Children's home run by Hexagon Care Services Limited

Interim inspection report children’s home: 1241776 1 Registered provider: Hexagon Care Services Limited Interim 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 for up to four children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

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

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last full inspection, staff and some young people have experienced some very challenging times. There was an increase in episodes of going missing from home and concerns that some young people were being sexually exploited. Care practice during these difficult periods remained of good quality. Members of staff are well trained and skilled in supporting young people with complex needs. Robust risk assessments guide staff in their care. Staff keep young people safe, to the best of their ability. Staff and the management team have excellent multi-agency working relationships with both the local missing from care police teams and the local child sexual exploitation unit. This helps ensure that all information is shared in a timely way and joint safety plans can be implemented. Young people receive direct support from both staff and external professionals to understand risk and how to keep themselves safe. It is to the staff

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

team’s credit that they been able to maintain their commitment and sustain the level of good childcare practice that was evident at the full inspection. Due to close multi-agency working, risks are reducing. Interim inspection report children’s home: 1241776 2 Two of the three young people who currently live at the home have moved in since the last inspection. They have settled well and are generally doing well. All young people attend their education placements. This is significant progress for some young people who had not engaged in education for several months prior to moving to the home. Staff work closely with education providers, including the virtual school, to ensure that education placements are suitable and sufficient for young people’s needs. Young people feel settled and benefit from the nurturing care that they receive. They enjoy taking part in activities, some of which have recently included a trip to a safari park and a water

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection, one requirement and one recommendation were made. These related to the lack of sufficient challenge of a placing authority, and the quality of monitoring by the manager. Both of these shortfalls have been fully addressed. The manager has changed the ways she monitors the quality of care in the home. This has resulted in more effective monitoring. She reviews the quality of care frequently and is able to better identify patterns and trends and act on these.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The management team now rigorously and appropriately challenges other professionals or organisations if practice is not up to the required standard or not in a young person’s best interests. They are prepared to challenge partners if they feel that the right action is not being taken. For example, the manager has recently pressed for a strategy meeting to be held within timescales, to ensure that full information-sharing took place related to a young person’s safety. The manager has been relentless at times in escalating her concerns, ensuring that a young person’s safety was made the placing authority’s priority. The manager reflects that by being more proactive and assertive with stakeholders, ‘Young people see that actually we are going to fight their corner. It’s important for them to see that we follow through.’

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff continue to support the young people extremely well. They strive to improve the experiences and outcomes for young people every day. Staff feel well supported and benefit from good-quality support and debrief after significant events. This allows staff the opportunity to reflect on incidents and consider lessons learned, thus improving practice.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Transitions into and out of the home are well managed. When the home can no longer meet the needs of a young person, the manager works with multi-agency partners to secure a suitable move to an alternative provision. One young person moved to an alternative placement as an emergency. Staff recognised the strong relationships the young person had built with staff and, with the permission of the placing authority, have remained in contact with the young person and visit her regularly. This demonstrates staff’s commitment to young people. They understand that, for some young people, this may be the first time they have experienced secure and trusting relationships with adults. Interim inspection report children’s home: 1241776 3 Professionals consulted gave positive feedback. A police officer said, ‘Their relationships with the police are really positive... They care about these kids and keep them safe to

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

the best of their ability. They absolutely ace.’ A psychologist said, ‘We have very positive working relationships with each other. It’s good multi-agency working.’

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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

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

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’. Interim inspection report children’s home: 1241776 4

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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: Unit 1 Tustin Court, Riversway, Preston PR2 2YQ

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Inspector

Catherine Honey, Social care inspector Interim inspection report children’s home: 1241776 5 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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