Children's home run by Hexagon Care Services Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 2536761 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 is a private children’s home registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four children age between 11 and 17. The current admission criteria is for young females with social, emotional and/or behavioural difficulties who require a medium to long-term placement. There is a registered manager in post. Children were spoken to as part of this inspection.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: Not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: Not applicable. Inspection report children’s home: 2536761 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

This is the first inspection. Inspection report children’s home: 2536761 3

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Recommendations

 Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day to day basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive individualised care from a committed and nurturing staff team. The staff provide focused care that is having a positive impact on children’s progress and experiences. Staff are ambitious for the children and support them to attend school and training courses. This means that children have made significant progress in education. However, not all children have sustained this progress. Staff have effective relationships with external professionals, for example education providers and child and adolescent mental health workers. This means that children receive the best all-round care. Staff have a good knowledge of the children and they understand their needs. They know what situations cause the children anxiety and they are skilled in diverting children to help them try to understand their feelings. The staff involve other professionals to help children, for example a relaxation coach and animal therapist. This means that

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

some children are making progress in respect of their emotional and psychological well- being. Children receive support for their mental health. One child told the inspector that she can talk to staff when she feels low and that staff listen to her. Children told the inspectors that they like living at the home. The inspectors observed warm relationships between the children and staff. These relationships help children build their self-confidence. Staff listen to what children say. Children’s views are gained regularly through key-work sessions and meetings. Staff complete direct work with the children to support them in line with their care plans. This is focused on the needs of individual children. Staff manage children’s physical and mental health needs well. The children have health plans that are up to date and are supported by staff to attend necessary health appointments. Some children take medication, and this is managed well by staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to engage in a range of activities to help them become more independent. Children have pathway plans and children’s views are central to the planning. This demonstrates that children are actively involved in planning for their future. Inspection report children’s home: 2536761 4 Staff support children to spend time with their families in line with their care plans. Parents are invited to the home. This helps children maintain relationships with their families.

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

Risk assessments are thorough and provide details of the children’s identified risks. Staff use a colour coding system to assess risks. This helps staff differentiate children’s risks. The risk assessments include strategies to help staff manage risk. Therefore, staff have a good understanding of risk and how to manage situations. This means that some children have made significant progress from their individual starting points. Some risks remain, although staff know what these risks are, and there are thorough risk management plans in place. However, a risk management plan in respect of one child was not up-to-date. A recommendation has been made to reflect this. Risk management plans include specialised support from external agencies. Staff are working with children and external agencies to try and reduce these risks.

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

There have been incidents of children going missing. Staff know what to do when children go missing and they follow children’s individual plans. The registered manager is proactive in managing these incidents and she works well with social workers and external agencies to look at minimising the risk. Children have return home interviews with an independent person. This means that children can talk to somebody who is independent of the home. Staff provide children with a calm, friendly and supportive environment. Children know that staff may need to use physical intervention. However, physical intervention is only used to keep the children and staff safe. Managers evaluate incidents of physical intervention, ensuring that it is necessary and proportionate. All staff receive training in de-escalation techniques. There have been incidents of self-harm. Staff manage these incidents well and they sensitively distract children. For example, some children have a comfort box with various

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

items including sensory items and colouring books. One child told the inspector that this sometimes stops her from harming herself. Recruitment of staff is thorough and safeguards children by minimising risks from unsuitable people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is suitably qualified, and she provides a supportive environment with clear and effective leadership. She is ambitious and has high expectations for the children in her care. The registered manager has a clear understanding of the progress that children are making, and she is a strong advocate for them. The stable and committed staff team is a notable strength. Staff are caring and focused on helping children. Staff say that they enjoy working in the home and that staff morale is high. Staff say that they are well supported, and they are positive about the managers. Supervision is frequent and helps staff in their roles. Staff are given the Inspection report children’s home: 2536761 5 opportunity to reflect on their practice and the needs and progress of children. The registered manager is keen to develop the staff team and bespoke training is available to skill staff in specific areas, for example mental health.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff meetings are regular and well attended by the staff team. The content in these meetings is relevant to the children’s needs, and staff discuss potential triggers for children’s behaviour. Staff have effective relationships with professionals. The inspectors spoke to numerous professionals involved with the children. They were very positive about the care that the staff provide for the children. The manager works well with social workers, education staff and health providers. This ensures that children receive a range of care specific to their needs.

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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: 2536761 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: Unit 1 Tustin Court, Riversway, Preston PR2 2YQ

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Inspectors

Catherine Fargin, social care inspector Nick Veysey, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2536761 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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