Children's Home run by Hexagon Care Services Limited in Lincolnshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC482411 1 SC482411 Registered provider: Hexagon Care Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to care for up to six female children who may experience emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The manager registered in 2014 and has completed the required level 5 qualification.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report children’s home: SC482411 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/08/2019 Full Good 22/08/2018 Full Good 18/09/2017 Full Outstanding 01/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC482411 3

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outstanding

The house is busy and full of life. The manager and staff have worked at the home for several years and remain enthused and excited about their work. This continuity provides a level of stability and consistency of care that many of the children have not previously experienced. Very quickly after moving in, children begin to build relationships with the staff and settle. This is despite many of the children arriving with histories of trauma, exploitation, alcohol and/or substance misuse, sometimes challenging behaviour and frequent periods of going missing from home. Children say that they settle in the home because the staff make them feel loved, cared for and safe.

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outstanding

A child described moving from several previous placements, due to her behaviours, with little or no notice. She stated, ‘[Manager’s name] told me that I won’t move from here like that and she’ll fight for me and I believe her.’ This unwavering belief that the manager (and the team) have their best interests at heart was mirrored in conversations with all the children. It was also a theme of feedback received from professionals. Children happily and proudly declared that staff have helped them to realise that their futures are not shaped by their pasts.

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outstanding

Children describe feeling included and involved in decision-making about themselves and their home. The family feel of the home is reflected in the way the five children interact with each other. Like siblings, they fluctuate between getting on, disagreeing, resolving their issues, and then reverting to enjoying spending time together. The children describe knowing each other so well that they recognise when each other is feeling low or in need of some space. They say that staff are equally skilled at recognising when they are trying to hide their feelings. This indicates that the staff know the children and are emotionally intuitive to their needs.

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outstanding

Clear boundaries and expectations have enabled the children to have better routines and they are becoming healthier. This includes ceasing smoking and eating healthier meals. Improvements in overall health have also led to some children being able to reduce or cease taking medication, where appropriate.

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outstanding

All the children are attending and achieving well in education. This is particularly impressive given that most of the children arrive as ‘school refusers’ who have missed large amounts of their education. A teacher described three of the children from the home, and another who recently moved out, as positive examples of the success that can be achieved when a home and school are working in partnership and set clear boundaries and expectations. He referred to the home as having high standards for the children.

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outstanding

Other professionals are also extremely positive about the progress that children have made since moving into this home. A social worker spoke about initially being wary Inspection report children’s home: SC482411 4 about whether the child she was responsible for would adapt to life in the home. She acknowledges that, despite these reservations, the child is happy and thriving. She is becoming increasingly independent, taking care of herself, taking pride in her achievements and likes demonstrating the new life skills she has mastered in the few weeks since moving in.

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outstanding

Children are supported in maintaining contact with their families and/or previous carers in line with their care plans. There has been an increase in virtual visits and calls due to the national lockdown restrictions. There is now a gradual return to face-to-face visits.

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outstanding

Children make very good progress in relation to their behaviour and attitudes. They settle in quickly and improvements are evident in a short period of time. Staff achieve this through their adeptness at forming a trusting, caring and loving rapport that enables children to recognise how much potential they possess. This recognition, coupled with the consistent boundaries, positively impacts on all aspects of the children’s lives, including self-care. Children clearly have a feeling of pride in themselves and the progress they make, as well as pride in their home.

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outstanding

Children are learning to explore their past and they use this knowledge and awareness to identify strategies to avoid being at risk of harm in the future. The strength of character they have developed stems from being supported to understand that much of what they may have encountered is not their fault. This no blame, no judgement way of working has achieved major changes in the children’s approach to life.

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outstanding

Staff are working sensitively and effectively with children to gradually increase a degree of age-appropriate, well-managed risk taking. This is to ensure that children are not prevented from having similar childhood experiences to their peers.

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outstanding

Children speak positively about how they have quickly adapted to not having an internet-enabled smartphone. They are enthusiastic about working towards earning a very basic mobile phone. A child who has recently achieved this goal spoke positively about having a mobile phone and said that she is still not ready for a smartphone. This degree of self-awareness demonstrates how much the children have developed in recognising and understanding themselves, peer pressure and potential risks.

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outstanding

The children have access to the internet and are supported to be safer online through ongoing conversations about online safety. It is evident that children enjoy the various protective measures that are put in place as they say it allows them time to focus on themselves. Inspection report children’s home: SC482411 5 Staff are fully trained and aware of their responsibilities and duties to ensure that children are safe. Their in-depth knowledge of each child enables them to be aware of early signs that indicate the children are upset or in distress.

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outstanding

Each child identified several members of staff who they would speak to if concerned or anxious. They stated that they feel confident and relaxed enough to speak to any of the staff team about their worries, concerns or fears.

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outstanding

There have been no recent episodes of bullying. Staff monitor the children’s interactions as they recognise that playfulness can easily and quickly become peer- on-peer bullying or intimidation .

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outstanding

The children rarely go missing from the home. There have been occasions when a child has left school or college without permission. As soon as staff are aware, they actively search for the child and return them to school/college. There was also an incident where a child went missing for a few hours while on a visit to their home area. These situations were managed appropriately.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is described as the ‘Mum’ of the house. She is non-apologetic for having high standards and expectations of the children in relation to behaviour and education. An example of this is that educational attendance is non-negotiable. She liaises with the schools/colleges regularly to ensure that she receives feedback on the children’s participation. These expectations are delivered with emotional warmth and care, balanced with firm boundaries. High expectations are mirrored throughout the team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The team has a great understanding of the progress that children are making. They are active champions on their behalf, which ensures that the children receive all that they are entitled to.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager oversees the work of the staff, using internal and external auditing. This auditing activity rarely highlights that many actions are needed as the manager is continually reviewing recordings, such as case files, to ensure that they are completed to a high standard.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff describe the manager and deputy as supportive and understanding. There is reluctance to use agency staff as the children find it disruptive. This means that managers and staff have covered all shifts throughout the COVID-19 restrictions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff team is diverse in relation to ethnicity and age, which enables the children to learn and experience difference and diversity as part of their day-to-day lives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Training is ongoing and is updated to ensure that staff are equipped with current knowledge. Staff supervision is used to support staff development. The manager knows the home’s strengths and continually identifies further areas of development. Inspection report children’s home: SC482411 6 She uses the internal and external audits to ensure that anything highlighted is addressed immediately. This minimises any gaps in records and ensures that documents, such as care and behaviour management plans, remain relevant.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is achieving its aims and objectives as staff ensure that the children receive the right support and care and leave the home with improved chances of good outcomes. Inspection report children’s home: SC482411 7

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’. Inspection report children’s home: SC482411 8

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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, Lancashire PR2 2YQ

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Inspector

Sonia Hay, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC482411 9 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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