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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1212704 1

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Hexagon Care Services Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is one of a number of homes owned and operated by a private organisation. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four young people who may have emotional or behavioural needs.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was carried out in line with Ofsted’s procedures for monitoring services during the current period of suspended routine inspection activity.

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This monitoring visit

The visit was carried out using a combination of on-site and off-site activity.

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This monitoring visit

At the time of the visit, there was one young person living in the home. It was evident, from discussions with the young person and observations made throughout the visit, that she has developed positive relationships with staff. The young person’s parent and social worker spoke highly of the home and expressed confidence in the care and support she receives.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, two young people have been discharged in a planned manner. Their transitions were positive and well supported. However, following a poorly planned admission in October 2020, a young person’s placement quickly broke down. Managers failed to obtain the necessary information required to fully understand the young person’s needs and found that they were unable to provide her with safe and effective care. This was a poor outcome for the young person, which could have been avoided with a thorough impact risk assessment.

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This monitoring visit

There are significant concerns about some aspects of the current young person’s high-risk behaviours, such as going missing from home. Staff undertake regular, good-quality work with the young person, in an attempt to help her increase her understanding of safe behaviours and personal safety. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1212704 2 The manager and staff demonstrate understanding of risks to the young person’s safety and well-being. However, some risk management strategies lack clarity, and in one recent example, staff had failed to follow risk management guidance that was in place.

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This monitoring visit

There are some good examples of positive multi-agency working, which helps to safeguard the young person. For example, police professionals who work regularly with the home described the manager and staff as proactive and cooperative. However, opportunities to secure multi-agency agreement about strategies to manage risk have not always been used effectively. In addition, information shared within multi-agency meetings has not been consistently used to inform risk management plans.

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This monitoring visit

The home experienced an unsettled period in the summer months during which some significant incidents occurred. Behaviour management was an issue at times, with staff struggling to manage some incidents. This was identified and addressed by senior managers, who took appropriate action to support improvement.

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This monitoring visit

The numbers of incidents of restraint are few. When they do occur, they are clearly recorded and appropriately monitored.

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This monitoring visit

A young person who no longer lives in the home raised a complaint against a staff member in July 2020. This complaint was of a serious nature and although appropriate action was taken to investigate the matter, it was not shared with the relevant agencies in line with the organisation’s safeguarding procedures. Furthermore, Ofsted was not notified about the matter.

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This monitoring visit

There has been some disruption of management and staffing in the home. This follows the resignation of the previous registered manager and a number of staff members. A new manager has been appointed and has submitted an application for registration with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

Staff and external professionals speak highly of the manager, describing him as supportive and approachable. Staff describe an improving picture and are confident that the new team is working well together. Improved staffing arrangements mean that the young person receives support from a consistent team, whose members know her well and understand her needs.

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This monitoring visit

The manager demonstrates a good understanding of the strengths of the home and the areas that require some development. He was able to share plans to develop the team and practice and described a good level of support from senior managers in achieving and maintaining the necessary improvements. Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1212704 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 13/08/2019 Full Good 08/11/2018 Full Good 17/10/2017 Full Good 22/02/2017 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1212704 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 The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff— 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; are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(a)(i)(vii)) 04/01/2021

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard The care planning standard is that children— receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 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; that arrangements are in place to— ensure the effective induction of each child into the home. (Regulation 14(1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(i)) 04/01/2021

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Requirement Due date

Notification of a serious event The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if— a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation; an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious; 04/01/2021 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1212704 5 there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there; a child protection enquiry involving a child — is instigated; or concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40(4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e))

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Recommendations

 Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. Where there are safeguarding concerns for a child, their placement plan, agreed between the home and their placing authority, must include details of the steps the home will take to manage any assessed risks on a day-to-day basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)  As set out in regulations 31–33, the registered person is responsible for maintaining good employment practice. They must ensure that recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them, and that the measures taken to maintain good employment practice are clearly evidenced. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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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.

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hexagon Care Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 1 Tustin Court, Riversway, Preston PR2 2YQ

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Neil Gillson Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1212704 6

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Inspectors

Marie Cordingley, social care inspector Mrs Judith Birchall, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: 1212704 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

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