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

Inspection report for children’s home: 1212094 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 is owned and managed by a private company. The home provides care and accommodation for up to three children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since July 2020.

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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 2 March 2021 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1212094 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/05/2018 Full Good 14/02/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 02/05/2017 Full Good 27/09/2016 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1212094 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of the inspection, there were three children living at the home. Since the last inspection one child had moved on from the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff have built meaningful relationships with children. Children said staff know them well and genuinely care. Children have trusted adults that they can talk to and have developed positive relationships with.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves in and out of the home have been planned whenever possible. Children are helped to settle into the home. The placement of the child who moved out of the home ended in an unplanned way, however, this was to keep children safe. The move was managed with sensitivity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All three children have education places and are making excellent progress. The children have high levels of attendance and enjoy school. Children said that staff encourage them to do homework and revise for exams. Children have high aspirations for their futures and staff are helping them achieve their goals. Children take pride in their educational achievements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is a strong focus on supporting children’s relationships with their family and friends. The staff ensure that children stay in touch with family members. Staff advocate for children to work towards overnight stays with their families and to develop their friendships. Children feel loved and valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff thoughtfully plan key work, using a progression monitoring tool that helps them identify any areas that children need help with. The tool used also monitors progress children make. Children are encouraged to discuss and explore important topics including emotional well-being, independence skills and reflective exercises following any incidents. Key-work plans are personalised to individual needs. Children have made good progress and are helped to build emotional resilience.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from regular therapy sessions with the in-house psychologist. They say that therapy has helped them to understand and process trauma, as well as developing self-soothing strategies.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children with developing independence skills. The manager has put a comprehensive independence pack together that children work through with guidance from staff. Staff agree independence plans with the input of the children, who are developing budgeting, cooking and practical skills. Plans are focused on preparing children for when they move on from the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have a wide range of opportunities to try new activities and experiences, which have included applying for cadets, horse riding, gymnastics and having drumming lessons. Children have also enjoyed an activity-based weekend away in Inspection report for children’s home: 1212094 4 London. Staff and children have taken part in a charity walk for Alzheimer’s and raised £500.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is homely and warm, with photos of children making memories and their artwork on display. The children have a spacious well-kept home, with a separate snug and various communal rooms to relax in. The children keep various pets, that they enjoy looking after and are very fond of. The children benefit from a large garden, which has been used for garden parties and an outdoor cinema evening. Children’s bedrooms are personalised. Children feel at home and thrive in the environment.

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

Children feel safe at the home. The manager has ensured that the staff have appropriate safeguarding training. The staff understand and implement the safeguarding procedures. The staff confidently manage safeguarding incidents, which helps keep the children safe.

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

Children have complex behavioural needs. Staff understand the children’s needs and are helping them to develop strategies to self-soothe and manage difficult emotions safely. Consequently, there has been a decrease in the children’s self-injurious behaviour.

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

Staff implement therapeutic approaches, which they are trained to use. Risks to children decrease because staff identify behavioural changes in children and revise their strategies accordingly. The staff take opportunities to help children to understand how to keep themselves safe. Consequently, children are developing their awareness of harmful activities.

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

Children have had incidents of going missing from the home, which could lead to risk-taking behaviours. The staff manage these incidents well. Children are offered independent return home interviews. The manager agrees safety plans with the children’s social workers and requests strategy meetings when required. These plans include sharing relevant information with other agencies, including the British transport police. Working collaboratively helps to minimise the risks to the children when they are missing from the home. Subsequently, missing-from-home incidents are reducing.

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

Staff only use physical intervention as a last resort. Physical interventions have been used minimally. Staff understand the reasons for children’s behavioural responses and help children to express themselves more safely.

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

Before children move in, the manager completes thorough impact risk assessments to ensure that children’s needs can be met and children already at the home will not be negatively impacted. Staff have appropriate training and experience. However, one child’s assessment does not specify how staff experience or qualifications were considered. Inspection report for children’s home: 1212094 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is experienced and is qualified for the role. She has a diploma in management. The manager has high aspirations for children. She acts as a good role model for the staff, who benefit from her guidance and knowledge.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff benefit from regular and effective supervision. Staff are given good guidance by the manager. The staff said that the manager is approachable and they really enjoy working at the home. Staff feel supported and motivated to provide excellent care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Social workers and parents speak highly of the home, being impressed with the quality of therapeutic care the staff provide to children and the effectiveness of the manager. The manager and staff have good relationships with professionals and parents, ensuring joined-up working and good outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff have a thorough induction and good training. A high number of staff have a level 3 diploma or are working towards the qualification within timescales. Staff understand the therapeutic model used at the home. The manager and staff benefit from regular consultations with a psychologist to discuss the children’s support needs and implement strategies to help children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has good oversight of the home and has effective monitoring systems in place. She continues to look for opportunities to improve the home. Feedback received from parents, social workers and other professionals is reviewed, evaluated and shared with staff. Reviewing feedback and being open to change means that improvements to children’s care are achieved.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager generally ensures that children’s records are regularly updated, accurate and of a good standard. However, some of the children’s incident records do not have all relevant information. Children accessing their records in the future may not have all relevant details. Inspection report for children’s home: 1212094 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should only accept placements for children when they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. In particular, records should show how staff experience and qualifications have been considered in the impact risk assessment. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. In particular, record all information regarding significant timings in incident reports and record when missing-from-home independent return interviews have been completed and by whom. (‘Guide to the Children’s

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Recommendations

Home Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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 for children’s home: 1212094 7

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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

Amy Miles, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1212094 8 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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