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

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:

 Young people build trusting relationships with the staff team. Young people are positive about their experiences and feel valued and respected. They say that the staff team knows them well. These relationships provide young people with stability and opportunities to develop and progress.  Staff work consistently to promote positive outcomes for young people, supporting them to engage in their individual educational plans. When young people are not in education, the staff team promotes routines and offers support to them to ensure that they are ready and prepared to return to education.  Young people’s safety is consistently promoted through a range of safeguarding procedures and well-thought-out risk-management strategies. Detailed risk assessments and behaviour management plans support staff practice.  Young people enjoy experiencing a number of positive activities with the staff team and independently in the community. Young people are

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The children's home provision is good because:

encouraged to become involved in the community. This builds self-esteem and develops links in the locality. For one young person this has meant being a police cadet and volunteering in a local charity shop.  The management team has a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. A development plan is in place to ensure that improvements are achieved.  Shortfalls identified at this inspection relate to improvements to the building, the reviewing of imposed sanctions, ensuring that the complaints procedure is robust, that all staff benefit from practice-related supervision and that team meetings are regular, and ensuring that a record of these meetings is held at the home.

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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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

(2)(d) that the home is maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child's health. 17/02/2017

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Requirement Due date

13. The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

(2)(b) ensure that staff have the opportunity to come together as a team for regular meetings. 17/02/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees, including casual staff, receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 17/02/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control a record is made which includes the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure. Also, that within 5 days of the use of the measure the records confirm that the child has been spoken to about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(vii)(c)) 17/02/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39 (3)) 17/02/2017

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Information about this children's home

This is a private children’s home that provides care and accommodation for up to six male young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 29/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 08/12/2015 Full Good 17/12/2014 Full Adequate

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Good

The home provides good individualised care, which is informed by placement plans. The home has recently had a very unsettled period, resulting in a number of changes to the group of young people living at the home. The manager took decisive action, by serving notice on placements to ensure that young people live in a stable and settled environment. The current group of young people all acknowledge the impact that this period had on them as individuals. However, they now say that they enjoy living in the home and one commented that the home is ‘a good home, it’s now 10 out of 10. I like the staff and they like me.’

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Good

Young people benefit from good-quality care from a dedicated staff team which provides appropriate routines and structure. One young person commented: ‘It’s been good for me living here. I like living here. I have built trust up with the staff. They really listen to me and know me.’ Staff are not overwhelmed by the challenges presented by some young people’s behaviour. They work tirelessly to help young people get back on track. The positive relationships between young people and staff provide a firm foundation that enables young people to live in a safe and caring environment. This contributes to young people’s confidence and sense of belonging, as well as enabling them to develop emotional resilience to cope and manage with future challenges that they may face in their lives.

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Good

Young people are all at different points in their educational attainment. However, each young person receives individual support and encouragement to achieve educationally. In order to help young people fulfil their potential, staff work closely with educational services in both the placing authority and the locality of the home. Young people are currently being supported for re-integration into education through clear routines and engagement with individual external tuition. This means that young people will be ready to engage in their educational placements once identified.

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Good

Young people enjoy a variety of activities, both with staff and independently in the community. There is a good mix of both free and paid for community-based activities which provide young people with an appropriate balance of opportunities during their time living in the home. For example, young people are making good use of a local youth zone, which provides access to both activities and emotional support from the staff at the centre. Young people benefit from spending time with their friends, engaging in positive activities away from the home, when attending the centre.

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Good

Staff recognise the importance of family relationships and do their best to support these when it is safe to do so. They work closely with social workers to ensure that the parameters and arrangements for safe and purposeful contact are agreed, and that they are in the best interests of the young person.

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Good

Young people’s views are fundamental to the running of the home and are routinely heard through regular one-to-one sessions and daily conversations. Social gathering meetings are being established in the home. This forum provides a voice for the young people living in the home to elicit changes to the way the home is managed.

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Good

Young people live in a large house, which sits well within the community. The manager and staff team have established good relationships with the neighbours over the time that the home has been in operation. However, in some areas of the home the standard of cleanliness, food hygiene and decoration is poor. The manager accepted this and recognised the need to improve. One young person is actively engaged in working with the staff to redecorate some of the rooms. However, there are a significant number of areas which need attention in order for the house to be at an acceptable standard.

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Good

From their individual starting points, young people currently living in the home have made progress, particularly in reducing their risk-taking behaviour, such as engaging in criminal activities and going missing. Young people say that they feel safe living in the home.

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Good

The manager ensures that enough staff are in place to support the behaviour of young people effectively. When the dynamics of young people resulted in an increase in challenging behaviour, the manager secured an increase in staffing levels to safely manage and support young people. Individual staff members have good knowledge of young people’s specific triggers. They use their positive relationships and de-escalation techniques to defuse challenging behaviours, and consequently, physical restraints are minimal. On the occasions when restraint has been used, it has been used appropriately and as a last resort, in order to keep young people from harming themselves and/or others. Staff are appropriately trained in the use of physical restraint, and detailed records are maintained. Young people discuss the impact that restraint has on them and staff encourage them to consider alternative means of managing their frustrations.

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Good

Behaviour management plans are individual and generally effective. Staff have a clear understanding of young people’s needs. The staff team members implement the home’s rules and boundaries fairly and they are consistent in their approach. Young people have recently worked together to review the house rules. This ensures that they feel part of the home and encourages them to work together. Until very recently, sanctions have been regularly imposed. However, the management team has now started to introduce restorative practice to the home. This will help young people to understand the implications and consequences of their behaviour and to develop the skills that they need to improve their relationships and resolve their conflicts positively. However, records of sanctions have not been consistently monitored by the manager. This means that they have not ensured that young people have been spoken to about each consequence and

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Good

that each sanction has been reviewed for effectiveness. This is a missed opportunity to ensure that the measures used are supporting young people effectively to manage their behaviour.

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Good

Risk assessments take full account of young people’s triggers and clearly highlight strategies on how to manage known risks. Plans are reviewed and updated in response to incidents, and robust communication within the staff team ensures that everyone is always aware of presenting issues or concerns.

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Good

Incidents of young people going missing without consent have reduced for this group of young people currently living in the home. Since the last inspection, some young people placed in the home demonstrated high levels of missing behaviour. The manager acted appropriately, raising her concerns with the local police and placing authority. She quickly identified that the home was not able to keep young people safe and took appropriate action through strategy and placement planning meetings. This resulted in a number of changes to the dynamics of the young people living in the home. When young people do go missing, staff are proactive and make every effort to locate and support young people to return to the home as quickly as possible. This consistent approach to maintaining young people’s safety further promotes their welfare.

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Good

Staff are clear about what action they would take in response to any arising concerns. This means that they understand their safeguarding responsibilities and prioritise the safety and well-being of the young person at all times. The home has robust safeguarding procedures for staff to follow in the event of allegations, suspicion of abuse or unsafe practice. Relevant agencies are notified of any allegations without delay. This means that action is swiftly taken to protect and safeguard young people and staff.

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Good

New staff have been recruited since the last inspection. The principles of safer recruitment have been followed to ensure that staff are appropriately checked and vetted and to confirm that they are safe to work with vulnerable young people. Staff complete regular health and safety checks. As a result, potential hazards that have an impact on the safety of young people are appropriately managed. Risk assessments, regular fire drills and routine checks ensure that the home continues to be a safe place for young people, staff and visitors. Judgement grade

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Requires improvement

The manager has a number of years’ experience and provides consistent management of the service. The manager has a good awareness of the issues relating to the individual young people living at the home. This ensures that young people are placed at the centre of the provision. However, the manager has recently resigned from her position. The organisation has appointed a new manager to the role. This person is external to the organisation and will take up the position shortly after the manager leaves her post. In order to ensure continuity and an effective handover, the newly appointed manager has already met with the current manager, with further meetings scheduled.

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Requires improvement

Individual staff said that they are well supported by the management team, which is available for support. The organisation has a comprehensive training programme which is completed by individual staff. This ensures that staff have the skills and knowledge to support and manage young people living at the home. Permanent staff do receive supervision, in line with the organisational policy. However, casual staff do not receive regular supervision. This is because the guidelines for when supervision is triggered are set too high. Consequently, some casual staff, new to the service, have not yet received supervision with an appropriate supervisor. The manager stated that regular team meetings have taken place. However, the records do not reflect this. This means that the staff team does not have the opportunity to be a part of developing and improving the service it provides.

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Requires improvement

The home is adequately resourced and delivers the services and support outlined in the statement of purpose. The manager ensures that there are sufficient numbers of staff on duty to meet the young people’s individual needs. Since the last inspection, there have been a number of changes to the staff team. The team is now fully staffed, and the manager ensures that suitable staffing levels are maintained during periods of sickness, annual leave or when staff move to pursue other career choices. Shortfalls in the rota are acted upon quickly, with staff known to the home and young people covering shifts to ensure that young people remain looked after by a consistent staff team. The organisation has a commitment to supporting both existing and new staff to achieve the appropriate qualification for the role.

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Requires improvement

The manager has not ensured that the complaints procedure is robust and comprehensive. Despite staff being aware of the procedure, a complaint raised by a young person had not been recorded or addressed in a timely manner. This resulted in a significant delay in the complaint being resolved. The manager does not have systems in place to record sufficiently the action and response to any complaints received in the home. Despite this shortfall, the deputy manager did address the complaint once alerted to it during the inspection. The young person during the inspection confirmed that they had received a response and were happy with the outcome.

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Requires improvement

The manager undertakes regular monitoring of the home to ensure that it operates in accordance with the statement of purpose. The management team does have a realistic understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the service. However, monitoring had not identified the shortfalls identified at this inspection.

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Requires improvement

The manager and staff team develop effective relationships with young people, parents, the placing social worker and external agencies. This means that young people benefit from a holistic support package which strives to ensure that they are safe, make progress and have access to the right levels of support. One professional commented: ‘Communication is good, the manager has really responded to requests made to ensure that the team around [name] is pulling together, for example including everyone involved into any emails sent.’

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Requires improvement

The manager has addressed the shortfall raised at the previous inspection. Risk assessments are robust and contain clear protocols for individual young people in relation to going missing from the home.

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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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