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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1212094 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

The home is owned and managed by a private company. The home provides care and accommodation for up to three children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is jointly managed by two registered managers. One manager has been registered with Ofsted since July 2020 and the other manager was registered with Ofsted in January 2021.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit took place in response to an increase in notifications to Ofsted. The visit was conducted using both on- and off-site methodology due to COVID-19 (coronavirus) restrictions. Ofsted completed an assurance visit to the home in September 2020. No serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children were identified at the assurance visit. At the time of this visit, the same three children were living at the home.

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This monitoring visit

This visit found that there is strong multi-agency safeguarding practice in place which supports children. Allegations made by children about alleged incidents of bullying inside the home between children as well as allegations of safeguarding incidents in the community are handled appropriately and investigated thoroughly. Clear and detailed chronologies help staff and children to understand and respond to events. The home makes good use of restorative practice to repair relationships in the home and give children a voice. Planned key-work sessions help children to understand the outcome of allegations and support their emotional well-being.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s social workers spoken to by the inspectors said that children are making progress in the home. Communication from the home was described as excellent and relationships between children and staff are very positive. The therapeutic model practised in the home is well embedded. The in-house therapist has a good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1212094 2 relationship with all three children and sees them for formal sessions as well as informally in the home on a frequent basis. Good information sharing between the therapist and care staff means that the adults caring for the children on a day-to-day basis are well informed about their emotional needs and can respond appropriately.

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This monitoring visit

Some risk management plans lack clarity due to the amount of information they contain and the frequency with which they are updated. As a result, it is not always clear which information is most current and what the rationale is for the assessment of risk. Some of the children’s case records are wrongly dated. This means that children and staff do not always have a true record of when information was recorded or when events took place.

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This monitoring visit

Searches of children’s bedrooms are only undertaken when there is a clear reason for doing so. These room searches are clearly recorded and there is good accountability for these actions. When items are removed from children, it is often not clear what the next steps are. Staff do not always record where the property is being taken and timescales for the return of the property, if this is appropriate.

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This monitoring visit

A child spoken to by inspectors spoke highly of the home and the staff. Another child’s written feedback seen by inspectors from in-house consultation showed that the child felt safe and well cared for in the home and listened to by staff. All three children have been living together since the home reopened after refurbishment in August 2020. This stability supports children to feel secure in the home and gives them an opportunity to build positive relationships with each other and the adults who care for them.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 21/05/2018 Full Good 14/02/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 02/05/2017 Full Good 27/09/2016 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1212094 3

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that 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)

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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. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that bedrooms should only be searched if the child has been informed or asked for their permission. Immediate searching may be necessary where there are reasonable grounds for believing that there is a risk to the child’s or another person’s safety or well-being. In particular, where property is removed, children need to be informed where the property will be kept and when or if it will be returned to them. (‘Guide to the children’s home regulations including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.20) Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1212094 4

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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: Rachel Evans and Joanne Abram

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Inspectors

Dawn Parton, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Mandy Williams, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1212094 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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