Children's home run by Hexagon Care Services Limited in Preston

Inspection report children's home: 1236771 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

This privately owned home cares for up to three children aged between 11 and 17 years. The home’s purpose is to provide care and accommodation for children who may experience social or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted on 20 December 2018

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 1 December 2020 to carry out a monitoring visit. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

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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

Date of last inspection: 24 September 2019

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: 1236771 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

24/09/2019 Full Good 27/11/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/01/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 04/10/2017 Full Good Inspection report children's home: 1236771 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

This home provides a spacious and homely environment in which children make good progress. It has a calm and relaxed atmosphere, which helps children to feel safe and secure.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff team knows the children well. This enables them to respond appropriately to children and promote their welfare. This helps children to develop confidence and resilience.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide a range of nutritious meals for children and keep their favourite recipes in a book. Staff also sit together with children at mealtimes. This promotes structure and routines for children and improves their social skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children build secure relationships with staff at the home. This promotes their emotional well-being and helps them to talk openly about their feelings. A social worker stated that, ‘They provide very nurturing care.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff use a consistent therapeutic model of care. They consider the underlying causes of children’s behaviours and help children to manage their emotions. This enables staff to sensitively support children who experience traumatic events.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff do not support children to access their files or contribute to them. They do not complete life-story work, which would help them to understand their history. This affects children’s ability to reflect on their progress and experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are passionate and compassionate about their work in caring for children. They persevere to meet children’s needs. A social worker stated that, ‘Staff had been nothing short of amazing. I would recommend [name of home] to others seeking a safe, secure and nurturing placement for young people.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children through regular key-work sessions. They raise awareness of diversity and inclusivity, for example. This helps children to develop their knowledge and understanding, promoting an inclusive and welcoming environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children do not understand advocacy support and the role of an independent advocate. Staff should help children to understand their right to access advocacy support. This will help children when they transition to semi-independent accommodation, for example.

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

Children feel safe and supported living in the home. Staff have a strong response to safeguarding children and work closely with agencies. A social worker stated that, ‘Children always reported feeling very safe and cared for at [name of home].’ Inspection report children's home: 1236771 4 Children have access to all areas of the home. However, the use of door alarms in children’s bedrooms intrudes on their privacy. One child said that it affects his sleep.

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

Physical interventions are minimal and proportionate. Children and staff review the incident which helps them to reflect and learn. However, incident records are unclear and fragmented, which hampers analysis and evaluation.

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

Staff develop good working relationships with a variety of agencies. This helps them to understand the current risks to children in the local area. Staff review risk assessments with children on a regular basis. As a result, children are aware of risks and are more able to keep themselves safe.

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

Incidents of children going missing from home are well managed and coordinated. They are followed up with an offer of an independent return home interview. Staff adhere to local authority protocols and take swift action to find missing children. Although incidents of going missing from home are infrequent, they are well managed and coordinated

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

Children are carefully matched to the home. Staff quickly follow up referrals and liaise with social workers and families. This helps to protect children from unnecessary anxiety about moving. A social worker stated that, ‘Staff went above and beyond to make him feel welcome.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers review all records of significant incidents. Analysis of incidents helps to identify trends and any gaps in staff training. However, not all case records are consistently signed by the author of each entry. This means that staff do not always take ownership of their recordings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and leaders have a thorough knowledge of the children at the home. They listen to children’s views and consider their wishes and feelings. They challenge education providers, for example if children are at risk of exclusion. This promotes children’s development and progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers are ambitious. There is a clear aspirational ethos across the team. This helps children with their long-term plans and achieving good outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision and appraisal. They feel fully supported in their role and enjoy working at the home. This helps to retain staff and keep them motivated. They also attend regular team meetings, which helps them to share current issues and practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff attend a wide range of training to develop their skills and knowledge. This helps them to provide better care for children. One member of staff stated that, ‘It’s the best training I’ve ever had.’ Inspection report children's home: 1236771 5 The independent person visits the home on a monthly basis and produces a report. However, the children’s views, wishes and feelings are not directly captured in this report. This means that children’s voices do not fully support the independent person’s evaluation. Inspection report children's home: 1236771 6

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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, the 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 privacy of children is appropriately protected;

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (a)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the current use of door alarms in all children’s bedrooms as a broad policy. 8 April 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered provider should ensure that case records (regulation 36) are kept up to date and signed and dated by the author of each entry. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’ page 62, paragraph 14.3)  The registered provider should ensure that staff support children to understand their records and how they can contribute to them. Staff should encourage children to keep appropriate memorabilia of their time living at the home. They should also help children to understand and reflect on their history. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’ page 62, paragraph 14.5)  The registered provider should ensure that children understand the role of an independent advocate and how they can access one. Staff should remind children of this on a regular basis. Independent advocates can help children with Inspection report children's home: 1236771 7

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Recommendations

issues currently affecting them such as leaving care grants. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’ page 23, paragraph 4.17)  The registered provider should ensure that an independent person makes rigorous assessments of the home’s arrangements. They should help the independent person to meet with children to understand their views on their welfare and safeguarding. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’ page 65, paragraph 15.5)

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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: 1236771 8

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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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Inspector

Mark Woodbridge, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 1236771 9 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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