Children's Home run by Horizon Care and Education Group Limited in Walsall

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1258434 1

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Horizon Care And Education Group Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned children’s home, registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home was first registered on 20 December 2017.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was made in response to Ofsted receiving a number of notifications which raised concerns about the care and safeguarding of young people in the home.

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This monitoring visit

The concerns were that within a few weeks of the home opening, one young person (who was the only young person in placement) was frequently going missing. Another young person (who had also been the only young person in placement at the time) had made a serious allegation and had been removed from the home by his placing authority. There were also concerns that staffing levels were insufficient, and that risk assessments lacked the detail and analysis needed to meet the safeguarding needs of young people.

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This monitoring visit

This visit has identified a number of regulatory shortfalls. Staff allowed one young person, who has a history of going missing and who was being investigated by the police for theft from shops, to go to the shops unsupervised the day after he arrived. He then went missing. Staff failed to identify the risks. He subsequently went missing on two more occasions, once when staff failed to notice that he had left the home and once when a staff member took him for a hospital appointment and he absconded. Despite having received information outlining the extent of the young person’s previous missing behaviour, the registered manager did not ensure that sufficient staff were provided to monitor and accompany him. The young person was sent to his hospital appointment with one staff member, while other staff remained at the home to undertake administrative tasks.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has failed to ensure that all of the information provided by Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1258434 2 placing authorities is included in young people’s individual risk assessments. Consequently, the risk assessments do not identify all of the risks and warning signs, or appropriate strategies for staff to use to reduce the risks. In one case, the risks related to a young person’s anxieties about being abused during the night and to his lack of awareness of child sexual exploitation. No strategies were identified to help him feel safe at night. Ultimately, this led to him experiencing another placement move.

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This monitoring visit

Several members of the staff team have not read the risk assessments for each young person. Risk assessments are not dated, which prevents staff from distinguishing updated documents from the initial risk assessments.

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This monitoring visit

The core staff team includes three male staff, none of whom had worked with the young people prior to the monitoring visit. They have been deployed to work in other homes and have not attended the team meetings at this home, or read the young people’s files and risk assessments. Young people have not had the benefit of the diversity in the staff team, and the male team members have not had the opportunity to get to know the young people. The team has not had an opportunity to develop practice together and work as a group. The registered manager has not been able to work with her staff to promote the ethos of the home and ensure that the home meets the aims and objectives outlined in the statement of purpose.

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This monitoring visit

Young people and professionals have identified some positives about how staff care for young people and work with placing authorities. However, the registered manager and staff have only had to meet the care and safeguarding needs of one young person at a time. If the registered manager is to admit additional young people to the home, significant improvements must be made to ensure that young people are kept safe and that the home has staff who have the skills and understanding to meet young people’s care needs.

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This monitoring visit

On 5 February 2018 a notice was placed on the home restricting accommodation until 1 May 2018. Ofsted will undertake a further visit to monitor the home and assess the action taken in response to the shortfalls identified.

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What does the children’s home need to do to improve?

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1258434 3

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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

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

that staff assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. (Regulation 12 (1) and (2)(a)(i)) 02/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

that staff help each child to understand how to keep safe. (Regulation 12 (1) and (2)(a)(ii)) 02/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

that staff have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm. (Regulation 12 (1) and (2)(a)(iii)) 02/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

that staff understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1) and (2)(a)(v)) 02/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. 02/03/2018 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1258434 4 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure-

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12(1) and (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) and (2)(e)) 02/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that helps children aspire to fulfil their potential and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 13 (1) and (2)(a)) 02/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that helps children aspire to fulfil their potential and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate. (Regulation 13 (1) and (2)(b)) 02/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that helps children aspire to fulfil their potential and promotes their welfare.

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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

that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to 02/03/2018 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1258434 5 meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1) and (2)(c)) The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that helps children aspire to fulfil their potential and promotes their welfare.

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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

that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child. (Regulation 13 (1) and (2)(d)) 02/03/2018

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that helps children aspire to fulfil their potential and promotes their welfare.

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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

that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1) and (2)(e)) 02/03/2018

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Information about this inspection

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1258434 6 The purpose of this visit was to investigate information received which suggests there may be a breach of regulations.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Horizon Care And Education Group Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Louise Whittle, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1258434 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 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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