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

Inspection report children‟s home: SC482223 1 SC482223 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 home provides care and accommodation for three children who may require emotional and/or social support. The newly appointed manager is not yet registered.

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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: 17 October 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

A restriction notice was served following concerns about anti-social behaviour. Three monitoring visits have been carried out since the last full inspection. These visits took place in February, April and June 2018. The final monitoring visit established that the provider had addressed the shortfalls identified. The restriction on new admissions was lifted in June 2018.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Inspection report children‟s home: SC482223 2 17/10/2017 Full Good 19/12/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 17/05/2016 Full Good 05/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children‟s home: SC482223 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

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child‟s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is

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Requirement Due date

authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and 09/11/2018 Inspection report children‟s home: SC482223 4 within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the records of these interventions are available.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has undergone three monitoring visits since the last inspection, due to complaints about anti-social behaviour. A restriction notice was served which prevented any new children from moving in. The concerns raised have been managed successfully and the restriction has been removed. The registered manager left the home soon after this. A new manager has been appointed from within the organisation. This provides children and staff with a good level of continuity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The interactions between the staff and children are warm and caring and staff provide children with appropriate boundaries. Each child was able to name staff that they would speak to if they had any concerns or worries. A child beamed with pride as he talked about the progress that he has made since moving in three years ago. He said, „It is the longest place I have ever lived.‟ He continued to speak with genuine affection about his home and everyone who cares for him. The staff echoed his description of how much he has matured in both behaviour and attitude. It is evident that the team‟s child-focused approach enables children to build trust, feel at home, feel at ease and feel safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A newly admitted child described their admission to the home. They were visited by staff members and then had introductory visits to the house. Visits progressed to staying for a meal and having an overnight stay. This gradual introduction enabled the child to overcome their nervousness about moving in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to access education. One child is looking for an apprenticeship and the other child commenced home tuition two days after moving into the home. The tutor referred to the positive joint-working that enabled the sessions to start quickly.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Specialist support is identified, as required, to assist children with a range of issues, such as identity (including gender identity), managing their emotions and self-harm.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children‟s views are sought as part of ongoing discussions and through direct work. The children help to plan their weekly schedules. This includes the activities that they wish to attend during the upcoming half term. Staff work with the children to ensure that they have the same opportunities to try a variety of experiences as their peers. Inspection report children‟s home: SC482223 5

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

The restriction notice was issued in response to complaints and concerns about the supervision and management of the children‟s behaviour. There were also concerns about admission processes, and whether children‟s needs were well matched. Children‟s needs are now considered in more detail prior to a child moving in. Behaviour management and matching were looked at in detail during the monitoring visits. Concerns have been appropriately addressed. The home is now more settled and incidents of concern have not re-emerged. However, until recently only one child has resided at the home, so this in itself addressed any issues arising from managing the dynamics between children. One child has moved into the home since the restriction of accommodation was lifted.

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

The shortfall identified in this inspection relates to the provider being unable to produce the records relating to two physical interventions. The use of physical intervention is minimal. However, the inability to access the records of these physical interventions prevents an evaluation of the appropriateness of their use, and an assessment of any debriefs or lessons learned.

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

The children‟s key-work sessions are used to discuss potential risks or matters of concern. The outcome of these discussions is incorporated into the children‟s behaviour support plans. Staff are now more able to use these plans to help the children to focus on developing and maintaining positive behaviours. Staff help children to learn how to safely become more independent. Children say that they feel able to discuss any potential risks that they may encounter. One child said that he initially struggled to appreciate that staff truly wanted to help him. He now feels able to recognise, and steer away from, risks associated with his local area.

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

Staff are well trained and have a wide range of experience. They are being upskilled by the new manager so that they can confidently use and trust their knowledge and judgement. This new confidence builds on their existing skilful and creative ways of working with the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The new manager came into post in August 2018. She is applying to become the registered manager and is completing the required level 5 qualification.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff described the manager as supportive, encouraging and inclusive. She is working closely with the staff to build on their existing skills. She has quickly developed a clear action plan that addresses the shortfalls that she has noted. These shortfalls mirror many of the issues that were highlighted in the independent visitor‟s most recent monthly report. These shortfalls have not been raised within this report, as they are already being addressed. Inspection report children‟s home: SC482223 6 The manager is child focused and is supporting staff to advocate for the children. Staff training and development are prioritised. This enables staff to work with children more confidently, and to make appropriate decisions. The new management team is currently reviewing and updating systems to improve the quality of record keeping.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff take account of children‟s diverse needs and children are supported to be individuals. The manager is currently recruiting to the vacant posts. The appointment of new staff will further enhance the diversity of the staff team in terms of age and background.

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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: SC482223 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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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Kenneth Farrimond

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Inspector

Sonia Hay: social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC482223 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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