Children's Home run by Horizon Care and Education Group Limited in Telford and Wrekin

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2572132 1

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Horizon Care and Education Group Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is part of a large private organisation. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children with social and emotional needs.

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This monitoring visit

On 15 February 2021, Ofsted carried out a monitoring visit in response to information provided by the independent visitor. They identified that children had caused harm to each other. During that monitoring visit, the inspector found that children were not effectively safeguarded. As a result, Ofsted issued a compliance notice under regulation 12 (the protection of children standard).

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This monitoring visit

On 24 February 2021, Ofsted carried out a second monitoring visit. This was in response to a complaint received by the regulator. Inspectors found serious safeguarding failings that meant children were at risk of harm. As a result, Ofsted took the decision to suspend the registration of the home. Ofsted also issued a compliance notice under regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard).

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This monitoring visit

In March 2021, Ofsted carried out two further monitoring visits to check the progress of the compliance notices. Inspectors found that the provider had made insufficient progress to meet the steps outlined in these. As a result, they were reissued and the suspension remained in place.

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This monitoring visit

On 12 May 2021, Ofsted carried out a further monitoring visit to the home to review the suspension and compliance notices. The registered manager has now left the organisation. The responsible individual is currently suspended pending an investigation. In their absence, a covering manager has supported the development of staff, systems and processes. As a result, the majority of concerns noted in Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2572132 2 previous visits are now addressed, and the compliance notices have been met. However, Ofsted has imposed a condition on the registration of the home. This means that the provider must notify Ofsted three months before children move into the home. Ofsted has taken this action because there is no permanent manager to continue to drive improvement. There is also insufficient staff to care for children safely and consistently. The provider is in full agreement with the imposed condition.

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This monitoring visit

They are seeking to recruit the needed manager and staff as quickly as they can.

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This monitoring visit

Managers and leaders have improved risk assessments. Staff now have clear guidance. Managers and leaders have put in place specific training to support the staff in this area. They have also taken measures to assure themselves that staff understand these risk assessments. For example, managers explore staff’s understanding of risk in their supervisions. As a result of this, managers now have confidence in staff’s practice.

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This monitoring visit

The covering manager has led a series of workshops to address shortfalls in how staff care for children. The covering manager has also put in place visual aids to help staff manage different situations. For example, there are flow charts to guide staff if a child makes an allegation or goes missing from the home. Staff report that this investment has given them confidence to do their jobs.

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This monitoring visit

Managers and leaders have reviewed the failings that led to the suspension of the home’s registration. Senior leaders have shared the lessons learned from this across the organisation. Senior leaders have updated the induction process for new managers. They have also improved monitoring templates, and these are being used across the organisation. Managers and senior leaders now have a clearer view of children’s experiences. The changes to the home and the wider organisation show the commitment senior leaders have to improvement.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has significantly invested in the physical environment at the home. This has included creating a second living room and a new dining room. The provider has redecorated the home and purchased new furniture for children’s bedrooms. This means the home is now a welcoming place for children to live.

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Recent inspection history

Not previously inspected Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2572132 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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(x)(xiii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to staff putting their knowledge of the signs and impact of bullying into protective practice and having support to consider how their own feelings impacts on their work.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last monitoring visit and is restated. 23 June2021

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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— 23 June2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2572132 4 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

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(d)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to there being sufficient permanent staff in the home to ensure the welfare of children

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last monitoring visit and is restated.

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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.

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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 each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to appropriate care planning for children and staff following and adhering to local authority care plans

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last monitoring visit and is restated. 23 June 2021

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Requirement Due date

have the capacity, experience and skills to supervise the management of the home, or the homes, in respect of which the responsible individual is nominated. (Regulation 26 (7)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the responsible individual’s oversight and monitoring of the home and ensuring that safeguarding systems are followed 23 June2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2572132 5 This requirement was made at the last monitoring visit and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home. (Regulation 27 (1)(a) 23 June 2021

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction. (Regulation 33 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the manager ensuring that staff working in the home receive appropriate induction and support.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last monitoring visit and is restated. 23 June2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(b)(c)(e))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to Ofsted being notified appropriately.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last monitoring visit and is restated. 23 June2021

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that Staff is 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 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2572132 6 and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. This recommendation was made at the last monitoring visit and is restated. (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: Horizon Care and Education Group Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Venture House, Prospect Business Park, Longford Road, Cannock, Staffordshire WS11 0LG

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Inspector

Karol Keenan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2572132 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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