Children's Home run by Hexagon Care Services Limited in Leicestershire

Inspection report children's home: 2603286 1 Registered provider: Hexagon Care Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home can care for up to four children who have additional learning needs. The manager holds the required qualification. She, and the home, registered with Ofsted in December 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: Not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: None

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not previously inspected. Inspection report children's home: 2603286 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children living at this home are all settled and thriving. The team’s person- centred approach takes full account of children’s individual learning and processing styles. Professionals and family members describe the staff as welcoming and nurturing. Stakeholders are positive about the care children receive and the progress they make.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are responding well to having established routines. Children say they are now enjoying school and are all achieving 100% attendance. This is particularly impressive given they each had chequered attendance histories.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children take part in sessions with the home’s in-house therapists. These sessions enable the children to develop strategies to manage their feelings and emotions. A parent described how their child had been helped by this support, adding that their child was now more reflective.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s healthcare needs are met. Staff encourage children to eat healthy diets and to exercise.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children take part in weekly ‘voice and choice’ meetings. These meetings are used to gain the children’s views and ideas, particularly about how the home is run. The manager’s response to the children’s requests forms part of the next meeting. This approach shows children that they are listened to and that their contributions are valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children speak positively about their preparation for moving into the home. This has included staff visiting them where they were living previously and children having the opportunity to visit the home before they move in. This process has helped reassure children and has enabled them to look forward to moving in.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some children are placed at distance from their family home. Staff arrange family visits, which can take place at the home or in the child’s home area. This maintains relationships and minimises travel for all parties.

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

Children are supported to be safe. Staff have a good understanding of safeguarding procedures. Children, their parents and social workers have said that they feel that the home is a safe place for children.

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

Children’s risk assessments are detailed and individualised. These assessments provide staff with clear behaviour management strategies. There have been no incidents of children going missing from the home. However, staff are aware of what to do should this occur. There has been one episode of bullying, and staff took Inspection report children's home: 2603286 3 positive action to address this. These actions included completing discussions in the children’s ‘voice and choice’ meeting. Children have also completed work for anti- bullying week.

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

The home’s internet safety processes are effective and keep children safe online. Staff are experienced in behaviour management. Positive relationships alongside clear expectations help children to reduce behaviours that challenge. This has led to a significant reduction in incidents. All behavioural incidents are followed up in key- work sessions and therapeutic consultations. The manager has systems and processes in place to track incidents to monitor any emerging trends or patterns. This information is provided to external agencies to demonstrate children’s progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has established a team that consists of staff with a varied range of experience. Staff describe the manager as supportive and approachable. She has high aspirations for the children and ensures that her team does too. She can identify the progress that children have made since moving in. She and the staff work with families and professionals to identify targets when creating children’s placement plans. The in-house therapists assist the team to identify strategies and approaches to use with the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision and have access to sessions with the therapists, for example, to debrief after an incident. The manager advocates for the children and challenges decisions that are not in their best interests.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff have experienced some problems with the new electronic recording and email system. The organisation is considering alternative ways staff can anonymously raise issues of concerns.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Recruitment processes are generally robust. One file demonstrated that an identification document was invalid at the time it was verified. The impact was minimised because other sources of identification were supplied.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager’s report reviewing the quality of care was detailed and evaluative. It highlighted the positive work carried out with the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professionals commented that the home feels established and not as they would usually expect from a new home. They also commended the good communication and the updates they receive. A social worker said, ‘I wish all placements were like this one.’ Inspection report children's home: 2603286 4

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Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguard children and minimise any potential risks to them. In particular, to ensure that recruitment processes are robust. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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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: 2603286 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hexagon Care Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 1 Tustin Court, Riversway, Preston, Lancashire PR2 2YQ

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Inspectors

Sonia Hay, Social Care Inspector Pradip Panchmatia, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 2603286 6 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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