Children's home run by Horizon Care Limited in Cannock Chase

Inspection report children’s home: SC366851 1 SC366851 Registered provider: Horizon Care Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The children’s home is one of a number of homes that are run by a private organisation. It provides care and accommodation for up to three young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Improved effectiveness

p.1

Enforcement action since last inspection

There has been no enforcement action since the last inspection.

p.1

Key findings from this inspection

 Young people develop trusting relationships with staff. Contact with families is well supported and maintained. Inspection report children’s home: SC366851 2  Some young people make very good progress in education.

p.1

Key findings from this inspection

 Good healthcare planning ensures that all young people’s primary health needs are met.

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

 Episodes of being missing from home have been significantly reduced.

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

 Physical intervention is rarely used at the home. Redirection and distraction techniques are used well to manage potential disruption.

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

 Staff work well with young people to understand the impact of bullying.

p.2

The children’s home’s areas for development

 Ensure that placements are only offered to young people when the home is confident that it can meet the assessed needs.

p.2

The children’s home’s areas for development

 Ensure that all young people are provided with a full educational programme of support.

p.2

The children’s home’s areas for development

 Ensure that internal monitoring provides a clear analysis of the care provided in the home, and the vision for future development and improvement. Inspection report children’s home: SC366851 3

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 10/08/2016 Full Requires improvement 04/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 28/07/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC366851 4

p.3

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet 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.

p.4

Requirement Due date

Ensure children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8(1)(2)(a)(i)) 21/06/2017

p.4

Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality care review, the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating; (a) The quality of care provided in the children’s home (b) The feedback and opinions of the children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive within it, and (c) Any actions the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. (Regulation 45(2)(a)(b)(c)) 21/05/2017

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must have the appropriate experience, qualifications and skills to manage the home effectively and lead the care of children. (Regulation 28(1)(b)(ii)) 21/05/2017

p.4

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs, and should understand the key role they play in the training and development of the staff in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)

p.4

Recommendations

 The registered person is responsible for leading a team which provides high quality care for all children living in the home. They should play a key role in shaping the ethos of the home through developing a culture of high aspiration for children which is demonstrated through the care, resources and opportunities Inspection report children’s home: SC366851 5 offered to the children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.4)

p.4

Recommendations

 The registered person must only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s plan and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of young people. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)

p.5

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, two young people have left the service. Both young people experienced a planned move to alternative provision, where it was deemed that their complex needs would be more suitably addressed. At the time of the inspection, three young people are accommodated at the home.

p.5

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people form good relationships with staff. One young person said, ‘It annoys me to admit it, but the staff always have our best interests at heart.’ Staff have a good understanding of young people’s needs and their individual interests. This is reflected in the planned activities that they undertake and the way in which their rooms are decorated. Staff say: ‘We want people to feel cared for and feel that they are at home. We do all that we can to promote this.’

p.5

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Healthcare is suitably supported. Staff ensure that, where concerns arise, suitable referrals to external agencies are made swiftly. The looked after children’s nurse also provides valuable advice and guidance, and is on hand to offer support where necessary. Clear risk management plans are in place in order to guide staff where there may be a suspicion of substance misuse. For example, where a young person is suspected of taking illegal highs, staff are advised to seek immediate medical advice.

p.5

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Residents of the home have a history of non-attendance or educational disruption. At this placement young people’s education is strengthened by the organisation’s registered school. This means that young people are able to access education without delay and with appropriate support. One young person has achieved 100% attendance since living at the home and is taking nine GCSE examinations. Furthermore, in order to ensure her best outcomes, the home has employed a private tutor to help with revision and exam preparation. Likewise, a new referral to the home is being supported to maintain her previous education placement, and this is going well. However, one young person who struggles with school attendance does not receive a full timetable of support, and there are no formal plans to increase his educational expectations. As a result, the young person does not view his education as important, and this reduces his life chances. A

p.5

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

requirement is made to address this matter. Inspection report children’s home: SC366851 6 Placement planning is improved. Young people are beginning to review their targets and goals, and to comment on how they are achieving at the placement. Plans are now more regularly reviewed and updated. For example, consistent key-work sessions take place and are a reflection of the targeted pieces of work that are identified in their individual plans. Consequently, young people understand the aim of their placement and are more engaged with staff in order to reach their goals.

p.5

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people benefit from consistent planned contact with family members. Staff go the extra mile to ensure that young people with families who live at a considerable distance from the home maintain good-quality supported contact. A parent said: ‘Staff are really good, and keep me informed and updated. My child always looks well and happy, and is doing really well since living at the home.’

p.6

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Planned and unplanned activities take place on a regular basis. Young people choose activities that they would like to try and staff support them to try them out. One young person regularly attends the gym while another plays football. Young people have also taken an interest in the garden. Staff have purchased a greenhouse and young people are now growing their own potatoes, carrots and flowers. This is going really well.

p.6

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is continuing to develop ways of consulting young people. The registered manager has devised child-friendly questionnaires and young people are beginning to record their views on the quality of care provided at the home. Likewise, young people’s meetings take place on a regular basis. Records indicate that young people engage well and regularly discuss matters regarding their home, activities and plans. Young people also benefit from an independent visitor. This enables them to discuss any matters for concern with someone unconnected with the home. Consequently, young people learn to understand that their views and opinions are encouraged and valued by staff, and are appropriately responded to.

p.6

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Young people’s safety is suitably protected in the home. The designated officer said: ‘I have no concerns regarding how this home is operated. I am regularly updated with any concerns. Staff are vigilant when managing the safety of the young people.’ Likewise, the missing from home coordinator said: ‘The staff are very proactive. They follow all procedures and actively search for young people. We are updated about any new referral and any concerns that they have for the young people who are placed with them.’ The registered manager and staff form good relationships with external safeguarding agencies, and this assists in the management of safeguarding concerns.

p.6

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Young people are supported to live together and respect each other. Episodes of bickering are suitably challenged by staff who support young people to resolve matters with maturity. Episodes of bullying are infrequent. However, when there is a concern raised, effective action is taken to address this, for example additional staffing, key-work sessions and formal meetings with management. Consequently, young people feel protected and supported at the home and empowered to raise concerns if they arise. Inspection report children’s home: SC366851 7 Risk assessments identify the current risks presented by young people and the level of risk that is presented. Staff are able to confirm the management strategies for individual risks, and said: ‘We review the risk assessments all the time, as a team and with young people. We work hard with the young people so that they can learn how to manage their risks and how to reduce them.’ For example, young people who previously were involved

p.6

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

in gang-related risks no longer associate with undesirable groups.

p.7

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff are trained in the use of physical intervention. However, this practice is rarely used. There have been no incidents requiring the use of physical intervention since the last full inspection in August 2016. Staff focus on de-escalation and redirection techniques which, on the whole, prove successful. Records are updated to ensure that any incidents are reviewed in accordance with regulation, and that staff and young people are provided with a suitable debriefing.

p.7

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Young people live in a home where their safety and well-being are suitably supported. Individual missing from home plans are in place to ensure that the correct procedures and strategies are implemented without delay. Likewise, external agencies work with staff and young people to ensure that a consistent approach is maintained, should a young person go missing from home. A community police officer said: ‘This is a good home. It will do all it can to prevent someone becoming missing.’ Consequently, young people who have a history of being missing regularly no longer absent themselves.

p.7

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Young people know how to complain. Information is provided in the young people’s guide and organisational complaints documents. Procedures for managing complaints are in place, and the evidence demonstrates that they are handled fairly and investigated thoroughly by the manager or external nominated person. Young people said: ‘The staff are fair and they do listen to us. If we want to speak to an external person, they always arrange it.’

p.7

How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Individual behaviour management plans identify triggers for negative behaviours and strategies for the diffusion and management of potential challenging situations. The home has functioned with only two young people for a short while, and this has enabled staff to strengthen the boundaries at the home and offer a more consistent approach to negative behaviours. A staff member said: ‘We have looked at everything as a team and reviewed what works and what doesn’t. This has helped us to further develop the behaviour plans.’

p.7

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager became registered with Ofsted in March 2016. This is her first registered manager’s position. She is qualified at NVQ level 3 and is enrolled on the diploma in health and social care.

p.7

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Internal monitoring takes place on a regular basis and reports are forwarded to Ofsted in accordance with regulation. However, internal monitoring requires improvement. Reports fail to provide an analysis of the information recorded, such as the response to Inspection report children’s home: SC366851 8 comments from young people and professionals. Furthermore, reports deal with the here and now, rather than a planned, objective overview of the steps to be taken to further develop the service. Consequently, the vision for the future progress and development of the care provided within the home are limited. A requirement is made to address this matter.

p.7

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

External monitoring also takes place on a regular basis. However, reports failed to identify the key areas for development that were identified on inspection. The company has now employed a new service to provide regular scrutiny of the children’s home in order to quickly identify shortfalls and address practice matters.

p.8

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The home employs a committed and enthusiastic team of staff, with the majority suitably qualified at national vocational qualification level 3. Mandatory training is regularly provided by the organisation, although this now includes frequent use of online training. The regional manager said, ‘This is a matter that the organisation is looking into because it has been raised in some of our other homes.’ Consequently, it is hard to assess how staff put online learning into practice. This is because they do not have the opportunity to share experiences and good-practice models on a regular basis with their peers. A recommendation is made to address this matter.

p.8

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff receive regular supervision and feel supported by the registered manager. A staff member said, ‘The manager is really supportive and always is on hand to help.’ The registered manager regularly steps into the care worker role to support staff, particularly during difficult situations. However, this results in her constantly juggling roles, creating ambiguity in her role and responsibility as the registered manager. There is a lack of structure and routine in order that the manager is able to prioritise work effectively. For example, the registered manager will respond to matters quickly once they have been raised with her, but may not necessarily identify the problem at first hand. A requirement and a recommendation are made to address this matter.

p.8

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager and staff want to make a positive difference to young people’s lives. However, there are deficits in the review and matching of appropriate placements. For example, a placement was agreed by the registered manager for a young person without all the necessary background information being available. Consequently, it was quickly established that the home could not meet the young person’s needs and the placement was terminated. The registered manager must ensure that the needs of the young people currently placed are suitably matched to those being referred to the home and that the home has the capacity to meet all presenting needs. A recommendation is made to address this matter.

p.8

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager is aware of the procedure for notifying Ofsted of incidents under regulation 40. On the whole, the home has a good record of submitting notifications accordingly. Prompt notification ensures that information is shared with the regulatory agency in order that the actions and outcomes for young people can be suitably assessed.

p.8

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

At the last inspection in March 2017, three requirements and two recommendations were Inspection report children’s home: SC366851 9 made to improve practice. Records for physical intervention are updated to ensure that incidents are quickly reviewed and that young people and staff are suitably debriefed. Missing looked after children documentation has been obtained from placing authorities and is now on file at the home, and record keeping has been raised with staff in order to secure improvement. Additionally, the registered manager has secured the local safeguarding board’s policies for young people placed out of borough in order to ensure that the correct procedures are adhered to in the event of a safeguarding concern. One requirement remains unmet. This pertains to the suitable education of one young person. This is restated at this inspection.

p.8

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Three requirements and three recommendations are made at this inspection to secure improvement in care practice.

p.9

Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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 whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

p.9

Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, 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’. Inspection report children’s home: SC366851 10

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Horizon Care Limited

p.10

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Venture House, 12 Prospect Business Park, Longford Road, Cannock, Staffordshire WS11 0LG

p.10

Inspector(s)

Maria McGranaghan, social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC366851 11 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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

p.10

Inspector(s)

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, 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 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.11

Inspector(s)

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

p.11

Inspector(s)

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

p.11