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

Inspection report children’s home: SC482411 1 SC482411 Registered provider: Hexagon Care Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered for up to four children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and/or learning disabilities. It takes single-sex placements only, currently female young people. It also has a condition to reduce the number of people aged 18 or over for which it also provides care and accommodation. It is run by a large private organisation which has a number of other similar services nationally.

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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

Date of last inspection: 18 September 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC482411 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/09/2017 Full Outstanding 01/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 24/05/2016 Full Good 21/12/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC482411 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; and

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(iii)) 31/10/2018

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Requirement Due date

8: The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans.

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Requirement Due date

( Regulation 8 (1)(2)(a)(i)) 31/10/2018 Inspection report children’s home: SC482411 4

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Recommendations

 For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children they will in most cases be homely, domestic environments. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) This is with particular reference to ensuring that staff maintain a hazard-free, clean and tidy home environment for children, as a good parent would.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, there have been some incidents of concern as a result of the combination of young people’s needs. This has not prevented young people making progress and the home is currently a stable, positive environment. Young people report that they are settled and that they have built positive relationships with staff and peers. All of the young people are making excellent progress in developing independent living skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The culture of the home is refreshingly open and relaxed. Young people contribute, on a daily basis, to decisions about their care and their plans. An advocacy service visits them regularly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff team has a good record of supporting young people who have previously experienced difficulties in education. As a result, young people are maintaining placements and have good attendance. One young person has recently taken GCSE examinations and one young person has a college placement arranged for the new term. Unfortunately, one young person did not have an up-to-date education, health and care plan. This is required to provide essential information for the young person’s placement plan, and for care staff to support the young person to meet her educational targets.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are structured daily routines and weekly planners. These are agreed with young people. Young people benefit from opportunities for social and recreational activities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are proactive in promoting and facilitating safe contact with family and significant others. Young people are developing and sustaining healthy, positive relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have improving health, particularly emotional health. Staff practice includes the use of tools to help assess emotional literacy and emotional well-being, and supports the identification of individual needs. There is effective practice in preventing substance misuse and supporting young people to stop smoking.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home currently has some building work taking place. Managers and staff need to Inspection report children’s home: SC482411 5 ensure that the home is kept clean and hazard free.

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

Young people living in the home have a history of significant safeguarding needs and vulnerabilities.

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

There has been a period of time, since the last inspection, when the home was unsettled, with an increase in young people going missing from home. There was also an increase in police being called to the home.

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

Multi-agency meetings were convened which reviewed the increase in risk-taking behaviours. Individual work was undertaken with young people and risk assessments were robustly reviewed. One young person moved on from the home.

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

Recently, there has been a significant reduction in incidents of concern. There is positive liaison with the police and managers attend multi-agency forums that consider any new information about risks in the community.

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

A comprehensive review of behaviour management was undertaken which resulted in some learning for the team and a number of recommendations have been actioned.

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

A strength in safeguarding practice in this home is the use of detailed chronologies to inform risk assessments. There are robust records in respect of a small number of allegations against adults who work with children. Procedures have been followed and there are no concerns about risk of harm to young people living in the home.

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

There has been a small number of self-harm incidents by young people. However, the records demonstrate an inconsistent response by staff and managers. Staff require additional training to enhance their knowledge and skills in responding to this need.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is qualified and experienced. There is a stable, resilient staff group. Staff report that morale and team working are good. Staff provide nurturing care and are positive role models for the young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is currently going through a limited building programme as part of a small expansion. The management team is consulting with current residents, each young person’s network and staff to consider the detail of the purpose and function of the home in the future.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are a range of monitoring and quality assurance mechanisms in place. Placement plans include the use of an outcome measuring tool. These tools enable managers to track progress and to inform the development of the service.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Partnership working is good. There are excellent links with schools, social workers, the Inspection report children’s home: SC482411 6 police and health professionals. This means that relevant information is shared to ensure that individual needs are known and young people’s plans are progressed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have regular supervision. Support and development needs are identified and training is provided. Supervision for managers includes quality assurance meetings and group supervision with the responsible individual.

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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: SC482411 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(s)

Cathey Moriarty: social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC482411 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(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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