in some inconsistency of managing risk as agreed with the placing authority and the home. Children and young people are encouraged to engage in positive relationships with each other and there is a clear ethos and understanding that bullying, in any guise,

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

is not acceptable. Where there is any potential for this to happen, staff work with the children and young people to help them understand the negative impact of bullying. This contributes to children and young people feeling safe and valued. Activities and social events, both within the home and using resources within the local community, provide the children and young people with opportunities to develop interests. For example, joining rugby and football clubs to enable them pursue their interests and have the opportunity to socialise with peers. Games and activities within the home support positive relationships to develop. Since the last inspection, the manager of the home has retired and the organisation has recently recruited a manager who has yet to take up the post. The deputy manager of the home is currently providing management oversight, supported by a service manager. The organisation is aware of the requirement to

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

have a manager in post and subsequent application to register with Ofsted. The manager and staff have actioned the requirements and recommendations made at the previous inspection. The home has benefited from some refurbishment and redecoration to make it feel homely and welcoming for the young people. Staff have undertaken additional training and development in relation to their understanding and implementation of the quality standards to promote outcomes for young people. Staff records are maintained securely within the home but are accessible for inspection. Records inspected demonstrate that robust recruitment and selection processes are followed. This further contributes to the safety and welfare of young people. As a result of this inspection, three recommendations have been made. These are in relation to completing the updates to the behaviour management plans, ensuring that transition plans are recorded and ensuring that all staff understand

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

the home’s behaviour management policy following recent updated training.

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Information about this children's home

This home is an independent children’s home. It provides care and accommodation for up to eight children with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Staff must help each child to prepare for any moves from the home, whether they are returning home, moving to another placement or adult care or to live independently. This includes helping the child to develop emotional and mental resilience to cope without the home’s support (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.27).  Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns for a child their placement plan (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5).  The behaviour management strategy should be understood and applied at all times by staff, and must be kept under review and revised where

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Recommendations

appropriate (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.34).

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the ‘Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection’.

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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 focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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 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

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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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