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

Inspection report children’s home: 2509452 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 home is owned by a private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children or young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural problems.

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Information about this children’s home

The current manager was registered with Ofsted in March 2019 and has the required qualifications.

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Inspection date: 10 March 2020

Date of last inspection: 15 October 2019

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Inspection date: 10 March 2020

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 10 March 2020

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 2509452 2

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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 improved effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, one young person has been admitted to the home. All young people are making some progress.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Two of the young people are engaging in education. They are attending well and their learning is good. One young person is studying for GCSEs and is predicted to achieve good grades. One young person is not consistently attending education. The young person’s motivation has lapsed, and the staff are struggling to improve the young person’s focus.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

All of the young people are in good health. When young people suffer from any illness, the staff take action to ensure that the young people see a doctor and receive any specialist treatment. One young person smokes tobacco and another substance, and another uses an e-cigarette. Both young people are supported by staff to stop, however neither choose to do so at the moment. The manager states that both young people smoke very infrequently.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There are no other risk-taking behaviours. There have been two incidents of being missing from home, one of which involved the young person returning and leaving the home a number of times. The staff understand what action to take when young people leave the home and follow the agreed strategies appropriately. There are no additional risks when young people are missing from home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff provide a nurturing environment. The house is very homely and welcoming. The atmosphere in the home is very calm. The staff work very well together, and they set rules and boundaries which are consistently applied by everyone. The provider’s clinician supports the staff to reflect on incidents and develop ways to better support the young people. When incidents occur, the staff use their very positive relationships with the young people to de-escalate rising tensions quickly, using agreed strategies. This has helped to reduce episodes of heightened behaviour.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff are provided with regular supervision, which helps them to reflect on their practice. They receive mandatory and discretionary training to meet the young people’s needs and provide them with a safer environment.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has improved the oversight of the staff’s recording of incidents. This now includes feedback to relevant people and young people. The independent visitor attends the home regularly and submits reports on time. The reports would benefit from additional analysis to support the manager in identifying any deficiencies. In Inspection report children’s home: 2509452 3 addition, the reporting period is fixed, at monthly intervals. This means that if the visitor attends mid-month, the report will not contain any information for that month, only the preceding one. This may miss important incidents that have occurred recently. It is important that the views of others involved in the care of the young people are gathered and featured in the reports.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The previous requirements and recommendation set at the last inspection have been met. Inspection report children’s home: 2509452 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/10/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: 2509452 5

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Recommendations

 Children should be in full-time education whilst they are of compulsory school age, unless their personal education plan contained within the care plan or other relevant plan states otherwise. The home must aim to support full time attendance at school unless the child’s relevant plan indicates this is not in their best interests. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.14) In particular, ensure that all young people are supported to re-engage in education. Consider strategies that incentivise the young person’s participation in education and identify courses or learning that hold a particular interest for the young person, to invigorate their interest.  The registered person should actively seek independent scrutiny of the home and make best use of information from independent and internal monitoring (including under regulations 44 and 45) to ensure continuous improvement.

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Recommendations

(‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24) In particular, ensure that the visitor’s report includes the views of parents and others involved in the care of the young people. Ensure that the reporting period captures incidents and information up to the date of the visit. Provide the reader with greater analysis of the standard of care being provided.

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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: 2509452 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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Inspectors

Mark Broomhead, social care inspector Bill Drumm, Ofsted inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2509452 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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