Children's home run by Horizon Care and Education Group Limited in Cannock Chase

Inspection report children's home: SC475323 1 SC475323 Registered provider: Horizon Care and Education Group Limited Full inspection 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 provides care and accommodation for up to three children aged between seven and 17 years with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a manager in post, who has submitted an application to register with Ofsted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

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

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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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.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: notice restricting accommodation and variation to registration conditions

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requires improvement to be good

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection that took place on 2 and 3 June 2021. The inspector identified significant shortfalls relating to the safeguarding of children and the leadership and management of the home. As a result, Ofsted issued a notice restricting accommodation and compliance notices Inspection report children's home: SC475323 2 under regulation 12 and regulation 13 of the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015.

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requires improvement to be good

A monitoring visit took place on 12 July 2021. The purpose of the visit was to review the restriction notices and the progress the provider had made towards meeting the two compliance notices. It was found at the visit that the provider had not taken sufficient action to address the steps outlined in compliance notices for regulation 12 and regulation 13. Ofsted re-issued compliance notices under regulation 12 and regulation 13 of the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015. During the visit, the inspector identified further serious shortfalls relating to the help and protection of children. As a result, Ofsted issued a notice varying the conditions of the provider’s registration. The provider can only provide care and accommodation for one child.

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requires improvement to be good

During this full inspection, the inspector found that the provider has taken sufficient steps to meet the compliance notices for regulation 12 and regulation 13 of the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations (2015). Inspection report children's home: SC475323 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/06/2021 Full Inadequate 17/03/2020 Interim Not judged 28/01/2020 Interim Not judged 07/11/2018 Full Good Inspection report children's home: SC475323 4

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improvement to be good

At the time of the inspection, one child was living in the home. The home has been deep cleaned and there are plans for the home to be redecorated. The manager has purchased new furniture and soft furnishings. This improves the look of the home and provides a feeling of homeliness for children.

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improvement to be good

Since the last full inspection, two children have left the home. For one child this was a planned moved. However, although the manager and staff worked with the child’s placing authority and foster carer to put a transition plan in place, this was not documented within the child’s internal care plan. Another child moved from the home in an emergency. The manager and staff supported the child in moving to their new home. Since leaving, the child has kept in regular contact with the manager and staff.

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improvement to be good

There is a plan for the child currently living at the home to return to his family. A transition plan has been put in place by the manager and staff. The plan does not take into account the child’s level of understanding or ability to process the information it contains. This does not provide the child with important information about their proposed care plan.

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improvement to be good

Children’s case files do not contain all the necessary information. Some internal care plans contain out-of-date and incorrect information. One child’s file did not contain a health assessment. As a result of this, it is unclear if managers and staff are addressing the child’s health needs.

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improvement to be good

Staff have improved how they record the ‘voice’ of the child. The child is given opportunities to express his views, wishes and feelings during regular key-work sessions. These also give staff the opportunity to provide him with help and support to manage his behaviours and feelings. This means that the child is being helped to understand and manage his behaviours. However, children’s case records need to be consistently written in a child-focused way.

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improvement to be good

Staff support the child to keep in touch with people who are important to him. The child is able to spend time with his family and friends.

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improvement to be good

Staff encourage the child to live an active life. For example, the child has a vegetable patch in the home’s back garden. During the inspection, the child picked homegrown carrots from his vegetable patch, and these were used for cooking in the home. This means that child’s interests and hobbies are promoted, and he builds confidence and social skills while having fun. Inspection report children's home: SC475323 5

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improvement to be good

The child told the inspector that he prefers being the only child as he gets to spend time with staff. The child reports that he is happy and safe and knows how to complain. This means that the child is able to share any worries or concerns with someone he trusts.

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improvement to be good

Improvements have been made to impact risk assessments. The home now has clear processes in place to consider a child’s needs against those of children already residing in the home.

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improvement to be good

Children’s risk assessments are updated on a regular basis. They detail children’s potential behaviours and provide clear guidance for staff on how to manage and reduce known risks. However, the manager does not ensure that risk assessments are in place for all known risks. For example, during the inspection, a dog was able to enter the home and walk around. Although the dog was known to the children and staff, there was no risk assessment in place to identify or address any risks related to the dog being in the home.

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improvement to be good

Following the poor conduct of staff, managers have completed and concluded an investigation. Staff have undertaken some learning in respect of their duties and responsibilities for safeguarding children. For example, staff took appropriate action following a disclosure from a child. Although appropriate action was taken in respect of the disclosure, staff did not undertake direct work with the child to support him.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not always follow the organisation’s policies on behaviour management. On one occasion, during a key-work session with a child, a member of staff used food as an incentive reward for behaviour. This is not in line with the organisations policies on behaviour management strategies. There are still some inconsistencies and shortfalls in respect of the child being given support in important areas, as identified in his care plan.

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improvement to be good

Recruitment records of agency staff still do not show that safe recruitment processes are in place. This continues to place children at risk of being cared for by unsuitable individuals.

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good

Since the last inspection the manager and staff team have worked hard to improve standards and provide good-quality care to children. However, not all of the requirements from the previous inspection are met. There are ongoing shortfalls in how staff capture children’s views. For example, the quality of case records, recording and key working remains variable.

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good

The current manager has submitted her application to register with Ofsted. Staff report that the manager is supportive and approachable. Staff say that morale has Inspection report children's home: SC475323 6 been low, although they state that improvements are happening, which they welcome.

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good

Staff and the manager receive regular supervision. This provides staff and the manager the opportunity to reflect on their practice.

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good

Since the monitoring visit undertaken on 12 July 2021, staff have been provided with training workshops to support their learning and understanding. Topics have included identifying and managing risks for children, safeguarding and whistle- blowing procedures. Managers have implemented new guidance that provides staff with clear processes to meet the needs of children in their care.

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good

Management oversight and challenge of records have improved. The manager ensures that all incidents have management oversight. As a result, any shortfalls in staff practice and recording are being challenged. This ensures that the manager is able to evaluate incidents and address any shortfalls in staff practice effectively. Staff are being provided with additional support in areas where it is required and have clearly detailed individual development plans.

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good

There have been a couple of occasions when documentation has gone missing. The manager and responsible individual have addressed this with staff. There have been no further reports. However, this does raise concerns that children’s case records and other personal information have been misplaced and not stored in line with the organisation’s own data protection policies.

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good

Team meetings are being held on a regular basis. These provide staff with the opportunity to reflect on their practice and access guidance and consultation. This helps them to understand the needs of children better and take the child’s early childhood experiences into account. On occasions, some staff have not attended meetings. This is being addressed by the manager. It is important that all core staff are given opportunities for continuous development and are aware of changes that are occurring in the home.

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good

The manager is making improvements to the home’s monitoring systems. The manager completes monthly audit reports that identify areas for further development. This report is shared with the responsible individual, who also completes their own bi-monthly audit of the home. This helps to improve the quality of care that children receive. As yet, the additional reviewing and monitoring systems are not wholly effective. Inspection report children's home: SC475323 7

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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

help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to managers and staff ensuring that they prepare children for moving on from the home and independence, and that children’s transitions plans are clearly documented and are in an accessible format for children to understand. 15 October 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; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 15 October 2021 Inspection report children's home: SC475323 8 that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This refers specifically to children moving into the home being suitably matched to children already living there.

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the provider ensuring that satisfactory employment checks are completed for agency staff.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was also made at the last inspection and is restated. 15 October 2021

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the need for children’s case records to contain all required information, be kept up to date and be written in a child-focused way.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was also made at the last inspection and is restated. 15 October 2021

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Recommendation

 Staff should continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them in relation to animals in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5) Inspection report children's home: SC475323 9

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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: SC475323 10

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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

Sarah Junor-Fitzpatrick, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: SC475323 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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