Children's Home run by Hexagon Care Services Limited in Lancashire

Assurance visit report: SC480681 1 SC480681

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is one of a number owned and managed by a private company. It is registered to provide care for six young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has managed the home since October 2012.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 11 December 2018

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Information about this visit

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), Ofsted suspended all routine inspections in March 2020. As part of a phased return to routine inspection, we are undertaking assurance visits to children’s social care services that are inspected under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF).

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Information about this visit

At these visits, inspectors evaluate the extent to which:

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Information about this visit

 children are well cared for  children are safe  leaders and managers are exercising strong leadership.

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Information about this visit

This visit was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000, following the published guidance for assurance visits.

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Information about this visit

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills is leading Ofsted’s work into how England’s social care system has delivered child-centred practice and care within the context of the restrictions placed on society during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Findings from the visit

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit. Assurance visit report: SC480681 2

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The care of children

Young people enjoy strong and trusting relationships with staff. One young person said, ‘It’s amazing here – I love it! The staff are really nice and I like the activities we do together a lot.’ Young people are supported by a consistent and experienced staff team. This provides young people with the stability that they require. One independent reviewing officer said, ‘I am really pleased to report that with the dedicated and committed care [young person’s name] has received from staff, his future is bright. He now sees himself as an achiever and he is focused on his studies.’ Staff have worked with education providers to try to limit the disruption to young people’s education during the pandemic. All the young people were educated at home during the lockdown period and schools sent work to the home for them to complete. Staff developed a routine of daily education in the morning and physical activities in the afternoons. All young people have now successfully returned to their

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The care of children

usual place of education. Young people have enjoyed a wide range of activities since the easing of lockdown restrictions. For example, staff have organised walking trips in a national park. Young people value these activities and as a result their levels of physical exercise have increased. Young people are supported to keep in touch with their family and other people who are important to them. Staff have supported them to use technology and social distancing measures to communicate with their families safely. Supporting young people to maintain these important relationships promotes their emotional health and well-being. All young people have care plans in place. However, one young person’s care plan did not adequately detail how staff should support the young person’s health and personal care needs. This does not promote a consistent, personalised response to this young person’s needs. A recommendation has been raised to improve practice in

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The care of children

this area. Young people are encouraged to personalise their bedrooms and to keep them clean and tidy. However, some young people need greater support from staff to maintain this, and a more regular cleaning routine needs to be established. In addition, some of the furniture in their bedrooms is tired and broken and requires replacing. A requirement has been made to address these matters.

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The safety of children

Young people are settled and feel safe at the home. Young people told the inspector that they always have someone they can talk to at the home if they are worried. Staff have helped young people to understand the COVID-19 pandemic and how to keep themselves safe and healthy. A number of young people have moved into the home during the period of lockdown restrictions. These moves were well planned and staff put measures in place to ensure that all the young people at the home were kept safe. Assurance visit report: SC480681 3 Most young people have followed government guidance about keeping safe during the pandemic and have not been missing from home. One young person did struggle with these restrictions and his behaviour did cause concern to staff, his social worker and police. The manager was proactive in seeking multi-agency support and additional resources to keep the young person safe. Young people’s risk assessments and risk management plans are kept under regular

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The safety of children

review. These documents contain clear guidance for staff to help them respond effectively to safeguard young people. The manager is quick to respond to emerging risks to keep young people safe. Young people are settled. Staff have established consistent boundaries and routines, which young people are adapting to and responding well to. Staff rarely use physical interventions to manage young people’s behaviours. Young people receive regular incentives and praise, which reinforce positive behaviours. All staff have received safeguarding training which ensures they understand their roles and responsibilities in safeguarding young people. However, staff demonstrated inconsistent knowledge about social media, the internet and the steps they should take to safeguard young people when they access it. A recommendation has been made to improve practice in this area.

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Leaders and managers

The registered manager is suitably experienced and qualified to undertake this role. He is well supported by an experienced deputy manager and together they form an effective management team. One member of staff said, ‘The manager is really approachable. I know I can always go to him for support and advice.’ The manager is ambitious for young people and he is committed to ensuring that young people receive the support they need to fulfil their potential. Staff turnover is low and, as a result, young people are cared for by a consistent staff team. Staff told the inspector that they enjoyed working at the home and spoke positively about their roles. The manager ensures that all staff receive regular supervision. This supports their continuous professional development and helps staff to reflect on their practice. External professionals speak highly of the quality of care provided to young people at the home. They report good levels of communication and have had good

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Leaders and managers

experiences of collaborative working. One independent reviewing officer said, ‘There is nothing I think [name of home] could improve, I would just urge them to continue working with young people in the way they are currently.’ The independent visitor continues to monitor the progress of young people. Monitoring activities have been carried out remotely to conform with government restrictions. However, the independent visitor does not always speak to young people, their families or relevant professionals in order to establish an independent assessment of young people’s safety and well-being. A recommendation has been made to address this. Assurance visit report: SC480681 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health.

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Recommendations

 Children’s care plans should reflect the personalised care they are receiving which meets their needs and promotes their welfare, taking account of the child’s gender, religion, ethnicity, cultural and linguistic background, sexual identity, mental health, any disability, their assessed needs, previous experiences and any relevant plans. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 14, paragraph 3.2)  Staff skills for safeguarding should include being able to identify signs that children may be at risk, and support children in strategies to manage and reduce any risks. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.10.) Specifically, staff should be equipped with the knowledge to identify and respond to risks children may be exposed to when using the internet.  Any individual appointed to carry out visits to the home as an independent person

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Recommendations

must make a rigorous and impartial assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children in the home’s care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5.) Specifically, the registered provider should help the independent person to regularly consult with children, their relatives and relevant professionals associated with their care. Assurance visit report: SC480681 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hexagon Care Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Tustin Court, Riversway, Preston, Lancashire PR2 2YQ

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Inspector

Sophie Thomson, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC480681 6 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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