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

Inspection report children’s home: 1241975 1 Registered provider: Horizon Care and Education Group 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 registered for up to four children and young people who require help and support. It is part of a private company that provides children’s homes and schools. Staff use a therapeutic practice model. The home’s stated aim is, ‘Children and young people should be loved, happy, healthy, kept safe and feel safe from harm and able to develop, thrive and fulfil their potential.’

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is experienced, suitably qualified and has been registered since August 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 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: declined in effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Inspection report children’s home: 1241975 2 07/03/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness 04/10/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1241975 3

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Recommendations

 Any sanctions used to address poor behaviour should be restorative in nature, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community. In some cases, it will be important for children to make reparation in some form to anyone hurt by their behaviour and the staff in the home should be skilled to support the child to understand this and carry it out. (‘Guide to the children’s home’s regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38) In particular, consider how fines and sanctions fit with the home’s therapeutic model of practice.  Children should be encouraged by staff to see the home’s records as ‘living documents’ supporting them to view and contribute to the record in a way that reflects their voice on a regular basis. (‘Guide to the children’s home’s regulations including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.19)

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Recommendations

Specifically, write records alongside young people and use them more interactively. Consider giving children and young people copies of letters, information and memorabilia that they can keep and refer to.  The registered person should actively seek independent scrutiny of the home and make best use of information from independent and internal monitoring (including under regulations 44 and 45) to ensure continuous improvement. They should be skilled in anticipating difficulties and reviewing incidents, such as learning from disruptions and placement breakdowns. They are responsible for proactively implementing lessons learned and sustaining good practice. (‘Guide to the children’s home’s regulations including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24) Specifically, identify when staff practice may have caused or contributed to a young person’s or child’s poor behaviour.  Children should be supported to express themselves as individuals and should be

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Recommendations

given an appropriate degree of freedom and choice in relation to day to day arrangements for their care, depending on their individual needs and the setting in which they are cared for. This is in relation to both activities and personal items such as clothing, technology and leisure items. Children’s reasonable preferences in relation to day to day arrangements should be met with consideration given to safeguarding, particularly in relation to the use of technology. Where a child’s preferences are unreasonable or cannot be met for safeguarding reasons, staff should discuss this with the child to help them understand why. (‘Guide to the children’s home’s regulations including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.21) Specifically, give clear messages about the real reasons for restrictions and rules. Inspection report children’s home: 1241975 4 Educate children and young people about how to safely use communication

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Recommendations

devices and conduct relationships so that they can manage themselves in adult life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Three well matched children and young people currently live here. They cope with one another’s differences well. They are all making good progress towards their future goals. Staff accept each child and young person just as they are. Staff work patiently and creatively to establish and maintain positive relationships with each young person and child. Consequently, children and young people are happy and thriving as a result.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and young people are achieving in school. For example, one young person now realises the importance of school and seeks the help of staff with things that hold him back from learning. He is now motivated and progressing well through his educational plan.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children and young people to be healthy. For example, children and young people are encouraged to eat more healthily and to be more physically active. One child no longer needs occupational therapy because his coordination and motor skills have improved. This has been achieved through the help of the staff, who have supported him to undertake regular physical exercise and to participate in games. One young person is now attending their medical appointments and is going to the gym. Another young person’s emotional well-being has improved. In previous settings, he had long periods of complete withdrawal. His social worker said, ‘When he is at his lows, staff are patient and understanding.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work well to make young people’s moves as positive as possible. One young person recently texted the manager, ‘I’ll never forget how much you and staff helped me. You’ve boosted my confidence and helped me look forward to the future.’ Another young person’s social worker said, ‘[Young person] was hugely challenging. Staff could not have tried any harder to build a relationship with her.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some staff complete detailed, lengthy records of everything that children and young people do. However, children and young people rarely read or keep their records because they are not interesting or helpful. Children and young people do not regularly sit with staff to put together memories books. Information, letters and agreements are not given to children and young people to keep as a reminder.

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

Staff help and protect children and young people well. For example, staff are extra vigilant around the importance of road safety for one young child. One member of staff Inspection report children’s home: 1241975 5 has helped children and young people to use the internet to play games safely and to learn more about recognising grooming behaviour.

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

Staff and the manager respond quickly to any child or young person who goes missing from the home and may be at risk of harm or exploitation. The staff use the organisation’s clinical advice to help them approach the child’s or young person’s risks and vulnerabilities in an empathic way. As a result, children and young people trust staff and serious incidents are few. For example, one young person no longer goes missing from the home and no longer requires the support of a child sexual exploitation support worker. He was recently able, with staff support, to explain to a teacher why she was upsetting him. This represents significant progress because previously he would damage things and run off.

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

Staff have a good understanding of children’s and young people’s risks. However, staff do not always properly explain to children and young people the real reasons for rules and restrictions. This sometimes leads to children and young people becoming unnecessarily irritated and confused. Staff do not prioritise teaching children and young people how to conduct themselves safely with friends and family. This holds back children and young people from developing safe relationships.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is nurturing and supportive of young people and staff alike. She has established a happy atmosphere in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has put right the weaknesses that led to the home declining in the early part of 2018. She has worked with the organisation and has taken more control of the preparation for new admissions. Staff and managers now talk to children and young people, their social workers and previous carers before agreeing to an admission, wherever possible. The manager also includes existing children and young people directly in welcoming new children and young people. For example, children and young people will write welcome cards as a means of introducing themselves.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager uses the support of the registered individual and the organisation’s clinicians well. The manager supervises and supports the staff well. However, she does not always identify when lapses in staff practice have caused or contributed to a child’s or young person’s poor behaviour. Similarly, she has not considered how fines and sanctions fit with the home’s therapeutic model of practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has forged good working relationships with children and young people’s social workers, medical professionals, teachers, families and the local community. They are all confident that the home is run well, and that staff are competent in meeting each child’s and young person’s needs.

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Information about this inspection

Inspection report children’s home: 1241975 6 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: 1241975 7

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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

Rachel Britten: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1241975 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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