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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC479647 1 SC479647

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Hexagon Care Services Limited

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care for six children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. However, the home is currently only working with two boys, aged between 11 and 17. The current admission criteria are for young people with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties, and who require a medium- to long- term placement. The home forms part of a large social care company.

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This monitoring visit

At the full inspection on 9 April 2018, the home was judged inadequate. Consequently, Ofsted issued the registered provider with three compliance notices under section 22A of the Care Standards Act 2000. These related to regulation 8 the education standard, regulation 12 the protection of children standard and regulation 14 the care planning standard of the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015. Ofsted carried out an unannounced visit to the home on 1 June 2018. The purpose of this visit was to evaluate the progress made by the registered provider in meeting these three compliance notices. During this monitoring visit, the inspectors found improvements in the management of the home. The registered provider has appointed a new permanent manager. He has applied to be a registered manager with Ofsted. The manager has a clear vision for the home and understands the ethos, which is in line with the home’s statement

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This monitoring visit

of purpose. A strong deputy manager supports him.

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This monitoring visit

The education compliance notice required the provider to take steps to ensure that there is a sufficient level of structured activity during the day in the absence of Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC479647 2 formal education or college placements. It also required the provider to demonstrate the work undertaken by staff to help young people overcome any barriers that may be preventing them from successfully maintaining an educational placement and ensure that each young person has a clear education plan in place. Furthermore, it required the provider to ensure that staff are consistently proactive in securing a suitable educational or training placement for young people and liaise with the virtual headteacher.

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This monitoring visit

There is good evidence that the provider has taken appropriate action to meet the required steps set in this notice. Young people now have education and activity plans in place. Both young people are now attending education. One young person’s attendance has improved to 90%. Another young person is engaged in an education course for two days per week. On the days that he is not in formal education, staff ensure that he is engaged in study or support him to develop his independence skills.

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This monitoring visit

Furthermore, staff have ensured that young people cannot access the internet during the day and young people must hand in their electrical devices at night, which has had a positive impact on young people getting up in the morning for education. Staff transport young people to education and support them to attend educational meetings. Staff use incentives chosen by young people to promote good school attendance and young people report that this is effective. All staff have undertaken training in education to ensure that they understand their roles and responsibilities in supporting young people’s educational progress.

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This monitoring visit

The protection of children compliance notice required the provider to ensure that relationships between young people are managed effectively to prevent them harming each other and that there are efficient strategies in place for staff to follow to reduce this harm, including bullying.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, there have been no incidents of bullying or young people harming each other. Staff have completed a range of direct work with young people on bullying. The new manager has completed workshops with staff on behaviour management to ensure that all staff have the relevant skills to manage challenging behaviour and ensure a consistent approach across the staff team.

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This monitoring visit

The care planning compliance notice required the provider to take steps to demonstrate effective care planning, in particular that impact risk assessments include an evaluation of the impact of new admissions on the existing group of young people, considering age, individual risk factors and staff’s ability to manage the range of needs of the young people in the home.

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This monitoring visit

The home has had no new admissions since the last inspection. The home’s impact assessment form has been updated and includes more evaluation of peer matching and considers the potential impact of new admissions on the existing group of young people. The new impact assessment has not yet been tested, as the home has not taken any new admissions. However, it will assist managers in making better Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC479647 3 decisions when matching the existing young people to ensure minimum impact. The new manager in post is clear about the importance of good matching and the steps that he will take to ensure that any new young people admitted to the home are matched well with the existing group.

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This monitoring visit

The registered person has completed the requirements of the compliance notices in relation to regulation 8, regulation 12 and regulation 14. This being the case, Ofsted does not plan to take any further enforcement action. However, a further unannounced inspection will take place to review how these improvements are being embedded to improve the quality of care provided.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 09/04/2018 Full Inadequate 02/05/2017 Full Good 13/12/2016 Full Good 01/11/2016 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC479647 4

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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.

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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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Inspectors

Sarah Billett, social care inspector Jo Hornby, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC479647 5 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

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