Children's Home run by Horizon Care and Education Group Limited in Leicestershire

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:

 The well-maintained environment, supported by rigorous health and safety monitoring, promotes young people’s safety and well-being.  Young people make notable progress in relation to their education, emotional well-being and behaviours.  Work undertaken with young people has ensured that they begin to understand how best to keep themselves safe. As a result, risk-taking behaviours have reduced.  Young people’s health is improving and, over time, they are taking on more responsibility for their own health.  The improved stability of the staff team means that young people are confident in the staff and the care that they can expect to receive. They enjoy spending time with staff and, in some cases, have developed attachments which are supporting the development of emotional resilience.  External professionals and parents have a positive view of the care provided and say that joint working is effective.

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The children’s home provision is good because:

 There are weaknesses in leadership and management and safeguarding arrangements which require improvement. However, there has been no widespread detrimental impact on young people. Admission procedures very recently failed to identify that computer games aimed at young people over the age of 18 had been brought into the home and were in use. Because of a lack of understanding about internet access through games consoles, the management of internet safety is weakened. While the response to safeguarding concerns is generally robust, one incident was not reported to external agencies in a timely manner. Such a delay has the potential to impact negatively on outcomes for young people.

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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

12: The protection of children standard (2)(a) The registered person must ensure that staff: (v) understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. 10 June 2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:  Ensure that staff continually assess the risks to each child (with particular reference to children gaining access to the internet via a games console) and the arrangements in place to protect them (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5).

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a large private organisation and is registered to provide care and accommodation for two children or 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

5 January 2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

2 September 2015 Full Requires improvement

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Good

Young people make good progress in all areas. The consistency of the stable staff team has impacted very positively on young people. One young person changed his view of the service since moving in. He now sees it as ‘home’ and speaks positively about his relationships with staff. At the time of the previous full inspection, one young person was frequently refusing to attend a part-time education programme, presenting aggressive and challenging behaviours and generally not engaging positively in the placement. He is now very settled, and his dangerous behaviours have reduced. His education attendance has improved to a full-time schedule, and he is reportedly engaging and achieving during the school day. The young person says that this is because ‘I now want to’. This demonstrates that the young person has reflected and taken positive steps towards engaging with this placement and achieving improved outcomes.

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Good

Young people receive good support when they move into the home, and when transitioning into independent living. The parent of a recently admitted young person says that staff have been ‘brilliant’, and that her son has settled quickly and has good relationships with staff. Young people develop independent living skills, and are encouraged and supported to become more independent and to make responsible choices. The impact of this support is reflected in the comments of the leaving care support adviser: ‘they have gone above and beyond with their support’. This same young person contributed to the inspection saying: ‘Staff were great, they helped me a lot’.

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Good

Young people’s involvement in the running of the home is encouraged. For example, they help with food shopping, menu planning, household tasks and keeping bedrooms in good order. While this does not always run smoothly, the consistent approach taken by staff ensures that young people begin to learn about rights and responsibilities.

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Good

Staff know the young people well and understand their individual needs. Care planning includes careful consideration of how best to support those young people placed some distance from their home. For example, staff strive to reduce the impact of distance on contact arrangements. A strength of the service is the way the team members learn from each other. For example, they share how best to relay information to a young person. This has reduced anxieties and frustration and, as a result, incidents of challenging behaviour have reduced. It also means that young people feel listened to and know that staff care about them. Young people’s health is improving. A young person who previously failed to recognise the importance of a healthy eating regime is now often seen checking food content labelling when making food choices. This, alongside increased physical exercise, has resulted in improved health and self-image.

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Requires improvement

While safeguarding arrangements are generally sound, some areas require improvement. There is evident confusion among staff about the scope of internet access via personal games machines. This weakens internet safety as it increases the likelihood that staff will not be in a position to monitor internet activity. Admission procedures recently failed to identify that a young person had brought computer games aimed at those over the age of 18 into the home. Staff responded promptly to remove the games during the inspection. Additionally, a delay in the appropriate reporting of a safeguarding concern meant that external agencies were unaware of an event that impacted on two young people from the home. Although no further action was taken when the issue was looked at by the police and local authorities, any delay in reporting on a safeguarding concern has the potential to impact negatively on young people’s protection and well-being. The service had

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Requires improvement

already responded to this shortfall prior to the inspection and lessons were learned across the team.

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Requires improvement

Young people say that they feel safe and are able to talk to staff if they have a concern. Young people become safer while living at this home. For example, a young person who had previously been fully supervised when out in the community has demonstrated an improved awareness of risks, leading to a reduction in staff monitoring and supervision. Young people benefit from advice and support, aiding them to understand risks and learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, staff spend time talking to young people about the dangers and consequences of sending very personal photographs to mobile phones and using social media.

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Requires improvement

Good behaviour management has resulted in a reduction in risk-taking behaviours. Incentives and positive reinforcement for good behaviour encourages young people to improve and also to think about their behaviours. There have been no occasions when physical intervention has been necessary since the last full inspection. Additionally, there have been no incidents of child sexual exploitation. On occasions when staff have identified a potential concern in relation to child sexual exploitation, the circumstances were reported and direct work was facilitated with the young person. There have been no missing from care events since the last inspection. The home environment is safe and well maintained. Regular fire evacuation drills ensure that young people know how to respond should a real fire occur. Recently, the local fire service has been asked to come to talk to young people about the dangers of smoking. This demonstrates that staff look innovatively at ways of

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Requires improvement

improving young people’s awareness of risk.

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Requires improvement

The weaknesses reported against how well children are helped and protected also demonstrate the need for improvement in leadership and management arrangements. While management oversight had identified and responded to the delay in reporting of a safeguarding concern, the weaknesses in admission procedures in relation to games aimed at those over 18, and the lack of understanding across the team in relation to internet safety and games consoles, had not been noted prior to this inspection.

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Requires improvement

The registered manager is currently undertaking a level 5 diploma in order to achieve the required qualification. Staff say that they are confident in the management structure and feel supported in their role. The registered manager feels that the now-stable staff team enables the further development of the service. The manager is working hard with enthusiastic but less experienced staff to develop practice and skills. While two of the senior team members are from the organisation’s peripatetic team, they have been working full time in the home for several months and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Previously, young people had raised concerns about the number of different staff working in the home. This has now improved and young people express confidence in the consistency of the team and talk about having good relationships with staff. One young person referred to having a ‘real bond’ with a particular staff member.

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Requires improvement

The organisation provides a range of core training for staff and refresher training at appropriate intervals. At the time of the last inspection, recommendations were set in relation to staff supervision. While it is not felt necessary to escalate the recommendation as arrangements are generally strengthened, there is one member of staff who has not received the six-weekly supervision as planned by the organisation. This area will be monitored again on the next inspection.

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Requires improvement

Leaders and managers ensure that the service meets the aims and objectives set out in the home’s statement of purpose. The strengths and weaknesses of the service are well understood by leaders and managers. Areas for improvement are identified through monthly independent visits to the home and progress is reviewed on subsequent visits. This promotes service development. The responsible individual maintains a close oversight of the operation of the home and takes action to strengthen care arrangements when weaknesses are identified. The registered manager takes action to advocate for young people when necessary. For example, she provides additional training and development to raise team awareness of individual needs in relation to personal identity.

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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 children looked after 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 that 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 that 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

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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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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