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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1236771 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 privately owned home cares for up to three children aged between 11 and 17 years. The home’s purpose is to provide care and accommodation for children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 20 December 2018.

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This monitoring visit

The purpose of this announced visit was to explore the action taken by the provider following concerns raised in a safeguarding notification dated 9 November 2020. In particular, the inspector considered the concerns around the criminal exploitation of the three young people living in the home. Also, the placement of young people living in the home, risk assessments and the plans to support young people.

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This monitoring visit

Impact risk assessments do not demonstrate the reasons for accepting a new young person into the home. The risk assessments lack a critical analysis of the known risks and concerns and the potential impact on other young people living in the home. Therefore, it is unclear as to why some young people were placed in the home.

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This monitoring visit

Young people’s individual risk assessments are weighty documents; some are 47 pages long. This is because they contain historical information that is no longer relevant and a significant amount of repetitive information. As a result, current risks, such as child criminal exploitation, are not given sufficient emphasis. Additionally, risk assessments are not recorded in a way that will be helpful to young people should they access their records now or in the future. This particularly relates to the action staff are taking to help to keep young people safe. However, It is clear from the discussions with the registered manager, deputy and professionals that the staff Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1236771 2 are very aware of the current risks to the young people and are responding appropriately to minimise these.

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This monitoring visit

Furthermore, professionals attending the strategy meetings are complimentary about the action that the staff are taking to reduce the risks of harm to young people. This includes contacting the local taxi firms and asking them not to collect young people from the home. Staff also carry out room searches to gather any intelligence about the whereabouts of young people. Staff also keep in touch with young people when they are away from the home, and where possible carry out visual checks if they cannot get in touch with them. This is helping to reduce the risk of harm to young people.

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This monitoring visit

Immediate action has been taken by the registered manager to address the shortfalls identified.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 24/09/2019 Full Good 27/11/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/01/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 04/10/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1236771 3

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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

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, young people's risk assessments should reflect the current risks to young people and the action being taken to reduce those risks. 15 January 2021

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children's home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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 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)(b) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that young people’s impact risk assessments are sufficiently detailed. 15 December 2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1236771 4

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Information about a child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. The home’s records on each child provide a significant contribution to their life history. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraphs 14.4, 14.5)

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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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Inspector

Chris Scully, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1236771 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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