Children's home run by Horizon Care and Education Group Limited in Cannock Chase

Inspection report children’s home: 1185765 1 Registered provider: Horizon Care and Education Group Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is owned by a private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four young people aged between eight and 17 years old who have social and emotional needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a registered manager since August 2019.

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Inspection date: 18 February 2020

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 18 February 2020

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent 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

Three young people currently live in the home. Since the last inspection, one young person has moved out. Staff worked extremely hard to ensure that this was a well- planned and a child-focused move. This attention to detail ensured that the young person experienced a positive transition.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection, six requirements were raised. At this inspection, four of these requirements are met.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers have updated young people’s risk assessments to ensure that the documents are current and accurate. A new system is in place to make sure that all staff know and understand the contents of young people’s risk assessments. Inspection report children’s home: 1185765 2 Staff have made improvements to the arrangements for individual work with young people. Staff now plan and carry out targeted work in accordance with young people’s individual care plans and needs. As a result, young people increase their understanding of the impact of their behaviour and improve their knowledge of issues such as personal safety and promoting their health.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff support young people in developing their life skills in readiness for adulthood. This independence work is linked to young people’s individual pathway plans. Work is not limited to practical skills such as cooking or budgeting. Staff also carry out work to help young people understand the realities of living alone. This bespoke work helps to improve young people’s resilience as they move to adulthood. As a result, young people are well prepared for their future.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There has been one incident that needed to be notified to Ofsted since the last inspection. Managers ensured that it was reported in line with regulations.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Despite this good progress, there remain shortfalls in the management oversight of the home. The home has been without a registered manager since August 2019 and a new manager is yet to be appointed. Management support has been provided by senior managers. However, this has not secured consistency and has resulted in some areas of potential poor practice being overlooked. For example, an incident that questioned a member of staff’s decision-making was picked up only when it was identified by the inspector. This represents a missed opportunity to review and improve the standards of care.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers still do not give sufficient attention to the safe recruitment of new staff. There is a lack of professional curiosity about contradictory information arising from recruitment checks. This means that inconsistencies in the information received are not identified and/or followed up before new staff come to work in the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers have improved their monitoring of staff training. In addition, staff now receive training in response to new and emerging risks in the home. However, managers have not demonstrated clear expectations of the training requirements of agency staff. As a result, some agency staff have come to work in the home without having received training in how to safeguard young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Managers have carried out work to improve the standards of record-keeping in the home. This work remains ongoing at the time of this inspection, and managers recognise it as an area for further development.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There are no new requirements raised as a result of this inspection. Inspection report children’s home: 1185765 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/07/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 20/02/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/11/2017 Full Good 21/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: 1185765 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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(1)(b), (2)(c)(h)) 30/04/2020

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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

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Requirement Due date

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,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

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)(d)) 30/04/2020 Inspection report children’s home: 1185765 5

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Recommendations

 Ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 1185765 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

Tracey Coglan Greig, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1185765 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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