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

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:

 An experienced and dedicated registered manager leads a committed staff team who provide consistently high standards of care for all young people.  Staff support young people to achieve excellent educational attendance. This enables young people to achieve their academic potential.  Cohesive partnerships with a wide range of healthcare providers, combined with proactive staff support, mean that young people have their physical, emotional and psychological health needs very well met.  All aspects of safeguarding are very well considered. Consequently, safeguarding issues are infrequent in this home.  Behaviour management is highly effective. There have been no incidents of physical intervention since the last inspection. Young people feel that the use of sanctions is fair and proportionate.  Staff understand issues relating to diversity and identity. They ensure that throughout the changing developmental needs of adolescence, all young

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The children’s home provision is good because:

people receive the support, advice and guidance they require.  Several areas need to be addressed in order to promote further improvement. Recording practice need to be improved, specifically to ensure that records are up to date, inclusive of young people’s views, and contain all information required by regulation. Additionally, the manager is required to improve upon care planning for young people who are preparing to leave the home. Lastly, the manager should ensure that complaints records have an outcome recorded. These shortfalls do not have a direct impact on young people.

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person(s) meet the Care Standards Act 2000, the 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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7. The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard

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

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7. The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard

(1) (c) children must receive care from staff who take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives, with particular regard to the inclusion of young people in care and placement planning, and particularly in supporting children to contribute and comment on relevant documents. 30 June 2016

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14. The care planning standard

In order to meet the care planning standard the registered person must:

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14. The care planning standard

(1)(a) ensure that children and young people receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. 30 June 2016

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14. The care planning standard

The registered person must ensure that the home maintains records (case records) for each child which include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child (Regulation 36(1)(a) with regard to points 3, 18 and 24 and (b) and (c)). 30 June 2016

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14. The care planning standard

The registered person must establish a procedure for considering complaints made on behalf of children and they must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation (Regulation 39(3). 30 June 2016

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered for four children and young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and learning difficulties. It takes single-sex placements only, currently female young people. It is run by a large private organisation which has a number of other similar services nationally.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

21 December 2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Good

Young people consistently report very high levels of happiness, satisfaction and enjoyment in living in this home. They commonly describe staff as ‘caring’ and ‘loving’. An independent reviewing officer said that one young person gave the home a ‘10 out of 10’ rating. These comments are indicative of a staff team who have established good relationships with young people. This is the foundation that enables young people to establish secure attachments with trusted adults. These secure attachments enable further physical, emotional and psychological development.

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Good

A dedicated and skilled staff team provide personalised care to all young people. The care-planning process promotes the individual needs of young people. Placement plans are comprehensive, regularly reviewed and detailed, but fail to reflect the views of young people. This does not show how staff consult and include young people in the provision of care. Care provision is, however, effective in ensuring that young people make progress in all areas of their lives. One social care professional, who has a long-established working relationship with the home, said: ‘I feel very strongly that they put the needs of young people first. Young people make good progress from their starting points.’

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Good

Staff are persistent in promoting education and training with all young people. Education plans ensure that individual needs and preferences are central to the provision of education and training packages. This has meant that attendance and engagement has been very good, with all young people achieving excellent levels of attendance. One educational professional said: ‘Young people are progressing because of the support of this home.’

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Good

Staff ensure that young people access services necessary to meet their physical, psychological and emotional needs. Routine appointments ensure monitoring of young people’s health and that prompt medical attention is provided when young people are ill or have accidents. Staff make referrals to appropriate mental health services. This enables young people to have their emotional and psychological well-being monitored and assessed. Counselling and therapy services are promoted where young people require specialist support with past trauma. Ultimately, this approach means that young people benefit from comprehensive healthcare that promotes good health.

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Good

Young people receive support and advice from staff to ensure that they learn how to have healthy lifestyles. The home has a range of gym and sports equipment and large grounds to exercise in. Additionally, young people benefit from a structured routine that promotes the benefits of regular exercise and healthy lifestyles. Recently, the designated nurse has visited the young people and educated them on the health risks of sugar. Some young people are attending weight-loss support groups. Smoking-cessation programmes are encouraged to support young people in stopping smoking. This leads to improved overall health outcomes for young people.

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Good

It is an expectation and culture of the home that all young people contribute to the running and maintenance of the home. On a daily basis, young people practice life skills such as cooking, cleaning, shopping and, where appropriate, budgeting. This means that they develop skills that will benefit them as they move into independence. Additionally, some young people engage in focused topics of independence work to raise their knowledge levels of aspects of independent living. This is very positive; however, the staff team have no method to assess the effectiveness of this work or the competence of young people. Therefore, young people may not have the skills or knowledge needed to sustain a good level of independence.

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Good

A key strength of this home is its capacity to keep young people safe from harm and to teach them how to keep safe when away from the home. All young people were keen to tell the inspector that they feel safe, are safe, and learn to keep safe. Social care and education professionals echo this view and confirm that they feel staff keep young people safe from potential harm.

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Good

Incidents of young people being away from the home without authorisation, or missing from care, are rare. When young people go missing from the home, staff implement missing from care policy and protocols. This means that staff take prompt action to minimise risks to young people and to quickly identify the whereabouts of young people. Upon return to the home, staff always offer young people ‘return interviews’ with an independent person or the social worker. Where young people refuse, staff talk with young people to find out more about the reasons for such behaviours. The culture of the home and vigilant safeguarding practice is effective in preventing young people from leaving the home when not authorised to do so.

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Good

Behaviour management is very good in this home. One social care professional said: ‘Structured behaviour management is central to care provision.’ Staff are consistent and understand that challenging behaviours are an expression of underlying complex emotions caused through past trauma, abuse and neglect. Staff manage such situations effectively. The absence of any physical interventions since the last inspection is testament to effective behaviour management strategies.

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Good

Staff and young people have a very good understanding of what to do if they suspect or know of any abusive practice. Impressively, one young person provided a highly detailed account of each step of the whistle-blowing process. She advised me that a home tutor had provided her with this information on a daily basis to ensure that she understood self-protection. This exemplifies the safeguarding culture of this home.

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Good

The registered manager acts upon safeguarding issues in a timely manner and ensures that robust action is taken to safeguard young people. This includes ensuring that notification is made to the relevant bodies. Consequently, safeguarding services, placing authorities and Ofsted are able to review the home’s response to incidents. This transparency enables appropriate safeguarding action across a multidisciplinary team. This ensures the protection of young people.

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Good

Health and safety arrangements are robust. The home has a continual programme of maintenance, which ensures timely repair and remedial work. Health and safety checks, including fire equipment and drills, are current and environmental risk assessments are in place. The prescribed level of public and employee liability insurance is in place.

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Good

The quality of the leadership and management of the home is good. The registered manager has substantial relevant experience of residential childcare within this and other residential services. She has successfully completed the level 5 diploma in leadership in health and social care. This means she has suitable qualifications and experience to provide leadership for this home. The responsible individual supervises and provides senior management support to the registered manager. Additionally, a new deputy manager provides operational support within the home. Consequently, a strong and well-qualified management team lead the home.

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Good

Staff say they feel supported to improve their own professional skills and knowledge. Records show that they receive consistent and regular supervision. Arrangements for the professional development of staff are organised through the provision of a mandatory training programme. Additional training, specific to the individual needs of young people, is also available. All staff hold a recognised qualification, or are working towards one. Young people achieve significantly improved outcomes because of the highly competent staff team.

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Good

Complaints procedures are transparent and easily accessible. There have been no external complaints since the last inspection and only one complaint from young people. While this complaint is resolved, the manager has not recorded the actions taken or the outcome. Additionally, young people are unclear about the progress of their complaint. This is not in line with the homes policy or the guidelines within the statement of purpose.

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Good

Improvement in recording is an area of development. A range of case file records did not include up-to-date information, including action taken and conclusions. Additionally, the registered manager and staff team do not consistently sign and date records. These combined omissions mean that records do not provide a clear account of decision making or oversight.

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Good

The manager and staff are highly regarded by the wider professional team. One team manager said: ‘I love this children’s home. It is my favourite. A joy to work with. Staff communicate very well and I have no complaints at all.’ All professionals contacted within this inspection praised the effectiveness of the home and the good communication skills of the staff team. This demonstrates cohesive partnership work, which benefits young people.

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Good

Monthly monitoring visits by an independent visitor provide an impartial view of the effectiveness of the home and any shortfalls. Additionally, the registered manager undertakes routine monitoring and quality assurance activities. These combined quality assurance systems promote the improvement and development of the service. This ensures that young people receive a consistently good quality of care.

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Good

The statement of purpose is a comprehensive, accessible and informative document. Consequently, placing authorities and parents are aware of the scope and remit of the home. Social workers are happy that the home meets the needs of the young people and achieves the aims of the home as they are set out in the statement of purpose.

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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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