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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2531920 1

p.1

Horizon Care And Education Group Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and is registered to provide care for up to four children.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered manager resigned from her post in March 2020. An interim manager was available throughout the monitoring visit.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

All children were spoken to as part of the inspection.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This urgent on-site inspection took place in response to concerns raised with Ofsted via a number of sources. This includes anonymous complaints, information from the police about safeguarding practice in the home and information sent to Ofsted by the provider. The information raised concerns in connection with the safeguarding and protection of children, insufficiently consistent staffing and the lack of reporting and recording of significant incidents.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Due to the current circumstances in regard to Covid-19 pandemic, some activities were completed prior to going onsite at the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

■ contact with the interim manager to understand the strategies in place to keep children safe ■ contact with the responsible individual about an anonymous complaint ■ contact with the social workers of all children to ascertain their view of the placement ■ gathering information from Lancashire police about the number of police calls out to the home; and their concerns about the lack of action taken by the provider to safeguard children Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2531920 2 ■ contact with the designated officer to gather information about an allegation a child had made about a staff member ■ a Scrutiny and evaluation of:  Annex A to triangulate information about the number of significant incidents in the home, including all missing from care episodes and correlation of this information with all regulation 40 notifications that had been reported to HMCI  staff rosters to demonstrate that the home had sufficient staff

p.1

Information about this children’s home

 copies of risk management plans and placement plans for the three children  copy of the organisation’s policy for new starters and the induction process. Based on the information collated off-site, Ofsted remained concerned about the safety and well-being of the children living in the home and the accuracy and integrity of the information provided by the manager of the home.

p.2

Information about this children’s home

On-site inspection activity found that managers and staff do not understand their roles and responsibilities in protecting and safeguarding children. They did not respond appropriately to incidents that occurred or implement effective strategies to safeguard and protect the children living in the home. In addition, poor risk management and unsafe practice place children at unnecessary risk.

p.2

Information about this children’s home

There are serious shortfalls in the leadership and management of the home, which have a detrimental impact on children’s well-being and progression, and which are not in keeping with the home’s statement of purpose. Children have been admitted into the home at a time when there has been an absence of both a stable management team and consistent staffing. As a result, staff do not manage the complex needs and risk-taking behaviour of the children.

p.2

Information about this children’s home

During February 2020, prior to Covid-19, the staff rosters show that 328 hours were covered by agency workers; 16 different workers supported the children during this period and five of these only worked on one shift. In March 2020, 18 shifts were covered by agency staff and staff from other homes in the organisation . Prior to the inspection, the interim manager provided rosters which demonstrated that, since 16 March 2020, the staff team was more consistent, and the home was no longer using agency staff. However, during the inspection, the documentation reviewed demonstrated that the home was still heavily reliant on adults working in the home whom children did not know. This has a detrimental effect on children who feel they are not being listened to and had said to the manager and staff, ‘We hate getting up in the morning to strangers here all the time. We do not know who is coming in from one day to the next.’

p.2

Information about this children’s home

The provider has failed to ensure that impact risk assessments are compiled that consider all known risk factors for new children moving into the home and the children already in placement. Assessments completed after children have moved into the home do not include all relevant details, including all known risks, to enable Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2531920 3 managers to reach an informed decision about the placement match and keep children safe. Consequently, one child’s placement ended after only 10 days as staff were unaware of risks and so unable to keep him safe. Other children in the home have become involved in risk-taking behaviours both in the community and in the home. Risk assessments for these children are poor and leaves them at risk of harm

p.2

Information about this children’s home

Children are not supported to develop trusting relationships with the adults caring for them or build positive relationships with their peer group. Despite the staff being aware that a younger child was the victim of bullying and harassment by older children, no action was taken to safeguard and protect the child. Staff did not share significant information with each other, and no discussions took place with the child or the perpetrators of the bullying to ensure that the bullying and intimidation ended. As a result, staff did not intervene, protect the child or address bullying behaviours effectively, leaving the child at risk.

p.3

Information about this children’s home

Since the last inspection in July 2019, the police have received 89 calls from the children’s home about the setting. Between 2 January 2020 and 03 April 2020, the police received 58 calls. These calls evidence that staff are unable to safely manage the behaviour of children living in the home and that children are not appropriately safeguarded. The information about significant events provided in Annex A to HMCI on 27 March 2020 provided information that conflicted with information provided by the police and other agencies. The inspection demonstrated that HMCI had not been notified about all significant events that involved police assistance.

p.3

Information about this children’s home

Records of restrictive physical intervention for children are inaccurate, insufficiently detailed and not completed in line with regulatory requirements. For example, not all restraints are recorded. In addition, some records of restraint do not include details of the antecedents and strategies that staff used to manage the behaviour of the child to demonstrate that the use of physical intervention was necessary to keep the child safe. Records lack sufficient information about debriefings with staff and children or management oversight and evaluation. As a result, the provider is unable to identify effective safe practice or respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge.

p.3

Information about this children’s home

Leaders and managers fail to ensure that the staff team has the necessary experience, qualifications and skills to manage and meet the known needs of the children living in the home. New staff have not completed mandatory training before starting to work on shift with children in the home including training on safeguarding, medication and first aid. This lack of training hinders the staff’s ability to identify and support children’s individual risks so that they can become increasingly safe.

p.3

Information about this children’s home

Staff do not receive supervision in line with the organisation’s policy. New staff do not receive fortnightly supervision and the interim manager said that she had not had any supervision sessions. New starters are expected to start shifts immediately with no experience or understanding of the needs of the children they are expected Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2531920 4 to care for. This means that staff are not supported adequately in their roles or monitored effectively to ensure that their practice is safe and appropriate.

p.3

Information about this children’s home

Recording in the home is extremely poor and does not demonstrate that children are supported to address their basic care needs. Records of incidents are unclear and fail to provide an accurate account of what has occurred. The lack of detail in some records prevents managers taking appropriate action to keep children safe. Staff have failed to sign documents, so it is unclear who was involved in incidents, what action was taken as a result of incidents, and whether all professionals were notified. This fails to safeguard all involved.

p.4

Information about this children’s home

The recording and administration of medication in the home is poor and leaves children unsafe. Records show that, on occasions, the children’s medication has not been administered and the amount left in stock does not correspond with the total recorded amount.

p.4

Information about this children’s home

Prior to the inspection, the interim manager provided Ofsted with risk management plans that were reported to be the current risk plans for the children living in the home. However, this documentation was not available to the staff working directly with the children. Staff did not know the individual risk factors for each child or the strategies in place to keep them safe.

p.4

Information about this children’s home

There are key documents missing from children’s files, such as risk assessments, individual placement plans and local authority documentation. Because of this, staff do not have the required up-to-date information to support children’s fundamental care needs.

p.4

Information about this children’s home

There are gaps within the home’s monitoring and review systems, which lessen the analysis and evaluation of care and its impact on outcomes for children. This means that leaders and managers are unable to identify and address shortfalls in staff practice to improve the service being provided. This has impacted on outcomes for children and compromised their safety and well-being.

p.4

Information about this children’s home

Due to the significant safeguarding failing in the home, Ofsted took immediate action to help keep children safe and the provider cooperated by contacting the placing authorities and identifying new placements for the children. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2531920 5

p.4

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/07/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2531920 6

p.5

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential. (Regulation 6(1)(a)(b)) 30/05/2020

p.6

Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

p.6

Requirement Due date

develop positive relationships with them;

p.6

Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare;

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to express views, wishes and feelings;

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child; and 30/05/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2531920 7 regularly consult children, and seek their feedback, about the quality of the home’s care;

p.6

Requirement Due date

is enabled to provide feedback to, and raise issues with, a relevant person about the support and services that the child receives;

p.7

Requirement Due date

has access to the home’s children’s guide, and the home’s complaints procedure, when the child’s placement in the home is agreed and throughout the child’s stay in the home; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

keep the children’s guide and the home’s complaints procedure under review and seek children’s comments before revising either document;

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that an explanation is given to each child as soon as reasonably practicable after the child’s arrival about—

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that the views of each relevant person are taken into account, so far as reasonably practicable, before making a decision about the care or welfare of a child. (Regulation 7(1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(b)(i)(e)) In order to meet the education standard, the registered provider must ensure that staff—

p.7

Requirement Due date

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

p.7

Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child overcome such barriers. (Regulation 8(2)(a)(i)(iii)) 30/05/2020

p.7

Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that the health and well-being needs of children are met;

p.7

Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles. 30/05/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2531920 8 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.7

Requirement Due date

that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. (Regulation 10(1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(c)) The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

p.8

Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

p.8

Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

p.8

Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

p.8

Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

p.8

Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

p.8

Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust; understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable; and

p.8

Requirement Due date

have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them. (Regulation 11(1)(2)(i)(iii)(iv)(v)(viii)(xii)(xiii)) 30/05/2020

p.8

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. 30/05/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2531920 9 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff—

p.8

Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

p.9

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

p.9

Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them harming each other;

p.9

Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

p.9

Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare: and;

p.9

Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iv)(v)(vi)(e)) The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

p.9

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

p.9

Requirement Due date

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

p.9

Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

p.9

Requirement Due date

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

p.9

Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

p.9

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. 30/05/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2531920 10 (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(c)(f)(h))

p.9

Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home.

p.10

Requirement Due date

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

p.10

Requirement Due date

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14(1)(a)(2)(a)) 30/05/2020

p.10

Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (‘the statement of purpose’) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

p.10

Requirement Due date

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

p.10

Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revision and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision.

p.10

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that the home is at all times conducted in a manner which is consistent with its statement of purpose. (Regulation 16(1)(3)(a)(b)(5)) 30/05/2020

p.10

Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. (Regulation 23(1)) 30/05/2020

p.10

Requirement Due date

ensure that each permanent appointment of an employee is subject to the satisfactory completion of a period of probation.

p.10

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

p.10

Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33(1)(b)(4)(b)) 30/05/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2531920 11 The registered person must ensure that—

p.10

Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

p.11

Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

p.11

Requirement Due date

the date, time location of the use of the measure;

p.11

Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

p.11

Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

p.11

Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (‘the user’) and any other person present when the measure was used;

p.11

Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

p.11

Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

p.11

Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (‘the authorised person’)—

p.11

Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

p.11

Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

p.11

Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 30/05/2020

p.11

Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (‘case records’) for each child which—

p.11

Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; 30/05/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2531920 12 are kept up to date; and

p.11

Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36(1)(a)(b)(c))

p.12

Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

p.12

Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(4)(e)) 30/05/2020

p.12

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.

p.12

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

p.12

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Horizon Care And Education Group Limited

p.12

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Venture House, Unit 12, Prospect Business Park, Longford Road, Cannock WS11 0LG

p.12

Inspector

Michelle Edge, social care inspection manager Elaine Allison, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2531920 13 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.

p.12

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.13

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.13

Inspector

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

p.13