Children's Home run by Hexagon Care Services Limited in Cheshire East

Outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the home contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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The children’s home’s provision is outstanding because:

 Young people can identify for themselves the significant and positive changes to their lives as a result of living at the home and the support provided. They are proud of their own achievements and are motivated to continue to achieve their goals.  Young people are able to regulate their own emotions and develop increased self-awareness as a result of the care they receive. They engage in therapy on a regular basis and make significant progress from their starting points in managing their feelings and behaviours.  Young people consistently attend and engage in education and value the future life opportunities that this can facilitate.  The home uses programmes that are individualised, specific and measurable, which demonstrate the significant and sustained progress that young people make as a result of living there. Young people are central to their plans and are involved at all levels in developing their goals and

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The children’s home’s provision is outstanding because:

monitoring their own progress.  The manager and staff have a clear understanding of each young person’s needs, and how to respond to them individually. They apply models and approaches to provide consistency in care and promote positive role- modelling. As a result, young people enjoy extremely positive relationships with staff, which promotes their resilience.  Staff receive specific training to support their continued professional development and enhance their understanding of young people’s past experiences and the impact that these may have. This promotes highly effective multi-agency working which supports young people really well.  The registered manager of the home is knowledgeable and passionate, acting as a positive role model to staff to support them to provide exceptional quality of care.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  To ensure the home’s partnership working, particularly with the child’s local authority and statutory social worker, the registered person should evidence what has been done to achieve engagement, including any actions taken to escalate concerns. This relates specifically to recording requests made to obtain current relevant plans. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 11, paragraph 2.3)  Provide a nurturing environment that is welcoming and supportive. Homes must also meet children’s basic day-to-day needs and physical necessities. Staff should seek to meet the child’s basic needs in the way that a good parent would, recognising that many children in residential care have experienced environments where these needs have not been consistently met – doing so is

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Recommendations

an important aspect of demonstrating that the staff care for the child and value them as an individual. This relates specifically to the refurbishment of the shared first-floor bathroom. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7)

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide accommodation and care for up to six young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is owned and managed by a private company.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 04/08/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 25/02/2016 Full Outstanding 13/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 03/02/2015 Full Good

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Outstanding

Young people living at the home make consistently positive progress from their starting points. This is the result of the exceptional relationships they enjoy with staff who promote stability and a genuine sense of being cared for and belonging. Staff are highly competent in working within a positive behavioural support practice model, which promotes genuine warmth, interest and positive regard, and enables young people to form trusting and secure bonds. Young people recognise the support that they receive; one said that staff, ‘encourage me to the best of my ability’, and that it is, ‘a privilege to live here’. Another spoke of how, ‘staff help me to believe in myself’. As a result, young people are highly motivated to achieve across all aspects of their lives, and are committed to engaging in their individualised programmes.

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Outstanding

The home works closely with education colleagues from the adjoining school, who are also trained in the positive behavioural support model, to offer consistency across the home-school environments. Young people are achieving and enjoy the high level of attention that they receive individually. They are motivated to study and value the future opportunities available to them as a result of applying themselves academically. One young person, who had previously refused to attend school before moving to the home, now recognises the benefit of education and is keen to achieve his GCSEs. Young people are also encouraged to develop their life skills as part of their daily experience and in preparation towards independent living. They take turns to prepare meals throughout the week, work cooperatively, develop time-management skills and one currently takes responsibility for part of the weekly shopping. Young people describe enjoying a wide range of activities,

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Outstanding

such as board and computer games, baking and watching films together at home, to trips to amusement parks and playing hide-and-seek at a nearby forest. Staff enjoy participating in activities with young people, which positively supports their nurture, and which often lead to meaningful discussions. Physical activities, such as playing football, badminton and basketball, are promoted to keep young people healthy as well as to develop social skills, such as teamwork and interaction. Young people’s health needs are promoted effectively through routine appointments and appropriate use of medication.

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Outstanding

All young people engage in therapy on a weekly basis. The home works alongside appropriately trained and supervised therapeutic practitioners who enable the young people to explore emotionally difficult past experiences. Regular meetings are held to review young people’s progress and work being undertaken. This supports staff to reinforce the therapeutic intervention via direct work and to embed changes. Staff use creative approaches during direct work, including role play, with young people to enable them to develop skills such as appropriate social interactions. Such learning is embedded through the opportunities promoted by the ICOPE activity programme when young people are in the community, such as in meeting new people in social activities and by joining clubs. One young person clearly identified the positive impact that the ‘triangle’ of care, education and therapy has had on his development. He now has greater self-confidence in being

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Outstanding

able to enjoy regular attendance at cadets.

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Outstanding

Young people say they are happy and this is reflected in their higher than average scores on a happiness scale. While they might find the boundaries and rules strict at times, they have a clear understanding of why they are in place and are keen to demonstrate their trustworthiness to progress to greater levels of personal freedom. Young people respond to the positive reinforcement they receive from staff and develop their ability to regulate their emotions. This results in a reduction in incidents, and increased resilience when presented with challenging situations. Young people comment on the strength of their relationships, particular with their key workers and case workers. This enables them to be able to discuss difficult and sensitive subjects and to accept support to make disclosures.

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Outstanding

Staff act as positive role models to young people and treat them with dignity and respect. For example, they support one young person’s cultural and dietary needs, which are incorporated into his activity planning, and sensitively discuss his views regarding faith-based festivals. Each young person is valued for their individuality and potential and their views are listened to and acted upon. As a result, young people learn to accept constructive challenge to support their self-awareness and overcome previous negative behaviours. Staff are highly skilled in engaging young people to work cooperatively in their individualised programmes and reinforce their positive progress. As a result, all young people were keen to engage in the inspection to share their pride in their achievements and show recognition of the support that staff provide for them.

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Outstanding

Contact between young people and their families is promoted and supported when this is appropriate. Staff support young people in other forms of indirect contact, such as letters, and offer emotional reassurance when they receive a response. This supports young people to maintain their sense of identity, particularly when they are living away from their home area.

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Outstanding

Staff hold young people at the forefront of their practice, acting as their champions. They will relentlessly pursue other agencies for outcomes of enquiries, particularly when this involves public protection. They are consistently aware of young people’s highly complex needs and the intervention required to promote positive futures. The home is committed to providing a supportive environment that reduces risk and enables young people to fulfil their potential as safely as possible. As one young person explained, it is, ‘an absolute pleasure’ to live here as it gives him ‘a chance to get life back on track’. Judgement grade

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Outstanding

The home has robust risk assessments and procedures in place to protect and support young people. These are reviewed regularly and inform progress alongside young people’s ICOPE programmes. Young people are integral to their planning so that they understand its purpose and are enabled to make progress safely. Staff foster supportive and open relationships and are consistent in their approach. This encourages young people to develop meaningful and trusting relationships with adults on whom they can rely for guidance and support. Young people feel safe and secure as a result.

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Outstanding

Staff work within a recognised positive behavioural support model, which clearly and consistently underpins the home’s approach to behaviour management. This relentlessly positive approach not only equips staff to manage challenging behaviour when it occurs, but aims to displace it by nurturing positive behaviour. In all circumstances, any example of positive behaviour, however small, is acknowledged and praised. For example, a young person who initially would walk out of the classroom when frustrated would be praised when he returned. As a result he became better able to manage his frustration and remain in class. Young people therefore feel valued and are motivated to develop self-awareness, which leads to a reduction in significant incidents. They are aware that staff will challenge them if they present with unacceptable behaviours or attitudes, but will focus on the specific issue rather than the individual. This enables young people to accept

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Outstanding

criticism while protecting their developing self-esteem. Young people understand the boundaries and rules in place and are extremely positive about the help and protection they receive from staff. As a result, there is very limited use of physical intervention or consequences to manage behaviour. When such measures are employed, young people and staff are debriefed and there is clear managerial oversight to ensure that they are proportionate and necessary.

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Outstanding

It is extremely rare for a young person to go missing from the home, because of the responsible levels of supervision; however, when this has occurred, there has been an immediate and appropriate response. Risks such as misuse of substances, self-harm, offending or sexual exploitation are similarly minimised by the vigilance and consistent practice of the staff team. There is a high level of liaison with the police to ensure the protection of young people and the local community.

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Outstanding

Staff are keenly aware of the risks and needs of all young people who arrive at the home, and exceptionally careful planning, risk assessment and review ensures that young people make individual progress safely. The home works closely with professionals as well as the young person to ensure that plans are agreed and achievable. The ICOPE activity programme is progressive, and only when young people are clearly able to demonstrate their progress do they move to the next stage. This progress is tracked constantly to include information about when young people have refused opportunities to participate. This ensures that the home continues to monitor risk robustly, to protect both young people and others. Staff monitor young people discreetly while on independent activities within the community, and any deviation from agreed arrangements is challenged on return to the home. Direct work ensures that young people have a clear understanding of

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Outstanding

potential consequences to their actions with due regard to their past behaviour. As a result, young people develop greater understanding of the impact of their behaviours and decisions and strive to make positive and sustainable progress. Staff are proactive in educating young people to be honest in their interactions, to develop appropriate interpersonal relationships and to resolve conflict. Discriminatory behaviours are challenged and young people are encouraged to consider their views critically and to respect others. Young people are proud of their achievements and recognise the constructive support of the staff in making changes in their lives.

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Outstanding

The manager ensures that all staff maintain a high level of training and are clear regarding their responsibilities and procedures for safeguarding of young people, including the potential risks of the internet. Robust recruitment procedures are followed to ensure that staff are carefully selected and are suitable to work with vulnerable individuals. Consequently, the staff team is well equipped to provide a consistent and high quality of care that helps and protects young people to make sustainable, positive progress.

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Outstanding

The home is led by a highly efficient and effective registered manager who inspires an enthusiastic staff team to deliver exceptional quality of care to young people. He has high expectations of himself and staff to be ambitious for young people and inspires an open culture to support staff to reflect on and develop their practice. This results in a stable, highly competent and committed workforce. The home has an appropriately high level of staffing. New staff confirm that the comprehensive induction prepares them for the role and all staff stated that they feel well supported by their manager.

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Outstanding

Clear and robust internal and external monitoring systems are in place to ensure that the quality of care provided remains of the highest quality. The manager and staff strive to make continual improvements to the lives and experiences of young people in their care. The team communicates and collaborates closely to maintain consistency and stability in their practice. There is shared ownership to work together within the positive model utilised by the home to effect sustainable and measureable outcomes for young people. This ensures that the home demonstrates the ethos outlined in its statement of purpose effectively.

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Outstanding

The home is welcoming and, although a large property, is made to feel as homely as possible. Young people are given the opportunity to contribute their ideas to improve the decor and are able to personalise their bedrooms to their own taste. One shared bathroom requires an update in its decor and a recommendation is made to this effect.

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Outstanding

Staff engage young people extremely well in planning their care and ensure that their views are recorded, as well as encouraging them to attend their own reviews. Young people who had previously not attended their meetings now do so, and therefore actively participate in decision-making and promote their own wishes and feelings. They are encouraged to review their own files regularly with their key worker to identify progress against their plans. Successes are positively celebrated, giving young people a sense of achievement and motivating them further to improve their life chances. One young person says, ‘it gives me a good feeling to make progress with the ICOPE programme’. Another says he is able to see that, ‘he is making the progress he needs; therapy is key’, and that, ‘education is massive for his future’. Progress is clearly identified in case-recording and reports, which are provided to professionals and, when appropriate, families. Professionals such as

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Outstanding

social workers and independent reviewing officers commend the home’s, ‘excellent supervision and safe care’, and its ‘child-focused model of working’.

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Outstanding

New admissions are meticulously planned, with detailed consideration to prioritise the safety of all and any impact on young people already in placement. Transition planning incorporates introductory visits prior to admissions. The home does consider emergency admissions and one has been made since the last inspection. While young people already living in the home had not expected this, they acknowledged the importance of the placement opportunity for the new young person. As he is younger, they are encouraged to act as positive role models.

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Outstanding

Managers and staff receive regular and effective supervision in line with the home’s policy. Leaders are seeking to improve the format of supervision to further implement the service’s unique principles, and to promote reflective practice and staff development. Good practice is promoted through discussion in handovers and team meetings, with the focus on the impact of their work with young people. Specialist training ensures that staff are well equipped to care for vulnerable young people who have complex needs. Training in the impact of trauma has now been delivered to half of the staff team, with the remainder due to undertake this shortly. Those who have already completed the course feel that it has been beneficial to their practice, and in particular their working relationships with therapists as a result of improved understanding. The home has therefore responded appropriately to the recommendation from the last inspection.

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Outstanding

The staff team maintains highly effective relationships with other professionals, particularly with teachers and therapists with whom they work closely. There are strong links within the community and young people are encouraged to develop their social skills and networks by participating in local clubs and activities, which are suitably but sensitively supervised. The home regularly liaises with the police, including during the referral stage, as well as with placing authorities, to secure positive outcomes for young people, and will challenge when other agencies do not fulfil their responsibilities. Notifications are made to appropriate authorities regarding any significant incidents with detailed managerial oversight to ensure that young people’s needs are met and that they are protected from harm. The home does not consistently record its requests to engage social workers to provide current relevant plans, and therefore a recommendation is made in this respect.

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Outstanding

This does not have a direct impact on the excellent quality of care provided to young people at 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 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, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for children looked after 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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