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

Inspection report children’s home: 2569994 1 Registered provider: Horizon Care and Education Group Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home provides care for up to two children who need support with their presenting behaviours and emotions and/or have learning disabilities.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This is the first inspection since the home was re-registered on 14 February 2020.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since July 2018.

p.1

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.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 3 December 2020 to carry out an assurance visit. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report children’s home: 2569994 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not previously inspected Inspection report children’s home: 2569994 3

p.2

improvement to be good

Two children were living in this home at the time of this inspection.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children have mixed day-to-day experiences. They have some positive opportunities, such as holidays and activities. However, there are also occasions when staff’s lack of proactivity means that children hurt each other. There are also times when staff do not follow children’s risk assessments, which leaves children vulnerable.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children have some good relationships with staff. Children and staff are realistic about the fact that sometimes relationships are challenging when living together. The registered manager and staff advocate for children, but children are not aware of this. As a result, children do not know how staff and managers support their wishes and feelings with others. This is a shame as this could help children to understand the commitment that staff have to their well-being.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff support children to see the people who matter to them. Staff do not always communicate well with social workers about these times, which has caused some confusion. However, when social workers or parents raise any concerns, the registered manager addresses these. This means that parents and professionals who work with the home continue to have faith in the staff looking after the children.

p.3

improvement to be good

Children make progress in their education. Staff regularly communicate with schools regarding any concerns or good news. Staff’s support and encouragement for one child has led to them having a very stable period in education. This child has also achieved the qualification they need to take their next step at college or into an apprenticeship. In contrast, one child is frequently late for school and staff have not been able to address this. This is concerning as it has an impact on the child’s overall attainment and their future options.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff help children to develop age-appropriate independence skills. One older child is learning to budget and to plan meals. They have cooked meals for everyone in the house. They are proud of themselves and staff are proud of them to. This kind of affirmation is helping this child to recognise their successes and want to build on them.

p.3

improvement to be good

The registered manager does not ensure that risk assessments are clear. The risk assessments lack detail and guidance for staff. There are several versions of risk assessments in children’s files, which is confusing. In addition, staff do not consistently follow the guidance that is in place. For example, one child is not Inspection report children’s home: 2569994 4 allowed to have razors in their bedroom and must return these to staff after they have used them. During the inspection, the inspector found two razors in the child’s bedroom. This means that children are at potential risk of harm because of staff’s practice.

p.3

improvement to be good

Staff respond with sensitivity and compassion when children purposefully harm themselves. This means that children know that they will get help if they need it and so they seek this from staff. The staff’s response mitigates some of the confusion in risk assessments.

p.4

improvement to be good

Allegations are not well managed and overseen. The registered manager does not always investigate comments that children make about staff. The registered manager has agreed with the designated officer that she will use her judgement about when to seek advice from them. However, this is not formalised in an agreed protocol and is outside of the organisation’s policy to address allegations. Staff are also unaware of the details of this arrangement, which causes confusion. The registered manager does not consistently share concerns with Ofsted, and records do not clearly show her decision-making. Without these detailed records it is not clear whether decisions and investigations are adequate.

p.4

improvement to be good

Staff do not always predict escalating difficulties with children effectively. As a result, one child has assaulted another child on two occasions. On one occasion, staff noted in the record that they were aware of the difficulties escalating through the day but took no effective action to prevent them. This leaves children unsafe.

p.4

improvement to be good

Children rarely go missing from the home. When they do, staff work tirelessly to find them and make sure they get home safely. When children return, they are warmly welcomed back, and they understand that staff worry for their safety. This means that children can talk to staff about what happened while they were missing and feel reassured.

p.4

improvement to be good

Despite some occasions when staff have not acted quickly enough, they do know children well. While there is some confusion in the guidance for staff, children are clear that they appreciate the rules and boundaries. Children know that staff put these in place because they care about them. They also know that staff will not give up on them during or after difficult incidents. Staff’s caring approach and commitment help children feel settled in the home most of the time.

p.4

good

The registered manager does not pay enough attention to detail. As a result, records are poorly maintained and are not consistently challenged. For example, there are essential documents that are misdated and not read and signed by all staff. The registered manager does not ensure that the staff rota is accurate and it is clear who is working. One child does not have minutes from their statutory review on file. The registered manager has also not maintained sufficient records regarding allegations made by children. Of the five requirements raised at the assurance visit Inspection report children’s home: 2569994 5 in November 2020, four are re-raised at this inspection. Ultimately, this makes it clear that day-to-day monitoring and oversight of the home are not effective and so the quality of care is variable.

p.4

good

The systems in place to monitor care in the home are not effective. The regular review of the quality of care is not sufficiently analysed and does not clearly include the views of children. In the six months prior to the inspection, the home had four different independent visitors. This means that there is a lack of consistency in approach to the visits and that important themes are not carried through. This does not provide a coherent picture to help the registered manager to develop the quality of care. In addition, there have been several months when the independent visitor has not gained feedback from children, staff and families. This results in a report that does not give depth to the consideration of care in the home. Ultimately, this reduces the usefulness of the challenge the independent visitor should provide.

p.5

good

Staff have regular supervisions that focus on children. However, the records lack detail and do not contain actions that drive staff to develop their practice. As a result, staff do not find these developmental. The responsible individual is aware of this concern and has noted this as an action for the registered manager to improve. Training records are not overseen with sufficient foresight. This means that some staff are not up to date with their core training, so they do not have the most up-to- date information to carry out their role.

p.5

good

Staff are not a cohesive team. There is discord among them, and this has not been addressed as needed with strong leadership. The responsible individual has considered this and has identified areas that the team needs to work on to develop their practice in line with the company ethos and to develop as a cohesive team. The responsible individual and the registered manager have devised a programme of improvement to practice and approach that is to begin shortly.

p.5

good

These management shortfalls do not detract from the passion that the registered manager has for the care of children in the home. External professionals have significant faith in the registered manager and confidence in her care of children. For some children this approach helps them to feel the home is somewhere they can be supported to develop. Inspection report children’s home: 2569994 6

p.5

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.6

Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(x))

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, staff must ensure that children arrive at school on time in the morning ready to learn. 8 October 2021

p.6

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.6

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that risk assessments are detailed and provide clear guidance for staff. The registered manager must also ensure that staff follow this guidance. In addition, the registered manager must adhere to the allegations policy of the organisation, investigate allegations fully and maintain clear records. 8 October 2021 Inspection report children’s home: 2569994 7 This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.7

Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(iv))

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, staff must ensure that they develop an understanding of children’s behaviour so that they can predict difficult situations and keep children safe from harm effectively. 8 October 2021

p.7

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—

p.7

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential;

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

p.7

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)(b)(c))

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the provider must ensure that staff work cohesively and consistently so that children receive consistency in their care. They must also remain up to date with core training. 8 October 2021

p.7

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—

p.7

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and 8 October 2021 Inspection report children’s home: 2569994 8 promotes their welfare.

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.8

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)(h))

p.8

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that monitoring picks up and addresses details in all areas and records. In addition, the registered manager must address shortfalls with staff effectively to help them develop their practice.

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

p.8

Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child. (Regulation 36 (1)(a))

p.8

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that documents are received after statutory meetings and that these are in children’s files. 8 October 2021

p.8

Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

p.8

Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a))

p.8

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that the rota clearly records who is working and when.

p.8

Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 8 October 2021

p.8

Requirement Due date

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

p.8

Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)) 8 October 2021 Inspection report children’s home: 2569994 9 In particular, the registered manager must ensure that all allegations about staff are notified to Ofsted. If it is considered that the threshold for notification is not met, this must be clearly recorded.

p.8

Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

p.9

Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires. (Regulation 44 (2)(a))

p.9

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that the independent visitor regularly consults with, and gains the views of, children, parents/families, staff and external professionals. 8 October 2021

p.9

Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

p.9

Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it. (Regulation 45 (2)(b))

p.9

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that the quality of care review explicitly takes into account the views of children. 31 October 2021

p.9

Recommendations

 Records must contain all required details and be of a high standard regarding spelling, punctuation and grammar. Staff must ensure that records are recorded in a way that is helpful to children. (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  Records of supervision must clearly evidence how the registered manager holds staff to account for their practice and include measurable actions that support staff to develop. (‘Guide to children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.3)

p.9

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 Inspection report children’s home: 2569994 10 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: 2569994 11

p.9

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Horizon Care and Education Group Limited

p.11

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Horizon Care and Education Group Limited, Venture House, Unit 12 Prospect Business Park, Longford Road, Cannock WS11 0LG

p.11

Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Rebecca Grimshaw

p.11

Inspector

Karol Keenan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2569994 12 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.

p.11

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.12

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.12

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.12