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

Inspection report children’s home: SC479649 1 SC479649 Registered provider: Hexagon Care Services Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is provided by a private organisation. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to six 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

Requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected Requires improvement to be good

p.1

Requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers Requires improvement to be good

p.1

Requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

p.1

Requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Improved effectiveness

p.1

Requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: Not applicable Inspection report children’s home: SC479649 2

p.1

Key findings from this inspection

This children’s home requires improvement to be good because:

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

 The recruitment checks on new staff are yet to comply with the principles of safer recruitment, as checks required by regulation are not always evident. This issue has been raised at the last two inspections of this home.  Improvements are needed to the maintenance and cleanliness of the home to improve the living environment for young people.  Records relating to the safe administration of medication are confusing, as staff do not understand the system. This makes it difficult for staff to check if young people have received their medication.  A number of young people’s records require updating with recent information.  The home’s policies and procedures in relation to young people smoking are unclear to staff and young people. This means that young people may smoke unchecked by staff.  Weak management monitoring and auditing means that a general deterioration in standards of record keeping has not been identified or addressed.

p.2

Key findings from this inspection

 Young people have positive and respectful relationships with staff and with each other. They enjoy engaging in activities together. Young people also receive support to follow their own interests.  All young people are engaging with some type of education. Staff are strong advocates for young people, ensuring that they are educated in an appropriate setting.  Staff are supporting young people who are approaching transition to think about their future. Young people are considering their career options and setting themselves goals.  Staff work well with other agencies and communication is good. Other agencies are very positive about the home.

p.2

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 23/11/2016 Full Requires improvement 14/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 03/12/2015 Full Outstanding Inspection report children’s home: SC479649 3

p.2

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.3

Requirement Due date

10: The health and well-being standard Ensure that children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being and are helped to lead healthy lifestyles. (Regulation 10(1)(b)(c)) 31/07/2017

p.3

Requirement Due date

12: The protection of children standard Ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12(2)(d)) 31/07/2017

p.3

Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard Ensure the use of monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(2)(h)) 31/07/2017

p.3

Requirement Due date

23: Medicines Ensure adequate arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. (Regulation 23(1)) 31/07/2017

p.3

Requirement Due date

32: Fitness of workers Ensure that individuals who are employed at the children’s home satisfy the specified requirements and that full and satisfactory information is available in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32(1)(2)(3)) 31/07/2017 Inspection report children’s home: SC479649 4

p.3

Recommendations

 Ensure that the children’s guide helps children understand the day-to-day routines of the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 24, paragraph 4.22) In particular the rules on smoking, when living in the home.  Ensure that staff consistently follow the home’s policies and procedures for the benefit of the children in the home’s care. Everyone working at the home must understand their roles and responsibilities. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.20)

p.4

improvement

Although young people make good progress while living in this home, shortfalls in help and protection and leadership and management have influenced the overall judgement in this area. Young people spoken to on inspection were very positive about living here. Young people enjoy positive relationships with staff and also with each other. One young person said, ‘It’s sound here. I get on well with the staff and we all get along okay.’ There are rarely any incidents of disagreement between the young people, and staff swiftly defuse any that do occur. The property is large, allowing young people space on their own if they need this. Staff respect and promote young people’s individuality. While staff and young people engage in a range of activities together, such as going to the gym, walking, or to the trampoline park, young people are also able to progress their own hobbies and interests. For example, one young person is a talented golfer and another is taking guitar lessons.

p.4

improvement

All young people are engaged in some kind of educational provision. While some are currently attending on a part-time basis, or attending a specialist provision, this is an improvement on their historical position. Staff advocate strongly for young people to ensure that the provision best meets the young person’s needs. One social worker commented, ‘Staff have been really proactive. They have sourced another provision, as [name of young person] is better with a practical-based learning curriculum. They have also been doing additional work at home with him. They are really supporting him to do as well as he is able to.’ This degree of support ensures the best educational outcomes for young people. Young people are also attending college and making good progress. One young person’s college has recently nominated him for an award, due to his 100% attendance and excellent progress. Those young people approaching transition are now thinking about

p.4

improvement

their future; they are completing curriculum vitae, applying for part-time jobs, and considering their career pathways. They speak enthusiastically about their futures and Inspection report children’s home: SC479649 5 know what they need to achieve to be successful. For example, one young person who wants to join the army said, ‘I know that I really need to improve my fitness levels, so staff are supporting me by going to the gym and going for a run.’ All young people benefit from good-quality personalised placement plans. These clearly outline their needs and routines and are followed in practice. However, some young people’s placement plans have not been updated with new information. For example, one young person’s recent medical diagnosis was not evident in his placement plan. However, staff are knowledgeable about the history and needs of those that they care for and demonstrate an empathy for the position that these young people have found

p.4

improvement

themselves in. One social work professional commented, ‘Staff have been absolutely excellent with helping the young person with his family history and supporting him with the bereavement of a family member. I can’t praise them enough.’ Young people are generally in good health. Staff register them with appropriate health services on their admission to the home and proactively chase appointments with specialist services. They also provide young people with a range of health-related information, so that they are able to make their own informed choices. However, some young people continue to smoke tobacco and cannabis. While staff discourage this, the rules of the home in relation to smoking are unclear. Smoking paraphernalia was evident in young people’s bedrooms, which is contrary to the home’s own policy and procedures. The rules on smoking are also incorrect in the young person’s guide to the home, which

p.5

improvement

young people receive on admission. Consequently, this leads to inconsistencies in how staff manage this issue and enables young people to manipulate the situation. In addition, when young people have been reluctant to engage in work designed to change these behaviours, it is not clear if staff have tried an alternative approach, such as linking smoking to improvements in general health and fitness, linked to the young person’s own goals. Similarly, while young people rarely require medication, the current arrangements for the safe administration of medication are not robust. Medication is stored securely in a lockable cabinet. However, staff confusion concerning the current recording system makes it difficult to complete an accurate audit of medication. Additional painkillers kept for the use of staff added to this confusion. Staff ensure that young people are able to keep in contact with their family and friends.

p.5

improvement

Staff appreciate the importance of maintaining these relationships. They will facilitate contact in the home or at alternate venues, even if this involves transporting the young person some considerable distance. Social workers are appreciative of this. Staff are aware of the issues surrounding safe contact. One social worker commented, ‘Staff always make sure that the contact environment is safe for the young person before leaving him.’ Young people learn age-appropriate independence skills. This will help them when they move on from the home. Careful transition planning ensures that young people are best able to manage on their own successfully. One social worker commented, ‘[Name of the young person] is responding and thriving in this placement. Staff are really proactive and aware that independence is the ultimate goal.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC479649 6

p.5

improvement to be good

Young people say that they feel safe living in the home. There has been a reduction in young people’s risk-taking behaviours since their admission. For example, there has been a significant reduction in the number of incidents of young people going missing from home. Staff work hard at engaging young people positively. As a result, young people want to spend time with staff and incidents quickly reduce. Staff take the appropriate actions, when incidents do occur, to ensure the safe return of young people and they work well with the police to expedite this. Young people benefit from regular keyworker sessions and, as a result, they are learning to keep themselves safe when out in the community. Young people know when they need to alert staff or request assistance. For example, a recent incident involving one young person having his mobile telephone taken from him was speedily resolved by the young person alerting staff and, in turn, the police. Staff then took the appropriate

p.6

improvement to be good

action in relation to other young people involved. This ensures the safety of young people and those in the community. Staff and young people are clear about the standards of behaviour that are acceptable. Young people respect this. They benefit from effective and preventative behaviour management practices that are successful because of the positive relationships that exist between staff and young people. Staff are able to identify and respond quickly to issues that arise. They de-escalate incidents effectively without the need for physical intervention. There have been no physical interventions since the last inspection. The number of sanctions imposed is also small, as the ethos of the home favours the reward of positive behaviour. However, when incidents have occurred, the sanction imposed does not always relate to the incident itself. This makes it more difficult for young people to understand and learn from these incidents. The management monitoring of the home

p.6

improvement to be good

had not identified these issues. The premises are spacious and suitable as a children’s home. However, at the time of this inspection the standards of hygiene and maintenance were poor. The size of the establishment necessitates a substantial amount of time to be devoted to cleaning and its upkeep. The home has historically had the benefit of a part-time cleaner, but this is no longer the case. Issues include: overflowing waste paper bins; no soap or toilet rolls in young people’s bathrooms; large amounts of dirty laundry; food scraps in young people’s bedrooms; large amounts of cigarette butts by the back door of the home; and shards of glass in the garden remaining from a broken window some months earlier. These issues detract from the homely environment, have the potential to adversely affect young people’s health, and give a poor message to young people regarding what is acceptable behaviour and standards.

p.6

improvement to be good

Staff recruitment processes are not yet sufficiently robust to ensure the safe recruitment of staff. Inconsistencies in employment dates between an individual’s application and dates given by referees have not been identified during the recruitment process. Consequently, there has been no further exploration with the applicant or referee. This does not ensure the integrity of those working in the home. A similar issue in relation to Inspection report children’s home: SC479649 7 staff recruitment has been posed at the last two inspections of the home, but improvements are still not evident.

p.6

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

The registered manager is suitably qualified and experienced. He has managed the home for over two years. He worked as the deputy manager in the home prior to this. A newly appointed deputy manager works in the home to support him. They are enthusiastic about working in the home and know the young people well. There have been many staff changes over the last twelve months, but this situation has now stabilised. Staff are developing positive relationships with young people and enjoy seeing the difference that their input can make. While some elements of leadership and management are good, the management oversight is currently ineffective. Managers have prioritised their time to ensure that the needs of the young people are being met and on developing the staff team. New staff follow a formal induction programme, which ensures that they are aware of the basic running of the home. A range of training opportunities supports this, ensuring that they

p.7

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

have a sound skill base. Specific training on issues such as bereavement have also been sourced for staff, so that they are best able to meet the individual needs of young people. Unqualified staff are working towards their level 3 qualification. Staff feel well supported by senior staff in the home. The home’s statement of purpose reflects the aims and objectives of the home. The ethos of the home is based on good relationships and mutual respect. Staff focus on positive outcomes for young people and enabling them to learn from new experiences. For example, young people have the opportunity of an annual holiday. However, while the registered manager has plans for the development of the home, he has not updated his development plan for some time. Consequently, time-specific targets have not been set, resulting in the potential for drift. The home’s standards in relation to recording have been allowed to decline over recent

p.7

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

months. For example, staff meeting minutes are poor, simply listing the topics discussed but with no detail of the content of discussion. These would not enable a member of staff who was not present to develop an understanding of the issues. Similarly, the records of monthly young people’s meetings are poor. While managers have seen these documents, along with young people’s documents that require update, no action had been taken prior to this inspection, to address the deterioration in the standard of these. Similarly, despite the registered manager having oversight of the staff recruitment process, omissions in this area have resulted in the one requirement made at the last inspection being repeated on a further occasion. Liaison with other agencies is effective. Positive relationships exist between managers and other professionals. Comments include, ‘I think the placement has been excellent at communicating with myself,’ and ‘Staff work in partnership to achieve the best outcomes

p.7

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

for my young person. I can’t think of any improvements at this time.’ Social workers value the contribution that staff have made to effect positive change to the outcomes for young people. Inspection report children’s home: SC479649 8

p.7

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 who it is trying to help, protect and look after.

p.8

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: SC479649 9

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hexagon Care Services Limited

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Hexagon Care Services, 1 Tustin Court, Port Way, Ashton On Ribble, Preston PR2 2YQ

p.9

Inspector(s)

Mandy Williams, social care regulatory inspector Lisa Gregoire-Parker, social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC479649 10 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

p.9

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.10

Inspector(s)

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

p.10

Inspector(s)

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

p.10