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

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1249184 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 one of a group of homes operated by the same organisation. It provides care and accommodation for up to three children who may display complex emotional and behavioural needs.

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Information about this children’s home

There is no registered manager in post, and the home is being led by an interim manager. Since the last inspection, the responsible individual for the home has left the organisation, and a new responsible individual has been appointed by the provider.

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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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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate on 10 June 2021. As a result of the concerns about children’s safety and welfare, a notice restricting the accommodation of the home and two compliance notices were issued. In addition, 14 requirements and five recommendations were also raised. Two requirements were met at this inspection.

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This monitoring visit

This visit took place to monitor the restriction of accommodation. One child has left the home since the full inspection, which means there are now two children living in the home. The provider has complied with the restriction of accommodation and no children have moved into the home.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have put in place a training programme to address the shortfalls identified at the full inspection. Staff have not completed all workshops, as there was a delay Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1249184 2 to the programme starting. As a result, managers cannot yet be assured that staff are aware of their responsibilities to safeguard and support children.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have not ensured that the pace of change and challenge in the home has been sufficient. For example, at the last inspection, Ofsted identified concerns about how staff physically intervene with children. Managers have not reviewed these incidents to learn from them. They have also not started the investigations into staff care practice related to this. The interim manager was unaware that this needed to happen. This does not give confidence that the provider appreciates the seriousness of the situation found at inspection.

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This monitoring visit

The interim manager has not yet supervised all staff since the last inspection. Some staff have raised concerns about the care practice of their colleagues. This includes staff who potentially collude with children. Managers have not clearly investigated or addressed these concerns. This further indicates that there is a lack of urgency to address practice concerns with staff. This has the potential to leave children vulnerable to inconsistent care.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have improved their recording of incidents. However, records of these incidents are incomplete. Managers have not included their discussions with children. Managers’ oversight and analysis are also lacking. This mirrors the shortfall identified at the last inspection.

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This monitoring visit

The interim manager has ensured that there are now sufficient staff for children to get to school on time. Staff have also collaborated well with one child’s school to support the child’s worries in school. This was a sensitive, solution-focused piece of work undertaken by the child’s key worker, who clearly knows the child well.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have made sure that the home is now clean, and they pay attention to the children’s bedrooms and bathrooms with more care. This means children have a more pleasant environment to live in.

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This monitoring visit

Children report that they are happy in the home and enjoy their time with the staff. Children appreciate the efforts staff go through to provide them with good experiences, such as a forthcoming beach holiday. Staff are also looking forward to spending this time with the children.

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This monitoring visit

12 requirements raised at the last inspection were not met or not considered as part of this visit. They are restated. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1249184 3

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 09/06/2021 Full Inadequate 18/02/2020 Interim Declined in effectiveness 18/06/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/03/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(iii)) 9 August 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1249184 4 In particular, staff must understand the underpinning ethos and approach of the home to apply to practice and to record- keeping.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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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

Managers must ensure that when new risks arise for children and others, these are assessed, and guidance is provided.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 9 August 2021

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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

help each child understand how to keep safe. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

Managers must ensure that staff help children to understand and, where necessary, work to change negative behaviours, such as the use of alcohol and drugs.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 9 August 2021

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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. 9 August 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1249184 5 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, staff must understand their roles in relation to safeguarding and challenging others around practice relating to allegations. The management of the organisation must also be assured that staff understand and will use the whistle-blowing procedures to raise concerns if needed.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The manager must ensure that staff use the underpinning approach of the home outlined in the statement of purpose, and this must be reflected in their records about children’s care. In addition, the manager must ensure that staff, 9 August 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1249184 6 permanent and temporary, have the training, qualifications and skills for their role.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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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

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

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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)(d)(h))

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Requirement Due date

Managers must ensure that their monitoring and review systems are effective in challenging staff practice as needed, ensure that staff and managers adhere to safeguarding policies and procedures, and improve the quality of care children receive. In addition, managers must ensure that there are sufficient staff to take children to school and meet their daily needs.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 9 August 2021

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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. (Regulation 14 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

Children’s plans in the home must be kept up to date and should enable managers to understand progress for children.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 9 August 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1249184 7 Restraint in relation to a child must be necessary and proportionate. (Regulation 20 (2))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, staff must ensure that physical intervention is a ‘last resort’, as noted in the organisational policy.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 9 August 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma"); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(b) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)) 9 August 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1249184 8 Staff must be suitably qualified within the required timescale, and managers must inform staff of this timescale.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

Managers must ensure that they verify all checks and gaps in employment when recruiting staff.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 9 August 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 9 August 2021

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration; 9 August 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1249184 9 details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure.

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(iv)(v)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

Physical intervention records must be complete, and staff must reflect on their own role and children’s contexts in any incidents to aid learning from them.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them. This includes ensuring that the home’s fire risk assessment is reviewed and that identified actions are remedied. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)  The registered person should ensure that all staff have been adequately trained in the principles of restraint and any restraint techniques appropriate to the needs of the children the home is set up to care for as defined in the home’s statement of purpose. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.57)  The registered person should ensure that a record of supervision is kept for staff, including the manager. The record should provide evidence that supervision is being delivered in line with regulation 33 (4)(b). (‘Guide to the children’s homes

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Recommendations

regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.3) Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1249184 10  The registered person should have a system in place so that all serious events are notified, within 24 hours, to the appropriate people. The system should cover the action that should be followed if the event arises at the weekend or on a public holiday. Notification should include details of the action taken by the home’s staff in response. (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.13)  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 should always be recorded in a way that

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Recommendations

will be helpful to the child. (‘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, Unit 12 Prospect Business Park, Longford Road, Cannock WS11 0LG

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Rebecca Grimshaw

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Inspector

Karol Keenan, social care inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1249184 11 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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