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

Inspection report children’s home: SC480840 1 SC480840 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 children’s home is operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to eight children or young people of the same gender.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a new manager in post who has applied for registration.

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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 requires improvement to be good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC480840 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/08/2017 Full Good 22/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 13/12/2016 Full Good 13/01/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC480840 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— that staff—

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(v)) 29/06/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only— employ an individual to work at the children’s home if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform. (Regulation 32 (2)(a)(3)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, ensure that staff are able to demonstrate the appropriate level of skill for the positions which are assigned to them. 30/08/2018

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Recommendations

 Children’s home staff should take reasonable precautions and make informed professional judgements based on the child’s needs and developmental-stage about when to allow a child to take a particular risk or follow a particular course of action. Staff should discuss this with the child’s placing authority where Inspection report children’s home: SC480840 4 appropriate. If a child makes a choice that would place them at risk, staff should assist them to understand the risk and manage their risk taking behaviour to keep themselves safe. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.7)

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Recommendations

Specifically, assess each child’s risk in using the internet. Where risks are identified, measures should be put in place to enable staff to monitor internet usage in order to protect the child or young person.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Outcomes for the majority of the children and young people are improving. Others are experiencing difficulties in education and in managing their feelings, resulting in challenging behaviour. The staff proactively engage with the children and young people and work in partnership with other agencies to address these issues.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are trusted and secure relationships between the children and young people and the staff. The children and young people identify the staff as the ‘best thing’ about the home. These attachments enable children and young people to develop emotional resilience and to feel secure.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Partnerships with specialist agencies such as drug and alcohol services and an organisation for children excluded from school are providing the children and young people with information and support around substance misuse and education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children and young people grow in confidence through their involvement in a range of social and recreational opportunities, such as the gym and playing in a local football team. Some of the young people went on a holiday abroad last year and value the experience greatly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home’s statement of purpose identifies advocacy and participation as ‘key concepts ’. The children and young people are involved in the day-to-day running of the home, enjoying making their own meals and arranging their own activities. The manager has ensured that each child and young person has the contact details of the agencies that can advocate for them. Consequently, children and young people confidently make their views and wishes known to staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that the people who are significant in the lives of the children and young people are welcomed into the home. The staff work hard to build relationships with family members and this has contributed to safeguarding the children and young people more effectively.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff put clear, consistent and appropriate boundaries in place. This is providing the children and young people with important structure and routines. The staff continually Inspection report children’s home: SC480840 5 praise and reinforce the achievements of the children and young people. One young person is being rewarded with a trip to London.

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improvement to be good

The children and young people feel safe in their home. Due to the positive relationships with staff, they are able to identify trusted adults they can talk to about any concerns.

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improvement to be good

The staff provide supervision, appropriate to each child’s and young person’s needs. They are proactive in monitoring the welfare of young people when they are out in the community. When children and young people go missing from the home, they receive a well-coordinated response from the staff team that reduces the risk of harm. However, the staff did not respond appropriately following an incident of fire setting in the home. They did not adequately update the risk assessments for the children and young people involved, in line with the actions directed by the manager.

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improvement to be good

Two members of staff were involved in a physical intervention, which involved them using a hold that is not included in the home’s model of restraint. The manager has ensured that these staff undertake refresher training to prevent a reoccurrence.

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improvement to be good

The recommendation made at the last inspection has not been met. No internet access is available in the home, but the children and young people are able to use the internet on their mobile devices without any monitoring. This places some of the children and young people at risk because of their known vulnerabilities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has been in post for six months although is not yet registered. She has evaluated practice within the home and identified areas for improvement, which will enhance the quality of care and experiences of the children and young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The majority of the staff team members are qualified and experienced, having worked at the home for a long time. In order to embed high-quality care practice, the manager is working to develop their accountability in all aspects of the children’s and young people’s care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Management oversight of the quality of care practice is being strengthened by the introduction of additional monitoring tools.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff receive regular supervision, which provides them with both support and challenge to improve and develop their practice. Regular staff meetings provide staff with the opportunity to reflect on the performance of the team and to develop their knowledge through hearing guest speakers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a good understanding of the needs of the children and young people. Inspection report children’s home: SC480840 6 She actively supports them to achieve their goals and is quick to work in partnership with others when she feels it is necessary.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are strong partnerships with the local police, who feel that the staff are skilled in de-escalating the behaviours of some of the children and young people. They regularly call in at the home to build relationships with the children and young people.

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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: SC480840 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: Unit 1 Tustin Court, Riversway, Preston PR2 2YQ

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Inspector

Janet Black, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC480840 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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