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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC479647 1 SC479647

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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 several homes owned and operated by a private organisation.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to six children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2020 and is suitably qualified.

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This monitoring visit

This 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 on site due to a recent increase in safeguarding notifications, mainly relating to missing from home incidents. The focus of the visit was to consider the ability of staff to keep children safe. As part of this visit, the manager, staff and children were spoken to. The requirements set at the last inspection were reviewed. Lines of enquiry arising from monthly reports received from the independent visitor were also addressed as part of the visit.

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This monitoring visit

Staff turnover is low, which helps to ensure that children are supported by carers whom they know well. A staff member spoke positively about the leadership of the home and described good levels of support and training, including learning in areas relevant to keeping children safe, such as safeguarding and drug and alcohol misuse.

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This monitoring visit

There are four children living at the home. Most of the children are settled and making progress. One child was recently placed at the home in an emergency, which was the child’s first experience being in care. Not all information about the child’s history, such as his pattern of going missing from home and possible criminal exploitation, was previously known. Staff have therefore not been equipped with the Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC479647 2 necessary background knowledge to meet the child’s needs. This does not demonstrate robust and effective care planning.

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This monitoring visit

Staff carry out focused support sessions with children to support their personal safety. Children engage well with staff and show an increasing awareness of the dangers associated with risk-taking behaviours, such as going missing and drug and alcohol misuse. Children learn to take responsibility for their actions. One child was able to describe positive strategies he uses to handle peer pressure to reduce the risk of him getting involved in potential criminal activity.

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This monitoring visit

Staff show an awareness of children’s individual risk management plans, which are kept under review. However, they are not up to date and do not reflect the most recent events. Staff were inconsistent in their responses to what they would do in the event of a child returning home under the influence of alcohol. Strategies to manage alcohol misuse are not captured on the risk assessments. This does not demonstrate effective safeguarding practice.

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This monitoring visit

Staff understand what to do when children go missing from the home. They carry out physical checks to known hotspot areas and promptly alert children’s families and the police. Records of missing from home incidents are comprehensively detailed and indicate that staff are taking all necessary steps to promote children’s return in cooperation with outside agencies. The necessary independent return home interviews are taking place as required. The information gathered during the interviews is used to help to reduce missing from care incidents and to understand why children leave the home.

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This monitoring visit

Details about incidents that take place are regularly shared with the relevant professionals. Social workers spoke positively about the home and are satisfied that the manager and staff are taking all measures to help keep children safe. Children spoken to said they feel supported by staff and are safe in placement.

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This monitoring visit

Monthly visits, during which an assessment of safeguarding practice is made, are carried out by an independent person. Consultation by the visitor with children is inconsistent in that the views about their safety and what it is like living in the home are not sourced. This, therefore, limits the overall reporting of the quality of and impact on outcomes for children.

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This monitoring visit

There are internal processes in place for monitoring the effectiveness of safeguarding practice in the home. Some aspects of practice require more stringent monitoring and management oversight, as risk assessments are not kept up to date.

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This monitoring visit

As part of this visit, the inspector reviewed the actions taken by the provider to meet the two requirements set at the last inspection under regulations 6 and 21.

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This monitoring visit

The premises are in a good state of repair and decoration. Children benefit from living in an environment that is spacious, homely and welcoming. Damaged furniture Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC479647 3 has been replaced. The games room has been refurbished and has a new pool table. The requirement under regulation 6 is now met.

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This monitoring visit

The inspectors found that certain areas, such as the games room, kitchen and lounge areas, are kept locked at night for safety reasons. However, this is restricting children’s access to all areas of the home. The requirement under regulation 21 therefore is not met and will be repeated.

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This monitoring visit

The recommendation set at the last inspection has been carried over to the next inspection.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 14/05/2019 Full Good 25/07/2018 Full Good 09/04/2018 Full Inadequate 02/05/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC479647 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, the 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)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that all strategies designed to reduce risk of harm to children are reviewed and detailed on the risk management plans. Plans must be understood by all the staff involved in their care and kept up to date and staff made aware of any changes. 2 April 2021

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This refers to ensuring that managers have clear oversight of the plans in place to keep children safe, including introducing 2 April 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC479647 5 clear strategies for staff to follow to manage risks, and that plans are kept up to date.

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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. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that admissions are planned effectively to include consultation with all relevant outside agencies to inform the impact risk assessments and enable staff to meet children’s needs. 2 April 2021

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Requirement Due date

the privacy of children is appropriately protected;

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, remove the locks in the kitchen, lounge and games room areas. 2 April 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person— 2 April 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC479647 6 if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires. (Regulation 44 (1) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the independent visitor seeking their own consultation with children, their parents, social workers and staff working at the home to maintain the level of independence required by regulation.

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Recommendations

 The registered manager should ensure that she works closely with the placing authority and school and that the child is supported and enabled to resume full-time education as soon as possible. This is when children are not participating in education because they have been excluded or are not on a school roll for some reason. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15)

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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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Inspectors

Michael Charnley, Social Care Inspector Judith Birchall, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC479647 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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