Children's home run by Hexagon Care Services Limited in Preston

Assurance visit report: SC480240 1 SC480240

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is registered to accommodate seven male children with social and emotional difficulties. The home is owned by a private company, which has other homes across the country.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager was promoted on 30 June 2020, and the deputy of five years at the home has submitted his application to be registered as the new manager.

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Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection date: 30 January 2019

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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:  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. Assurance visit report: SC480240 2

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Findings from the visit

We identified no serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit.

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The care of children

Staff and children enjoy good relationships that have developed further during the pandemic when, initially, the registered manager and deputy moved into the home. Children said that the manager is good because he will always try his best for them and get them what they need. This feeling that the manager has their best interests at heart was spoken of by the boys throughout the visit.

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The care of children

Children continue to keep in touch with their families. Staff have been creative in the use of technology to enable families to communicate during times of lockdown and social distancing. Children have been able to make use of the large spaces in the home and the local park to keep in touch with friends and family.

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The care of children

Staff and education providers work together, ensuring that all children continue to learn and make progress in their education. Staff strived to develop a good routine of daily education in the mornings. Some children continued attending their education setting; others had work sent to them. Staff sat with children and encouraged them to complete the tasks.

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The care of children

Children said that they can talk freely and openly with staff about any health issues. Some children smoke, and others have used cannabis. With limited access to the community, this has significantly reduced. Children said that staff have helped them to understand the COVID-19 pandemic and how to keep safe and healthy.

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The care of children

Children share their views about their care, the home, community and national issues during weekly ‘boys’ meetings’. A restorative conference is set up following any physical intervention, which allows all involved to discuss their feelings about the hold and what can be done to prevent it from happening, by exploring how it affects staff and the child.

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The care of children

Some areas of the home do not fit with a nurturing, supportive environment, particular the bathroom, fire door and patio doors that use a hammer handle as a substitute for a door handle. The dining room is locked at night, so children cannot access the kitchen. This is not helpful when trying to develop a domestic environment.

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The safety of children

Staff understand how to manage risk and keep children safe. Children have generally not been missing from the home and followed government guidance about keeping safe during the pandemic. The missing behaviour of one child caused some concerns to police, social worker and staff. His ‘missing’ status was changed to Assurance visit report: SC480240 3 ‘absent from the home’ as his whereabouts were known. Work continues with the child, while his wishes to be with family are met.

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The safety of children

The positive relationships between staff and children, and this understanding of risk, have allowed children and staff to have a better understanding of one another, which has significantly reduced the number of incidents in the home. There has been one physical intervention during the lockdown period, and staff managed the situation well.

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The safety of children

Staff understand the effect on children’s behaviour of being confined indoors during lockdown. Staff have dealt effectively with the few incidents of challenging behaviour that have occurred and have tried to divert children to more positive activities or taken them out for a period of respite after they have been confined indoors.

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The safety of children

Staff continue to access training in a variety of formats, including training on physical intervention. This enables staff to understand the potential impact on a child’s emotional health and respond to keep children safe and protected while they are in crisis.

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Leaders and managers

The manager has a wealth of experience and has been in residential care for 14 years, the last five as deputy manager at the home. Following the internal promotion of the registered manager, the deputy applied and was successful in obtaining the manager’s position. He is supported by a deputy manager and a strong team of residential staff.

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Leaders and managers

The manager and senior staff ensure that all children’s plans are constantly reviewed, taking into consideration the COVID-19 outbreak and the easing of restrictions. Staff clearly understand these plans and implement them appropriately. Some children have been moved onto foster placements or family members, and the manager and staff celebrate this as a positive outcome of the work they have done with children and their families.

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Leaders and managers

The independent visitor continues to monitor the progress and well-being of the children. Visits were carried out virtually initially but did not always involve speaking with children or staff. This failed to give children the opportunity to speak with someone independent from the home about their care during lockdown. The visitor has returned to on-site visits.

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Leaders and managers

The manager regularly consults children and stakeholders and uses this to improve the care and experiences provided for children. For example, the children were asked about bedtimes and evening routines. Changes were made as a result of the consultation, and children are happy that they can stay up longer at the weekends to watch the football. Assurance visit report: SC480240 4 Strong relationships with partner agencies and social workers have continued with regular opportunities for people to have face-to-face discussions in the garden. Professionals continue to work together to benefit the children.

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Leaders and managers

Staff benefit from strong leadership and support. Training continues in a variety of formats to ensure continued and effective staff development. The manager provides regular supervision to all staff.

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Leaders and managers

The requirements and recommendations made at the last inspection has been met.

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Leaders and managers

One recommendation has been made following this visit.

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Recommendation

 For children’s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc.); however, in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. This is with particular regard to the bathroom, fire doors and the locking of the dining room at night. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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

Elaine Clare, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC480240 5 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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