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

Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC480086 1 SC480086

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Hexagon Care Services Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run home provides care for up to six children who have social and/or emotional difficulties. The manager has been registered since 2014.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted served a notice restricting accommodation at this home on 19 June 2019 because of serious concerns that were identified at the monitoring visit on 14 June 2019. In addition, Ofsted served a compliance notice relating to the leadership and management of the home.

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This monitoring visit

A further monitoring visit took place on 25 July 2019. This visit found that the compliance notice was not met and the grounds for restriction remained in place. This was because:

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This monitoring visit

 Inexperienced staff had been left to manage high-risk situations alone. As a result, appropriate action was not always taken when children went missing.  Significant shortfalls in staff training meant that children were not sufficiently protected.  Management monitoring of records was poor. There was a lack of reflection on and exploration of incidents.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this visit was to again monitor compliance with the notice restricting accommodation, and to monitor the provider’s progress against the steps set out in the compliance notice.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit found that the provider has met the steps set out in the compliance notice, and the grounds for the restriction of accommodation are no longer met. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC480086 2 The provider has complied with the restriction of accommodation. One child moved out on the day before this monitoring visit. No children have moved into the home. As a result, there are no children living at the home. The restriction of accommodation has contributed to the service having the capacity to make the necessary improvements.

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This monitoring visit

The management team has now ensured that staff who did not have an up-to-date first aid qualification now have this. Experienced staff have returned from sickness leave. There is a better balance of experienced, skilled and qualified staff. Staff, including the manager and the deputy manager, have had additional safeguarding training. The staffing now complies with regulatory requirements.

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This monitoring visit

No children have gone missing from the home since the last monitoring visit. Managers have provided new instructions for staff on managing incidents when children go missing overnight. This action has the potential to address prior shortfalls.

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This monitoring visit

Staff reported a new sense of optimism at the home. They reported increased management monitoring of records and clearer guidance on their completion. Supervision records demonstrate that staff, including the manager, are guided and challenged. These actions have the potential to address prior shortfalls.

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This monitoring visit

The monitoring visit also confirmed that four further requirements that were made at the full inspection on 15 May 2019 are now met.

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This monitoring visit

 The provider has ensured that reports from the independent person have been sent to Ofsted in a timely manner.  Fire doors are no longer propped open and fire drills are taking place.  The statement of purpose has been updated and submitted to Ofsted.  The manager has undertaken a review of the quality of care and submitted their report to Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit did not follow up on the provider’s responses to the other requirements that were made at the full inspection on 15 May 2019. Therefore, these requirements are restated. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC480086 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 15/05/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/09/2018 Full Good 15/02/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 11/07/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC480086 4

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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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the location area risk assessment mitigates risks in the local area, and that incidents trigger a review of children’s individual risk assessments. 30/09/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or, if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and 30/09/2019 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC480086 5 full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32(1)(2)(a)(b)(3)(a)(b)(c)(d)) The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (‘the behaviour management policy’) which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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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

the date, time and location of the use 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 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 has signed the record to confirm it is accurate;

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Requirement Due date

and 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(1)(b)(3)(a)(iii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 30/09/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (‘case records’) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36(1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, make full records of incidents of children going missing and update associated plans and risk assessments when incidents occur. 30/09/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4. In particular, a record in the form of a register showing in respect of each child the child’s address immediately before being accommodated at the home, the 30/09/2019 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC480086 6 child’s address on leaving the home and the statutory provision (if any) under which the child is accommodated. (Regulation 37(1); Schedule 4 (1)(c)(d)(f)) The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(4)(e)) 30/09/2019

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC480086 7

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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: 1 Tustin Court, Port Way, Ashton-on-Ribble, Preston, Lancashire PR2 2YQ

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Inspector

Ashley Hinson, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC480086 8 to 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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