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

Inspection report children’s home: SC480681 1 SC480681 Registered provider: Hexagon Care Services Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to six boys who have emotional and behavioural difficulties. Education is available on site.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 28 to 29 November 2017

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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good

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

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Improved effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: None Inspection report children’s home: SC480681 2

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Key findings from this inspection

 The registered manager is dedicated to providing a high standard of care for young people to enable them to succeed.  Young people enjoy positive relationships with staff, who enjoy working with them.  Key worker sessions and resolution meetings are used to resolve any conflicts and to encourage young people to take responsibility for their actions.  Good links with schools have contributed to the increased school attendance being achieved by the majority of the children and to positive academic achievement.  Staff receive good-quality and regular supervision to review their practice.  Young people’s safety is prioritised. Good links have been developed with local agencies to safeguard the young people and the staff.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 21/11/2016 Full Good 22/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 12/01/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC480681 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff prepare the young people effectively when they move into the home. They receive well-organised information, which helps them to understand the care and support they will receive. A welcome book, which includes photographs of the home and staff, together with a children’s guide, prepares young people for what to expect. Each young person is encouraged to personalise their bedroom, which helps them to feel welcome at the home. Risk assessments ensure that the needs of young people moving into the home do not adversely affect those young people who are already living there. Staff prepare the young people living at the home well to welcome those who are moving in; as a result, the young people living at the home are friendly and welcoming towards the young people who move in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people form positive and constructive relationships with staff and especially their key workers. Young people said that they always have someone that they can talk to. Consequently, they engage in meaningful conversations with staff that help them to reflect on things that happen in the young people’s lives. Staff meet young people from school and talk about their day. This ensures that any issues that may have arisen during the day do not affect the evenings. They plan their evenings prior to undertaking individual or shared activities when staff ensure that young people have their undivided attention.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff value the young people’s views and encourage them to express themselves in a positive manner. Weekly house meetings are an effective forum for young people to influence how the home is run. Young people agree the agenda and use meetings to discuss, within a safe environment, any issues that are of concern to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The organisation provides education on site. However, only two young people currently access this facility. Other young people attend a local college or academy or other specialist provisions. Education is prioritised by staff, who support young people to achieve over 80% attendance at school. This goal has not been reached by all young people, but their attendance is good. Before living at this home, some young people had not attended school for a considerable length of time, so this is a great achievement. School staff liaise closely with the home’s staff to ensure that they provide consistent care. Young people make good academic and social progress as a result.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home can offer a therapeutic service from a local organisation. The registered manager organises therapy that each young person feels comfortable with, such as bereavement counselling.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff fully support young people to see parents, relatives and those who are important to them. When needed, they supervise this time within the home environment. Parents are very positive about the service and appreciate the care that staff provide. A parent said, ‘I could not praise the staff any more... I am pleased about how well they do with my son.’ Another parent said, ‘He has achieved a lot since being there.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC480681 4 Relationships between young people and staff are positive. Young people seek out the staff to spend time with them and enjoy positive interactions. Staff enjoy having fun with the young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people make significant progress. They work to agreed targets that are achievable and linked to self-care skills and appropriate social skills. This ensures that young people learn new skills and know what is socially acceptable. The home’s placement plan and risk assessments address any issues of concern. Young people’s achievements are celebrated. Staff prepare young people well for when they leave the home. One parent wrote, ‘I think it’s awesome my (name) changed so much since being here, he now sees a bright future ahead.’

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

Young people are kept safe by staff who demonstrate a good knowledge of safeguarding practice. For example, in the event of a young person leaving the home without permission, staff do their utmost to locate them. They follow the young person and, if they cannot be located or cannot be reached on the phone, staff inform the police; as a result, young people are located quickly. Positive relationships between staff and young people and the close supervision of young people by staff mean that young people rarely go missing. Some young people who previously went missing regularly have reduced their missing from care episodes significantly.

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

Staff challenge young people who may squabble and fall out with each other. Young people are guided about how to treat others with respect. Key workers and restorative meetings are used to discuss relevant issues with young people, who learn to reflect on their behaviour and emotions. This provides young people with an opportunity to apologise for and correct their behaviour. Methods such as restorative justice and mediation are effective. One young person said, ‘My behaviours have got 100 times better since I’ve been here.’

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

Physical interventions are rare, and only one has taken place in 12 months. There is good recording of the events that preceded the need for this intervention. Staff are able to reflect on and learn from the registered manager’s evaluation of the effectiveness of the method used. The manager evaluates all records and seeks young people’s views. Young people are effectively helped to take responsibility for their actions and alert the registered manager if they are unhappy with any aspect of the intervention.

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

Sanctions are used appropriately, and there is an emphasis on reparation in which young people have the opportunity to make amends. When sanctions do occur, they are relevant to the issue requiring sanctions. Young people are encouraged to record anything that they are unhappy with as a complaint, which the registered manager follows up formally. Complaints are then responded to in line with the organisation’s policy and young people are advised of the outcome of their complaints. Inspection report children’s home: SC480681 5 Staff have a good knowledge of e-safety. Software is available on the home computer that helps to keep young people safe, and staff provide education about risks. Risk assessments are in place to ensure that staff are aware of how to support young people who are able to use a mobile phone to use it safely.

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

All risk assessments are individualised to the young person, in addition to the generic assessments. Staff read and sign these assessments to demonstrate that they are aware of how to prevent incidents from occurring and of what to do if they arise. Staff regularly review and update risk assessments after incidents.

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

Good relationships with the designated officer and local authorities mean that managers share significant events promptly with relevant agencies. Any allegations are reported and fully investigated to protect the young people and the staff. This promotes transparency and accountability.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager has been in post since October 2012 and is qualified to national vocational qualification (NVQ) level 4 in leadership and management for care services. The majority of staff have completed the diploma level 3 in residential childcare or equivalent. All remaining staff will have achieved this qualification by April 2018, which will be within two years of starting in the relevant post.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager and staff demonstrate a strong understanding of young people’s childhood journeys. This knowledge has helped staff to identify and overcome the barriers to young people making progress in their educational, emotional and social development. As a result, staff are responsive to the individual needs of young people. Staff offer tailor-made support that ensures that young people are able to make and sustain outstanding progress across the full range of developmental areas, compared with their starting points. One young person wrote recently, ‘Although there have been a few issues which have been ironed out and bridges built, the placement which (registered manager) sorted at (football academy) really boosted my confidence and I’ve finally come across something I’m good at. My keyworker gives me support and helps me understand how important this placement is along with (registered manager) who

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

makes sure I’m doing well and pushing myself.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff team mirrors the registered manager’s child-focused and enthusiastic approach. All staff who spoke to the inspector said that the registered manager is supportive, helpful and encouraging of their development and progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager leads a highly skilled and experienced staff team that presents with natural ability to provide high-quality care to young people. Staff value their reflective supervisions and purposeful team meetings. They said that the training offered by the provider is comprehensive and interesting and really helps them to understand how to support young people to make progress and keep safe in line with the home’s statement of purpose. The registered manager’s awareness of the strengths of his staff Inspection report children’s home: SC480681 6 team ensures that young people experience a consistently high standard of care from staff who are motivated and well trained.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Appropriate induction programmes and relevant training and development opportunities prepare staff effectively to meet young people’s needs. New staff shadow more experienced staff and only work directly with young people when they are confident. This means that staff are competent from the start.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Communication is at the heart of the manager’s practice, resulting in a shared understanding and approach to meeting the needs of the young people. The registered manager has developed highly effective relationships with partner agencies, including the police, education providers and placing authorities. This collaborative approach has negated the need for the registered manager to challenge partner agencies to date.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager takes positive steps to gather the views of parents, young people, social workers and other professionals about the quality of care provided by the home. Effective action is taken in response to these and to other comments. The registered manager evaluates the home effectively in order to make improvements. He has a good understanding of young people’s needs and staff performance. He recognises areas of weakness and is committed to making improvements.

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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 differences 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.

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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: SC480681 7

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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, 1 Tustin Court Port Way, Ashton-on- Ribble, Preston, Lancashire PR2 2YQ

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Inspector

Elaine Clare, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC480681 8 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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