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

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2572133 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 owned by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to four children aged between 10 and 17 years with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There is an acting manager in post who is not yet registered.

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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 at the full inspection that took place on 18 and 19 May 2021. The inspectors identified significant shortfalls relating to the help and protection of children and the leadership and management of the home. As a result, Ofsted issued a notice restricting accommodation and compliance notices under regulation 12 and regulation 13 of the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit took place on 1 July 2021. The purpose of the visit was to review the restriction notice and the progress the provider has made towards meeting the two compliance notices and the five requirements made at the inspection.

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This monitoring visit

It was found at this visit that the provider had taken sufficient action to address the steps outlined in the regulation 12 compliance notice and had met four of the requirements made at the inspection. The provider had not, however, taken sufficient action to address the steps outlined in the regulation 13 compliance notice. One requirement was not judged during the inspection and will remain in place and another requirement was not met. Ofsted has re-issued a compliance notice under Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2572133 2 regulation 13 of the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and two new requirements have been made. The notice to restrict accommodation remains in place.

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This monitoring visit

Managers do not demonstrate that internal reviews of the quality of care children receive are completed in line with the organisation’s expectations. For example, the most recent manager’s monthly audit report, which should of been undertaken by the home’s acting manager, could not be provided to the inspector. Other monitoring systems in place do not always identify shortfalls. This limits opportunities for managers and staff to reflect on practice and drive improvement.

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This monitoring visit

The acting manager has not monitored the frequency with which staff receive supervision. As a result, staff do not receive regular supervision. This does not give staff regular opportunities to reflect on their work with children and identify ways to improve their practice.

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This monitoring visit

The inspector found that managers have not suitably assessed individual children’s risks. Staff record a summary of incidents under each child’s identified risks. However, these are not dated. Plans do not distinguish between historical and current behaviours and do not provide staff with clear up-to-date information on children’s risks. Risk management plans do not provide staff with sufficient guidance, such as on triggers and early warning signs. Managers and staff do not always clearly record strategies to manage children’s risk. This does not support staff to keep children safe.

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This monitoring visit

The acting manager does not always respond to children’s views, wishes and feelings. For example, children do not always receive feedback from the manager about issues they raise during weekly children’s meetings. This does not support children to be actively involved in contributing to the day-to-day arrangements of the home.

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This monitoring visit

Staff now understand their roles and responsibilities in fulfilling the requirements of the home’s statement of purpose. Two staff spoken to during the inspection were confident about processes in place to raise concerns and the important role they have in the process. This practice promotes an open culture and helps to identify concerns early.

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This monitoring visit

The provider has developed new systems and processes to support the manager to assess the suitability of children who may be placed in the home. This includes assessing the child’s compatibility against children already living in the home, staffing arrangements and appropriateness of the home’s location. These systems will support the acting manager to make informed decisions about who lives in the home and promotes placement stability.

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This monitoring visit

Children have good routines in place. They can access all the communal areas of the home and their bedrooms. This supports children to develop social skills and respects their need for privacy. Managers and staff discourage children from Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2572133 3 entering the office until all confidential items have been safely stored. Children are respectful of the boundaries in place. This shows a mutual respect between children and staff.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last inspection, children have not displayed behaviours that required staff to use physical intervention.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 18/05/2021 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2572133 4

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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 children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives. (Regulation 7 (1)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to children being given feedback following house meetings. 8 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

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 particularly refers to ensuring that risk assessments provide staff with guidance to help keep children safe. 8 August 2021

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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— 8 August 2021 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2572133 5 use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that monitoring systems are used to identify areas for development.

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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 relates to ensuring that there are systems in place to make sure that staff receive regular supervision in line with the organisation’s policies. 8 August 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the behaviour management policy") which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it.

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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. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (2) (3)(a)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the provider ensuring that records of restraint include an accurate description of the method of restraint used. 8 August 2021

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2572133 6

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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: Agata Dokszewicz

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Inspector

Helen Malanaphy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 2572133 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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