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

Inspection report children’s home: 1221700 1 Registered provider: Hexagon Care Services 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 children’s home is operated by a private company. It provides care for up to five young people who are male and aged between 11 and 17 years old. The registered manager has been in post since February 2016.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 20 September 2018

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1221700 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/09/2018 Full Good 19/12/2017 Full Good 13/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 19/09/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1221700 3

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Recommendations

 The registered person must specify the procedures to be followed and the roles and responsibilities of staff when a child is missing from care or away from the home without permission, and how staff should support the child on return to the home (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.28). In particular, details of potential addresses or search areas should be readily available to assist staff to locate the young person.  For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc.) (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9). Specifically, routine checks should be established to prevent litter from accumulating and causing a

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Recommendations

hazard at the exterior of the property.  Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5). In particular, risk assessments should be reviewed and updated after significant events.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people are making outstanding progress from their individual starting points. Young people said that they like living at the home and feel settled there. They receive personalised care that is tailored to their needs. The consistency of the staff team has enabled young people to build positive and trusting relationships with the staff. One young person said, ‘I like it here. The staff are sound and I know that they care about me.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

When young people arrive at the home, many have not been in school for long periods of time. Staff are ambitious for young people and understand the importance of education in securing positive outcomes. Staff have successfully supported all young people to gradually re-engage with education. One young person has recently completed his exams and is seeking an apprenticeship. Staff have helped him to prepare for this by holding practice interviews. One member of staff said, ‘Staff have such good relationships with young people and we can guide them. There is a real family feeling here.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people are prepared well for adulthood. Staff are supporting them to learn new skills and they take part in daily household tasks such as tidying their rooms and helping Inspection report children’s home: 1221700 4 to prepare meals. Staff support young people to open bank accounts and to practise budgeting in preparation for independent living. One young person said, ‘They do their best to help me and support me to move on to the next chapter of my life.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people benefit from taking part in a wide range of activities, both in the home and the local community. Young people value this and said it was one of the things they most enjoy about living at the home. Staff recently organised a holiday abroad for all the young people. For most young people it was the first time they had been out of the country and flown in a plane. Staff have created memory books for each young person to capture these special moments.

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

Staff provide a caring and safe environment. Young people are settled and many are in stable, long-term placements. One social worker said, ‘The staff are great at engaging [young person’s name] and this is evidenced by their positive relationship with him and the length of time he has been residing there.’

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

Staff have established firm boundaries and routines. Young people have responded well to this and understand what is expected from them. Staff rarely use physical interventions or sanctions to manage young people’s behaviours. Instead, staff use a restorative approach. This is supporting long-term behaviour change by helping young people to understand the impact of their behaviours on others.

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

Staff use regular individual key-work sessions to explore and address young people’s vulnerabilities. These informal learning opportunities have successfully empowered young people to make safer choices. As a result, young people have reduced their involvement in risk-taking behaviours such as using drugs and alcohol. One social worker said, ‘The home provides a nurturing environment and [young person’s name] has been safer since he arrived.’

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

Young people rarely go missing from home. All young people have individual risk assessments and protocols in place, which support staff to respond if young people do go missing. However, risk assessments are not always reviewed after significant events. Furthermore, missing-from-home protocols lacked some details that would improve the staff team’s response. Recommendations have been made to improve practice in this area.

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

Young people are being supported to pursue healthier lifestyles. Staff have encouraged them to eat a balanced diet and take part in sporting activities in the local community. Young people enjoy these activities and this has increased their self-esteem and self- confidence. One social worker said, ‘The staff are very proactive in respect of young people’s health needs. [Young person’s name] has been supported to attend the gym and engage in extra-curricular activities such as boxing.’ Inspection report children’s home: 1221700 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager demonstrates a strong commitment to providing young people with high-quality care. He is aspirational for young people and seeks to ensure that they fulfil their potential. He is supported by an experienced deputy manager and together they form a strong leadership team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has a good understanding of the home’s strengths and weaknesses. There is a robust development plan in place that identifies areas for future development. There are effective and well-organised monitoring systems in place. Staff have individual areas of auditing responsibility which the manager oversees. This enables him to monitor the quality of care and address any issues quickly.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff benefit from having a thorough induction and access to a regular training programme. Staff were complimentary about these arrangements and confirmed that they feel well equipped to carry out their roles effectively. All staff are supported to obtain nationally recognised qualifications in caring for children and young people. The manager also sources more specialist training that is relevant to the individual needs of the young people, for example training in drugs awareness.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager leads an experienced and stable staff team. The home’s high level of staff retention means that young people benefit from having consistency of care. Staff receive regular supervision which supports them to reflect on and adapt their practice. Staff reported that morale is high and that they feel supported by the management team. One member of staff said, ‘It’s a friendly and supportive environment to work in. All the staff work as a team.’

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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: 1221700 6

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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

Sophie Thomson: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1221700 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 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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