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

Inspection report children’s home: 1234244 1 Registered provider: Horizon Care and Education Group Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This three-bedded home aims to provide a therapeutic environment where children can address their past and be prepared for their future. The manager has been registered since 2017 and is currently undertaking the required level 5 qualification.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 10 to 11 December 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/05/2017 Full Good 05/10/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1234244 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A therapeutic approach underpins the staff team’s work. Staff possess a good awareness of the children’s past experiences and trauma. This ensures that children receive care and support that is tailored to their needs. The staff quickly build meaningful relationships with the children. They skilfully use these relationships to implement boundaries. The children are often not used to having or adhering to such boundaries. A parent describes the staff as ‘strict, but in the fairest way’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff are strong advocates for the children. Staff are passionate about children achieving their best, particularly in education. The staff have daily communication with the children’s schools to ensure that each setting is aware of anything that may affect a child’s moods or behaviour. This sharing of information ensures that the children benefit from a consistent approach. A teacher praised the staff team’s partnership approach when helping a new child settle into school. Staff also challenge schools appropriately. Their persistence has enabled a child to successfully sit and pass exams that the school had been reluctant to enter them for. Staff also supported another child through a similar experience and went on to find him a suitable college course. This child has since moved out and received an unconditional university offer. His mother spoke positively about the staff team’s input in her child’s life, saying, ‘They looked after him and they

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff use rewards and incentives creatively to help children make progress towards their goals. The children participate in a wide variety of extra-curricular activities and volunteering experiences. Participation in these has developed the children’s social skills. For example, a child who was very shy when she arrived and was unwilling to talk to people is now able to make her own purchases in shops.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are supported and encouraged to attend health appointments to ensure that they receive specialist support. As a result, they become healthier during their time at the home.

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

Children say that they are happy and feel safe. They feel able to approach staff if they have any concerns.

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

The home experienced an increased level of property damage when a child was struggling to manage his anger and distress. The staff have helped the child to use alternative coping strategies and he is becoming increasingly able to self-regulate. The team also worked well with the other children to learn tolerance and empathy during the unsettled period. A child spoke sensitively about why she thought the damage was being caused and why it has stopped.

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

Staff work successfully with children to manage and reduce risk-taking behaviours. This Inspection report children’s home: 1234244 3 has included working with children to address behaviours such as going missing from home. When children have gone missing from home, the staff have followed the correct protocols and ensured that return home interviews are requested and conducted.

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

The staff use creative strategies to address sensitive issues with the children, such as using an interactive baby doll with a child who was fixated on becoming pregnant. They also purchased a vibrating pillow and flashing light system that can be linked to the fire alarm for a child with a hearing impairment.

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

The use of physical intervention is minimal. The introduction of child-friendly discussion sheets about restraints has enabled the children to reflect on the events before, after and during incidents. These conversations have led to different strategies being implemented, such as when a child’s worry about physical contact became apparent.

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

The home has had one complaint. This was from a neighbour about a child’s inappropriate behaviour in the community. This was followed up effectively with the child through discussions and key-work sessions.

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

A medication error occurred and was swiftly addressed. This led to a review of processes. An agency staff member is no longer being used as a result.

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

The staff undergo a comprehensive training schedule. This helps them to raise the children’s awareness of issues such as internet safety, racism, sexting and exploitation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and her staff are passionate about ensuring that the children receive the best care. Managers ensure that care plans are regularly reviewed and adapted to meet the children’s objectives and goals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and her team professionally challenge any decisions that they do not feel are in the best interests of the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager also actively encourages the staff to challenge themselves and each other through reflective practice. This ensures that staff are open to alternative options or approaches. The team members make good use of their individual and group supervisions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home now has a full staff team and, where applicable, members of the team are fast-tracked onto qualifying courses. This has enabled staff to develop quickly, and one is part of a new leadership development scheme. Staff members praise the fact that they have been supported to develop their careers. This commitment to the staff promotes loyalty and is enhancing retention levels.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home has developed positive external links with sectors such as mental health services, schools and the police. The team works cohesively with families and professionals to ensure that the children’s needs are met, and their voices are heard. Inspection report children’s home: 1234244 4 The positive feedback received from a wide range of settings, such as schools, social work teams and health services, reflects this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has developed an ethos that encourages the staff to conduct research and share this with the team members to enhance their overall knowledge.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager uses her monthly independent visitor’s reports and her quality of care reports to regularly assess the difference that the home is making to the children. As a result, she has a very clear understanding of how to support children to make continued progress.

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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: 1234244 5

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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 inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1234244 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 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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