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

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, some young people have moved from the home in accordance with their identified plans. Staff support transitional moves well for each young person, ensuring that they receive reassurance, and, where appropriate, have the opportunity to visit their new placements prior to moving. Staff ensure that comprehensive information about each young person’s needs is provided to the new placement. This means that young people are supported effectively and fully consulted about their future.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Wherever possible, this planning is undertaken when a young person moves into the home. Where a young person is placed in an emergency, the manager and staff ensure that relevant information is provided to help minimise anxiety. The manager takes into account the needs of the children and young people currently living at the home, as well as those of the young person moving into the home. This contributes to providing stability of placements.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

All young people have individual care plans. Since the last inspection, the manager and staff have further increased the information within the care plans to make sure that all of the young people’s individual needs are clearly identified along with how they will be met. Each young person has a child-friendly summary of their plan, which helps them have an understanding of how they will be supported. Regular individual key-working sessions enable young people to have individualised support and link with their care plan. Care plans are reviewed on a regular basis, which means that they reflect the current needs of each young person. Further development of health care plans means that young people’s health care needs is recorded. However, one health care plan had not been completed fully. The manager has taken steps to address this.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Education is promoted well. Staff have a good understanding of the individual targets and attainments for each young person through regular consultation with schools. Within the home, there is a range of books and toys and access to computers to further promote education. Activities enable further learning and development in a relaxed and fun way. Examples include swimming, use of community facilities and attending youth clubs and sea cadets. Young people are helped to manage their feelings and emotions well. Behaviour management plans are individualised but they ensure that there is a consistent approach in helping young people understand and address any negative behaviours. Recently, some young people have displayed behaviours which could potentially have placed them at increased risk of harm. This included going missing from home and getting involved in some damage within the local community. The

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

staff followed the missing-from-home procedures, ensuring the safe return of the young people involved. The manager and staff discussed these procedures again in team meetings to make sure that all staff members were aware of their role and responsibility due to the rare occasions that this has happened in the past. All staff have a good understanding and are working in accordance with current practice. To address the damage within the community, staff worked with the police, placing social workers and the community to implement restorative justice work. This helped the young people to understand the potential impact of their behaviour and take action to address it without criminal charges being made. Consequences for other behaviours are clear and fully recorded. Young people are offered the opportunity to record their views, although do not always want to. The manager has reviewed the behaviour management strategies and there is a strong focus on

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

rewarding good behaviour. This includes celebrating achievements which the young people enjoy. At the time of the inspection, young people spoke very positively about the incentives and rewards.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has had a period of change within the staff team and the rota systems operated. This is to make sure that staff work in accordance with the organisation’s staffing procedures. Although initially this was challenging, staff have adapted well to this. They have also shown resilience when negative behaviour has escalated and have been proactive in identifying and implementing strategies to minimise these and improve their practice. All staff receive regular supervision on both a formal and informal basis. Staff meetings include regular training and discussion. This enables staff to reflect on their practice and address shortfalls as they are identified. The manager undertakes regular monitoring of the home, and this is further supported by the monthly reports of the independent visitor. Requirements and recommendations made at the previous inspection have been addressed. This demonstrates the commitment to providing good outcomes for children and young

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Information about this children’s home

This home is an independent children’s home. It provides care and accommodation for up to eight children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 24/08/2016 Full Good 17/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 21/10/2015 Full Good 10/12/2014 Full Good

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  Children’s homes staff should encourage children to take a proactive role in looking after their day-to-day health and well-being. Where children have specific health needs or conditions, they should be supported to manage these subject to their age and understanding. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’)

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the ‘Inspection of children’s homes: framework for inspection’.

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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 focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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 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 0300 123 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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