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

Inspection report children’s home: SC479649 1 SC479649 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

This children’s home is owned and managed by a private organisation. It provides care and accommodation for up to six boys aged between 10 and 18 years. The manager is suitably experienced and qualified, and has been registered at the home since 26 July 2018. However, the registered manager has applied to Ofsted to cancel her registration at the home on the 26 February 2019.

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Information about this children’s home

The organisation has decided to temporarily close the home and all young people, but one had moved on from the service. The last young person was moving out the next day.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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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 requires improvement to be good at the last 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

Some progress has been made since the last full inspection in May 2018. The six requirements from the previous inspection are met. There has been a considerable effort to recruit staff with the right level of experience and qualification. However, it has been difficult to retain these staff and they have since moved on from the home. In the period since the last inspection, the home has only been fully staffed for six weeks. This has led to additional demands on the established staff team, the registered manager and her deputy. Therefore, a decision has been made by the organisation to close the home Inspection report children’s home: SC479649 2 temporarily and to consider its future. This has led to three young people in the home having to have moves within the organisation and a further three having to move from the home to placements outside of the organisation. This does not provide stability in

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff recognise that education is an important part of young people’s lives. They support and encourage young people to attend and have regular contact with education providers. Staff are proud of what the young people have achieved. The staff understand that the transition to a more formal education environment can be difficult, and are working with young people, the teaching staff and social worker to establish regular education routines. The staff at the home were focused on bringing a tutor to the home every day for one young person. However, at the point of transfer, the young person was refusing to engage in the education service being provided and may not be accessing education at this time. For another young person, education has been much more positive. Because he had limited experience of attending education the home employed an advocate who sat with him at an alternative education provision. This

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

proved successful and the young person gained a 97% attendance. The young person’s transfer to another home has allowed him to keep attending the same education provision.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager is working hard to provide a homely and welcoming environment where young people feel safe and secure. The home is comfortable, well decorated and well furnished. The home has new furniture and a pool table for the games room, which the young people thoroughly enjoy.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The frequency of young people going missing has significantly reduced in this home. While part of this is attributable to the mix of young people in placement, it is also down to the hard work and impact of staff and managers. For example, they have been thinking more carefully about matching young people and ensuring that relationships are quickly established with the young people, their family and their friends.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people are engaged in key-work sessions and residents’ meetings. They have built positive relationships with staff, who understand their individual needs and support them to continue to make satisfactory progress in all aspects of their lives. Young people have choices in activities and, although they are of an age where they are mainly wanting to make their own choices, they have enjoyed a variety of options, such as trampoline parks and the gym.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home works well with parents, supporting their role and encouraging positive contact. The home has maintained good contact with previous residents, for example by chatting to them over the phone and asking about their well-bring. One young person rang during the inspection and told staff that he was progressing with his application to join the army.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Independent monitoring of the home identifies areas for improvement and allows the management team to work on improving the service. The manager has completed a six- monthly review of the home which shows a good understanding of service provision and Inspection report children’s home: SC479649 3 what needs to improve.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/05/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 05/02/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness 25/05/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 09/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness

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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

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 Inspection report children’s home: SC479649 4 Responsible individual: Jeanette Swift

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Inspector

Elaine Clare, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC479649 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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