Children's Home run by Horizon Care and Education Group Limited in Leicestershire

Inspection report children’s home: 1251076 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 care and support for children who have additional learning needs. The manager registered in 2017. He is a qualified social worker and holds a management 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 good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 31 January 2019

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Improved effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: None Inspection report children’s home: 1251076 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

31/01/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness 14/11/2018 Full Good 14/02/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 10/05/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: 1251076 3

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Recommendations

 For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of the 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.); however in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  Records must be kept of the administration of all medication (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15). This is with particular reference to ensuring that accurate records are kept of all medication given to children and that staff adhere to the home’s own policy on the receipt of medicines into the home.  The use of external agency staff can be a positive choice to complement the skills

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Recommendations

and experiences of the permanent workforce. Any external agency staff should meet the requirements in regulation 32(4) regarding mandatory qualifications and the registered person should consider their skills, qualification and any induction necessary before they commence work in the home. The use of agency staff should be carefully monitored and reviewed to ensure children receive continuity of care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.16)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy living at this home. They enjoy this because the whole setting meets their communication and sensory needs. They have many opportunities for sensory play. They can also access different spaces, such as a tent, to reduce anxieties. The large garden has sensory plants, a swing and trampoline. There is a climbing frame for one child in particular. There is a sensory pebble pathway that children enjoy walking on.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is carefully designed and decorated, with children’s individual needs in mind. Children and families choose how bedrooms are decorated. Sometimes rooms have very low stimulus, and this meets the children’s needs related to their autism spectrum disorder.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education outcomes are good. This is because children are well prepared for school. As soon as children wake up, staff start to think about how to prepare them to do well at school. Staff know the importance of a calm beginning to the day. They understand the impact on education if this does not happen. Staff recognise drivers and escorts as an Inspection report children’s home: 1251076 4 essential part of the wider staff team. Because children have good relationships with their drivers and escorts, transitions between home and school are good.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff celebrate and take pride in the achievements of the children. Even relatively small achievements are recognised as very important steps. For example, one of the children took many months to learn to take a plate to the kitchen. Because the achievement was celebrated, the child developed better self-esteem and her learning was reinforced.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Families spoke highly of the care that their children receive. They said that this has significantly improved their relationships and especially those with their siblings. This means the children and families feel supported. Families are involved in their children’s care.

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

Staff know the children very well. They understand their individual methods of communication. This means that there are many opportunities for children to communicate and make their wishes and views known to staff. Staff act on children’s views and wishes straight away. This enables children to trust the staff.

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

Because staff know the children’s complex and specific needs so well, they are able to predict the children’s behaviour and intervene well to keep them safe. Physical intervention is carried out appropriately and effectively when necessary to protect children.

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

The home environment is generally safe and well maintained. However, some minor damage was evident during the inspection. Most of this damage was promptly repaired during the inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have specialist knowledge of the children they look after. They research new areas and share this with their team. This means that the children are looked after by a skilled and knowledgeable staff team. Some training, such as physical intervention and safeguarding, is not specifically focused on children with disabilities. Staff said that training could be more specific to the children they look after so that they have the skills they need and confidence in their work.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers understand the strengths and weaknesses of the home. They know the importance of a consistent staff team. Managers support their team when there are staff shortages. This means that children are cared for by familiar staff, who maintain a consistent approach. Predictable and stable care arrangements reduce children’s anxiety.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home uses some agency staff. On occasion, when the information provided by the agency has not been detailed enough, managers have not raised this with the agency. Inspection report children’s home: 1251076 5 Managers need to ensure that any impact caused by changes in staff on the care of the children is minimal. This is because the children at this home rely on a consistent and predictable approach.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings have not taken place regularly. This means that staff have had fewer opportunities for peer support, to share information and to review as a team the progress of children.

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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: 1251076 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

Simon Hunter, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1251076 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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