Children's home run by Horizon Transitional Care Ltd

Inspection report children’s home: 2597734 1 Registered provider: Horizon Transitional Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides residential care for five children aged between six and 17 with social and/or emotional difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager of the home is new in post and has not yet registered with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

This is the home’s first full inspection since it registered in September 2020.

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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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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report children’s home: 2597734 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not previously inspected Inspection report children’s home: 2597734 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children have lived at the home since the home registered. At the time of this inspection, one child was living at the home. The child declined the offer to speak to the inspector.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children move into the home in a planned way. They are encouraged to come and see the home before moving in. One social worker told the inspector that the staff made a ‘lovely welcome lunch’. This warm welcome helps children to experience a positive move.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child currently living at the home receives a good standard of care. As a result, he is making good progress physically, emotionally and socially.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have supported the child to attend their established school placement, despite the long distance. This has enabled the child to maintain links with friends and avoid any interruption to his learning. This support has enabled the child to achieve academic success and he is now looking forward to attending college from September.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are creative in exploring how best to communicate with the child, who finds communicating with others difficult. Staff respond to his needs sensitively and with consideration. This has helped him to develop a positive rapport with the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that the child can stay in touch with his family. This has included using technology when the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions have impacted on him being able to visit his family.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has ample space for the child to enjoy. Staff support the child to personalise his bedroom. For example, he is painting a mural on his bedroom wall. This inclusivity helps the child to feel like it is his home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff speak positively about the child’s achievements. Artwork drawn by the child is proudly displayed on the walls of the home. This helps to give the child a strong sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to develop his independence skills, at a pace that suits him. The child is supported to cook, maintain his bedroom and do his own washing. This helps him to develop essential life skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

However, despite the good quality of care children receive, staff do not promote life- story work with children. This is a missed opportunity to help them to reflect on their time at the home. Inspection report children’s home: 2597734 4

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff have responded well to both children’s individualised needs. Consequently, staff rarely need to use physical intervention.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Children rarely go missing from the home and, when they do, they are found quickly. Staff are aware of how children’s vulnerabilities may increase risk to them. As a result, both children have been kept safe.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff who are recruited to work in the home are subject to all the appropriate checks. This helps to ensure that staff who work at the home are safe to do so.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff understand their responsibility to safeguard children. They are aware of the steps to take when concerns are raised. When complaints are reported, staff take these concerns seriously. Information is promptly shared with the designated officer and with the children’s social workers.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

However, managers have not completed risk assessments that consider all information about children. These assessments do not capture an appropriate level of detail to guide staff on the strategies to use when children become heightened. This has the potential to lead to inconsistency in practice and in how children are protected from harm.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a new manager in post. The manager is in the process of applying to Ofsted to become the home’s registered manager. He is child focused, passionate, and is keen to develop the service further.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff and managers feel well supported. Staff receive an effective induction and ongoing training. This helps to ensure that they have the knowledge and skills to provide good-quality residential childcare. Staff receive regular practice-based supervision that supports them to reflect on their work. As a result, children receive good care that is reflective of their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers are beginning to develop good working relationships with key professionals, including children’s teachers, social workers and the police. This results in children receiving integrated care and support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers understand when they are unable to meet a child’s changing care needs. This recognition has helped to ensure that one child has been able to quickly move to a specialist service that can meet their needs and will keep them safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

In recent months, there have been inconsistencies in management arrangements. This has been resolved with a new manager in post. The manager has already made a significant impact on the home. Consequently, staff feel more secure, morale has Inspection report children’s home: 2597734 5 improved, and children are making more significant progress. A child’s social worker and the school pastoral manager have also noticed the recent improvements. Inspection report children’s home: 2597734 6

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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

This specifically relates to risk assessments and the risk that the outbuilding may pose to children. 31 July 2021

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the children are able to access life-story work or other direct work. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.14)

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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: 2597734 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Horizon Transitional Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Carthorne Cottage, 55 Woodfield Avenue, Wolverhampton, West Midlands WV4 4AG

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Inspector

Jodie Lewis, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2597734 8 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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