Children's home run by Horizon Care and Education Group Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1235654 1 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 four-bedded home aims to provide a supportive environment for children who have social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The manager was registered in August 2016 and possesses the required level 5 qualification.

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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: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1235654 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/05/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 13/06/2017 Full Good 31/01/2017 Full Good 14/12/2016 Full Inadequate Inspection report children’s home: 1235654 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A warm and caring atmosphere is created by staff who interact with children in a very nurturing and supportive manner. Very strong relationships are demonstrated by the positive way that children speak about their home and the team caring for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are helped to recognise the importance of education. Their bespoke education arrangements meet their learning styles and needs. The manager ensured that education was arranged promptly for a child who moved into the home very quickly following an emergency. Although the child’s anxiety levels had been heightened following the move, the team is successfully working with his tutor to find creative ways to encourage him to engage.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children well to access the emotional and mental health support that they need. An emphasis on promoting children’s well-being ensures that children are better able to manage their behaviours and emotions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are being prepared for independence and are supported to develop life skills that will help them in adult life. Where appropriate, this includes encouraging children to carry out tasks such as tidying their bedroom, cooking, and travelling independently. Staff are good at helping children to build and maintain family relationships. They work hard to ensure that family visits take place regularly, irrespective of their distance from the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are looking forward to the upcoming summer holidays. One spoke with excitement about having his first holiday. He described how the staff had found a holiday that met many of his wishes. This is one of several examples of how the staff actively listen and respond to the children’s requests.

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

The behaviours of the children living in the home at the time of the last inspection and subsequent months were volatile. However, children’s behaviours are now more settled. Children’s behaviours no longer have an effect on the home’s neighbours, and relationships have been restored. The manager has learned lessons from the unsettled period. She has reviewed and improved the decision-making process prior to a new child moving in.

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

The children said that they feel safe and can identify an adult who they would talk to if they ever had concerns about their safety. Incidents of self-harm are managed effectively because staff take an empathetic, nurturing approach. Children are not going missing from the home, and the staff are confident in the protocols to follow should this occur. Inspection report children’s home: 1235654 4 Incidents of challenging behaviour are managed effectively. Staff work with the children to maintain appropriate boundaries and set high expectations of children’s behaviour. Staff use various techniques including persistence, playfulness and humour. These techniques often assist in defusing conflict between children. The techniques are also used well to distract children from negative behaviour.

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

Good training ensures that staff are kept updated on risks that the children may face when out in the community. Staff use key-work sessions well to pass on this knowledge to children. Staff also find ways to deliver important safety messages to children people through informal discussions. These topical discussions help the children to have a better awareness of how to stay safe in the community and online.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Families and professionals spoke positively about children’s progress. This progress is achieved because the manager and her team have high expectations for the children and passionately advocate for them. Recently, this has included strongly advocating for a child’s cognitive ability to be assessed. This constructive challenge has significantly improved the quality of planning for the child’s transition into adulthood.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager ensures that staff engage well with other agencies and professionals. This is particularly evident when children have additional or specialist needs. The manager has provided resources that help the staff and the other children understand a child’s medical diagnosis and associated behaviours. A parent confirmed that, despite their child having needs that ordinarily the home would not be expected to meet, their child is already engaging with staff more positively than they had expected.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff described the manager as ‘amazing’. The manager makes sure that she is available to support the team. Team meetings and staff supervision are used effectively to provide good-quality guidance and support to the staff team. Training has been adapted to address particular care needs and particular challenges within the home. This ensures that staff have a comprehensive and up-to-date knowledge of each child’s needs, therapeutic approaches, and safeguarding.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has addressed all the shortfalls identified at the last inspection. She evaluates incidents and significant events thoroughly so that lessons can be learned. This reflective approach has led her to successfully encourage the organisation to review the service and the number of children cared for in the home. Her expertise is being used to offer support across the wider organisation. She is reviewing several aspects of paperwork and recording to ensure that they remain effective. Any changes are discussed with the other managers and rolled out across the organisation as applicable. Inspection report children’s home: 1235654 5

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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: 1235654 6

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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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Inspector:

Sonia Hay, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1235654 7 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:

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

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