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

Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: SC479654 1 SC479654

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Hexagon Care Services Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides care and accommodation for up to six young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is owned by a private organisation.

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This monitoring visit

During the full inspection visit to the home on 23 and 24 May 2017, Sarah Billett, social care regulatory inspector, found that safeguarding practice at this home was not sufficiently robust and the arrangements for safeguarding young people were inadequate. A large number of failings were identified, including a lack of effective action by managers and staff in response to safeguarding concerns, leaving young people at risk of harm, and young people‘s needs not being met across aspects of their welfare, including education. The manager in post at the time and staff failed to identify all known risks to young people. These practices failed to protect young people from the risk of harm. The children‘s home was judged inadequate.

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This monitoring visit

As a result, nine requirements were made, two of which are subject to compliance notices, which were issued on 1 June 2017.

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This monitoring visit

An announced monitoring inspection was undertaken on 14 July 2017 to monitor the two compliance notices issued under section 22A of the Care Standards Act 2000. The inspection was announced as the manager has since left the position and there are currently no children on role at the home and no staff based at the home on a daily basis.

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This monitoring visit

As a result of the inadequate inspection, the young people were discharged from the home and moved to alternative placements. The manager has been dismissed and a number of staff have moved on from the home. The provider has taken this period Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: SC479654 2 of time to reflect on the findings of the inspection and is currently reviewing the statement of purpose, to identify how best the home can be used to support young people in the future. The provider is actively recruiting a new manager for the home.

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This monitoring visit

This inspection found that action had been taken following the full inspection to ensure that all staff understood their roles and responsibilities in relation to keeping young people safe. Risk assessments were regularly updated and had clear agreed strategies in place to safeguard young people and to reduce individual risk-taking behaviour. Communication logs identified when staff had reviewed the updated risk assessments, which enabled managers to monitor the staff who were reading the changes to the risk assessments.

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This monitoring visit

Clear evidence was presented at this inspection of a significant increase in the individual direct work sessions provided to young people. Records identified the wide variety of sessions facilitated and the significant improvement in the engagement of the young people in these sessions. Staff had been supported with resource packs to facilitate this direct work with young people. One young person engaged in 50 sessions of direct work between the inspections. This means that he was supported to identify and understand individual risks and consequently was better equipped with the skills to help keep himself safe and make positive choices. Following the full inspection, the management team reviewed the staff rota, including individuals‘ experience and skills. The management team was proactive in identifying shifts that did need extra support. Since the last inspection, the management team has developed a clear action plan

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This monitoring visit

for improvement. This plan has formed the basis for reviewing and monitoring practice in the home. The action plan has resulted in improvements to the recording of supervision of staff and an increase in targeted direct work sessions offered to young people. Clear guidance regarding impact risk assessments has been reissued despite no current plans to admit young people to the home. Shift planners were introduced following the last inspection; this ensured that staff were aware of their responsibilities on each shift. The deputy reported that this back-to-basics approach supported staff to engage more with young people and consequently saw a reduction of serious incidents. The home is compliant with the two regulations that were subject to compliance notices. Other requirements made at the last inspection will be monitored during the next full inspection. Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: SC479654 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 23/05/2017 Full Inadequate 22/03/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness 20/12/2016 Full Good Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: SC479654 4

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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.

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff— (c) if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority‘s or a relevant person‘s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority to seek to ensure that each child‘s needs are met in accordance with the child‘s relevant plans. (Regulation 5(c)) 03/07/2017

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the education standard, the registered provider must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally. (Regulation 8(2)(v))

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training, in accordance with the expectations in the child‘s relevant plans. (Regulation 8(2)(x)) 03/07/2017

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

(b) an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

(c) positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone. (Regulation 11(2)(iv)) 03/07/2017 Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: SC479654 5 de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children. (Regulation 11(2)(xi))

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11(2)9b))

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children— have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(b)) that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home‘s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14(2)(a)) 03/07/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the requirements of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. This is in respect of fire drills being carried out. (Regulation 25(2)(b)) 03/07/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees— receive practice-based supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33(4)(b)) 03/07/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (―case records‖) for each child which— (a) include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child. (Regulation 36 (1)(a) 03/07/2017

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children‘s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: SC479654 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hexagon Care Services Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Louise Redfern, social care inspector Inspection report for children‘s home – monitoring visit: SC479654 7 to 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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