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

Inspection report children’s home: 2509366 1 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 privately run home was registered in March 2019 to provide care and accommodation for up to two children and young people. The manager became registered with Ofsted at the same time.

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Inspection date: 12 February 2020

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 2509366 2

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Both children have been living in the home since it became registered and are very settled. They have developed good relationships with staff and the relationship between peers has also improved. The children are comfortable living at the home and benefit from a warm, homely living arrangement.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The children attend school regularly and have made good progress from their starting points and since the last inspection. This has led to one child improving academically so that he is in line with his peers at school in most subjects. Additional support following consultation with the virtual school means that he can further develop his maths and science skills to improve his confidence in these subject areas.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The provision of regular therapy sessions with trusted adults has led to an improved ability in both children to better regulate and manage their emotions. This is further enhanced by the engagement of staff with the clinical therapeutic team. This helps to build on the staff’s knowledge about therapeutic parenting and to mitigate the impact of any trauma from children’s past experiences. However, not all consultations and advice from the therapeutic team are recorded on supervision records to demonstrate the staff’s learning and development. Neither are they reflected on children’s files when relating to advice to staff about strategies for managing children’s behaviours. This does not provide a transparent account of the reasons why particular strategies are used when caring for children.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Safeguarding concerns are appropriately managed, and information about concerns shared with the relevant professionals. Children are taught about the consequences of their actions and to respect different faiths and beliefs. This helps them to become more tolerant of each other’s wishes and views. Staff’s good relationships with and respect for parents leads to better dialogue between the home and family members. Staff support parents to enjoy family time with their children and they facilitate travel and activity arrangements, where appropriate. The manager and staff provide good feedback to parents, keeping them informed of outcomes relating to their children.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children have good relationships with the manager and they are confident in raising any issues about their care. Issues raised by the children relating to the staff’s practice and performance are monitored through the manager’s own review mechanisms and, where necessary, lead to individual action plans. However, these issues and actions are not always recorded in staff supervision records. Inspection report children’s home: 2509366 3 Children do not go missing from the home and are supported to keep safe at home and in the community. Staff are aware of the potential risks children may be exposed to. Staff ensure that children have structured time to engage in positive activities. Children love going ice skating, go-karting and swimming and do this with appropriate staff supervision, which mitigates the risk of exploitation and negative behaviours. Staff attend training to inform their existing understanding about issues

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

relating to criminal and sexual exploitation. They have opportunities to discuss safeguarding and whistle-blowing procedures in team meetings and off-site training. This contributes to keeping children safe.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Issues arising from the lack of consultation noted in the Regulation 44 report are mitigated by the manager’s own detailed and regular consultation with parents and professionals. Inspection report children’s home: 2509366 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

29/08/2019 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 2509366 5

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Recommendations

 Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the children’s home’s regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4). In particular, ensure that: - any strategies for parenting agreed by the therapists are recorded on children’s records, providing clarity of decision-making - a record of discussions from therapeutic team meetings is made which contributes to staff development - any practice issues discussed with staff are also recorded on their individual supervision record and not just in de-brief sessions.

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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

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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: 2509366 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 PR2 2YQ

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Inspector

Parveen Hussain, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2509366 7 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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