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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1249184 1

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Horizon Care and Education Group Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is one of a group of homes operated by the same organisation. The statement of purpose indicates that the home provides accommodation for up to three children, offering a period of stability to reflect on their difficulties and make plans for their futures.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since June 2018.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was conducted remotely due to COVID-19 (coronavirus). The inspector considered a sample of documents provided by email, and conducted telephone interviews with staff and video calls with children.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged as declined in effectiveness on 18 February 2020. Five requirements were raised, and two compliance notices issued in relation to shortfalls in regulations 12 and 13.

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This monitoring visit

This inspection examined progress made at the home against the compliance notices. All areas of the compliance notices are now met.

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This monitoring visit

The registered manager has stopped working in the home and plans to cancel their registration. The home is currently being managed by a registered manager from a nearby home while a permanent manager replacement is recruited.

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This monitoring visit

Staff now complete timely risk assessments which include essential information about children. Staff and clinicians also complete support plans which are in line with the organisation’s underpinning model of care. These two documents give clear guidance to staff to help them understand children, respond to their needs and Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1249184 2 reduce risks for them. Children are safer in the home because of the guidance staff are now using.

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This monitoring visit

The interim manager has clear oversight of incidents in the home. She ensures that there are reflective discussions with staff after incidents, which they learn from. Where action is needed, she ensures that this is followed through. By taking an active role in understanding incidents, the manager can ensure that staff practice develops, and a culture of curiosity is evolving. This will help staff to reflect on the reasons why they may see different behaviours in children and respond to meet their needs.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have worked with children to help them understand positive relationships, but there have been some serious physical incidents between children since the last inspection. In response, staff are now confidently intervening to stop things from escalating and incidents are happening less often. As a result, children are beginning to be better helped to regulate their behaviour.

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This monitoring visit

The interim manager and the responsible individual now have a good understanding of the home’s strengths and weaknesses and have begun to address shortfalls effectively. For example, there is now a clear action plan to respond to concerns noted by the independent visitor. The interim manager’s oversight has meant she can help staff to build their skills and understanding of their roles in the home.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has made the staff rota clearer, but this does not always include full details for agency staff who are working with children or the manager in charge of the home.

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This monitoring visit

Physical intervention in the home has become more effective. Staff intervene more quickly to prevent children from becoming distressed. This has meant that incidents are shorter and less intense. However, not all agency staff are trained to use the restraint method used by the home and so it is not clear how they can support effectively those staff who are trained.

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This monitoring visit

Relationships with professional stakeholders are inconsistent. Some placing authorities have noted concerns regarding the quality of care children receive and the limited progress that children make. There is also a concern about communication with all levels of the home, internally and externally. Managers are working to address these shortfalls. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1249184 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 18/02/2020 Interim Declined in effectiveness 18/06/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/03/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 25/04/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1249184 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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 the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (2)(c)(i) 03/06/2020

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff—

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Requirement Due date

understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(xii)) 03/06/2020

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4. (Regulation 37 (1)(2)(a)) 03/06/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1249184 5

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Recommendation

 The registered person is responsible for ensuring that all their staff have been adequately trained in the principles of restraint and any restraint techniques appropriate to the needs of the children the home is set up to care for as defined in the home’s statement of purpose. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.57) Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1249184 6

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Information about this inspection

Ofsted is aware of the challenges that COVID-19 (coronavirus) is currently posing to those we inspect. During this visit, the inspectors took into consideration the impact of any measures being taken to slow the spread of coronavirus by the home. This has included the effect these have had on staffing arrangements.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1249184 7

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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

Karol Keenan, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1249184 8 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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