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

Inspection report children’s home: 1221700 1 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

The home provides care and accommodation for up to five young people who are male, aged between 11 and 17 years old, who require a medium- to long-term placement.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 20 to 21 September 2018

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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 outstanding

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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: 19 December 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/12/2017 Full Good 13/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 19/09/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1221700 2

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Recommendations

 Where children placed in a home are not participating in education because they have been excluded or are not on a school roll for some other reason, the registered person and staff must work closely with the placing authority so that the child is supported and enabled to resume full-time education as soon as possible. In the interim, the child should be supported to sustain or regain their confidence in education and be engaged in suitable structured activities. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28 paragraph 5.15) In particular, ensure that children benefit from a structured educational day.  The registered person should ensure that, in line with their individual health plans and the ethos of the home, children are offered advice, support and guidance on health and well-being. Staff should have the relevant skills and knowledge to be able to help children understand, and where necessary work to change negative

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Recommendations

behaviours in key areas of health. In this instance drugs and tobacco. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards, page 35, paragraph 7.18) In particular, ensure that clear assessments and plans are in place to reduce this risk-taking behaviour.  Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day to day basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5) In particular, ensure that assessments and plans are individual to the child and take into account all risk-taking behaviours.  Children should be encouraged by staff to see the home’s records as ‘living

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Recommendations

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 homes regulations including the quality standards, page 58, paragraph 11.19) In addition, records must be accurate and individual to the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress living here. When children arrive, they settle well. Children quickly establish trusting relationships with staff and each other. Children said that they like living here and describe the home as ‘chilled’. Inspection report children’s home: 1221700 3 When children arrive, they are often not engaged in education. Staff work with the relevant professionals to ensure that children access educational provision. However, when children have a reduced timetable they do not have a structured daily educational routine in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have access to a range of activities, including a recent holiday. Children spoke positively about this. These opportunities allow children to experience new things. As a result, children develop their social skills and grow in confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who have moved into the home have done so in a planned way. This is also evident for children who have moved on from the home. The transition arrangements are good and child focused.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

In most instances, children’s records are to a good standard. However, on occasion they are not accurate. Furthermore, they are not always individual to the child and do not always reflect the child’s voice.

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

Staff provide the children with a safe place to live. The majority of the staff have worked together for a long time, and they are consistent in their approach.

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

Staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities. Children have access to good levels of support, which is in line with their individual assessments and plans. Staff help children to self-regulate their emotions and incidents are minimal.

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

Staff manage safeguarding concerns effectively. Staff record incidents to a good standard. Staff explore incidents, and they identify clear actions to improve their practice.

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

Staff have a good understanding of the children’s needs and risks. However, not all safeguarding assessments and plans are clear enough. In some instances, they are generic in nature and are not individual to the child.

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

Children do not always receive the continual support and help that they need to meet their holistic health needs. As a result, children do not always have the correct plans in place to improve their health. For example, when children smoke tobacco, staff do not have a clear assessment and plan in place to reduce this risk-taking behaviour. Staff take some steps to manage this behaviour, but this is not robust enough.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The current manager was registered to manage this home on 1 February 2016 and holds a relevant qualification. He has previous experience of being a registered manager. The manager and deputy have a wealth of experience. They lead by example and demonstrate good leadership and management knowledge and skills. Inspection report children’s home: 1221700 4 The managers have high aspirations for children and advocate on their behalf. They are passionate and committed to the work that they do. They ensure that children have access to services that can help them, both now and in the future.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff have excellent relationships with the children. Children enjoy spending time with the managers and staff. Children trust the managers and staff, and they spoke highly of them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff work well with the children’s families and with other professionals. Both are complimentary about the home. One social worker said that the decision to place a child here was due to the good progress another child had made.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers and staff are committed to developing the home and enhancing their practice. They take the time to reflect and learn from their experiences. This provides them with the opportunity to further enhance their knowledge, skills and abilities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Senior managers offer the required support to the home. Furthermore, they reflect on inspection feedback, and review and revise policy and practice accordingly.

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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: 1221700 5

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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

Lisa Gregoire-Parker, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1221700 6 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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