Children's home run by Hexagon Care Services Limited in Preston

Inspection report children’s home: SC479654 1 SC479654 Registered provider: Hexagon Care Services Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to six children or young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is owned and managed by a private company.

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 10 October 2018

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home continues to provide a good quality of care to young people, which is making a significant difference to their lives. No requirements or recommendations were made at the last full inspection. Young people are at different stages of their journeys, but most are making good progress relative to their time in placement. This is because they are supported well by staff who have a good understanding of their needs.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Educationally, most young people are doing well and are on track with their learning and plans. Attendance at the on-site school remains high and levels of participation are good. When issues do arise, staff work effectively with education colleagues to address these. Inspection report children’s home: SC479654 2 This ensures that young people have every opportunity to achieve and do well.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The young people’s placement plan is a detailed and lengthy document providing extensive information about the young person. However, some records sampled did not contain full information about one young person’s contact arrangements. A recommendation is raised to ensure that all records contain up-to-date and relevant details.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Some staff are more confident than others at managing challenging behaviours. Well- established team members are effective role models and have the necessary skills to help less-experienced team members to develop their emotional resilience and responses to challenging situations. That said, some staff still require further guidance around behaviour management. The manager has already identified additional training aimed at strengthening practice in this area.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Most young people do not go missing from the home. However, one young person’s missing-from-home behaviour has become a worrying feature in recent weeks. That said, it has been managed by very good inter-agency communication and strict adherence to the procedures. The follow-up work with the young person regarding risk has involved a multi-agency approach and a proactive strategy to prevent further ‘missing’ incidents.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager and deputy manager are highly regarded by staff. Staff spoken with during the inspection confirm that the management team provides good leadership and support. It is child centred and strives to bring out the positives in each young person in its care.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There are sufficient staffing levels at the home. This ensures that each young person’s individual needs can be met. Regular team meetings, monthly supervision and relevant training ensure that staff practice remains effective.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

There is a range of effective monitoring tools in place, and these offer a detailed and evaluative measure of the progress that the young people have made. This enables the manager to track the effectiveness of interventions and analyse the difference that the home is making to the lives of young people.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The Statement of Purpose accurately reflects the current aims, objectives, practices and staffing of the home. However, the most recent update was not shared with Ofsted. This is a breach of regulation, therefore a requirement has been raised.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The management team continues to strive to improve all aspects of the home, consulting with the staff team on the development of processes to ensure safe and consistent child-focused practice. Shortfalls are quickly identified, and prompt action is taken to effect improvements. This results in a home where there is ambition to provide continued good-quality care to young people.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection report children’s home: SC479654 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/10/2018 Full Good 20/02/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 13/09/2017 Interim Not judged 23/05/2017 Full Inadequate

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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 registered person must notify HMCI of any revision and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16(3)(b)) 20/03/2019

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Recommendations

 In order to build positive relationships, staff should be able to recognise and act upon how their own feelings and behaviour may be affected by the behaviour of the children they care for. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.15)  All children’s case records (regulation 36) must be kept up to date and stored securely whilst they remain in the home. Case records must be kept up-to-date and signed and dated by the author of each entry. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)

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Recommendations

Specifically, this relates to the recording of children’s placement plans. These plans must contain up-to-date and accurate information. Inspection report children’s home: SC479654 4

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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 difference 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

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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’.

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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: 2nd Floor, 1 Tustin Court, Riversway, Preston, Lancashire PR2 2YQ

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Inspector(s)

Ceri Evans, social care inspector Jenny Brady, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC479654 5 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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