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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2530059 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 operated by a private provider. It provides care for up to two children, who have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is registered with Ofsted and is suitably qualified for this role.

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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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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: 12 February 2020

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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: 2530059 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/02/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2530059 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have positive experiences living at this home. They are supported by a dedicated and nurturing staff team. As a result, the children make good progress from their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are taken on a variety of activities, such as going to see live performers, weekends away to other cities, and walking the Three Peaks. These meaningful activities strengthen the relationships children have with staff. As a result, children living in the home develop trust and form positive attachments with the adults around them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is decorated to a nice standard and has photos around the home of the children. This gives the children a sense of belonging. One child said: ‘This is my home; we’re like one big family here.’ The home offers the children a variety of activities to keep them busy inside the home, such as a graffiti wall in the conservatory and books. The garden is equipped for the children to keep fit, offering them a punchbag, and football and basketball nets. This helps to keep children fit and active, along with reducing boredom in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making progress with their social, emotional and psychological well- being. Children benefit from access to a specialist psychological service that is provided by the company. Staff work in partnership with the psychologist in these circumstances to ensure that children learn how to cope with and manage their emotions better. Consequently, children are becoming more resilient and less anxious when out in the community.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are in education and are making progress from their starting points. Concerns with education receive a coordinated multi-agency response from the registered manager, education professionals and the child’s social worker. This transparent way of working ensures that safety plans are put in place for the children’s safety and well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are learning how to live independently. They have learned skills such as cooking and cleaning and can now use public transport confidently. One child said: ‘Staff do push me with my independence work; I’ve learned a lot, even things like sewing buttons.’ One child is preparing for their driving lessons. These are skills that will help them to live an independent life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support family time when this is needed. They respect how important this time is for the children. This support helps children to develop their resilience when they see their families and ensures that they can maintain connections with their loved ones. Inspection report for children’s home: 2530059 4

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

Risk assessments make staff aware of known risks to the children. They give clear actions for staff to follow to manage and reduce the child’s risk of harm. Consequently, children’s risks are reducing as a result of staff’s awareness of their risks.

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

Staff understand children’s triggers and are able to de-escalate some incidents before they intensify. Physical interventions are used as a last resort. Documents reviewed are in line with regulation. Children and staff receive debriefs from leaders and managers following a hold. This allows all of those involved to reflect and learn from the incident.

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

Keeping children safe and managing the children’s risk form a focus for the registered manager. Door alarms are used on children’s bedroom doors to manage potential risk. However, for one child, the use of the alarm is not needed; this detracts from the overall homeliness of the environment and invades their privacy.

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

Missing-from-home incidents receive a multi-agency response from the police and the child’s placing authority. In these circumstances, staff follow protocols in place and search areas known to the children. This means that the child is located as quickly and safely as possible. Following on from the incident, children have direct sessions with staff and a return home interview is arranged by the child’s social worker. This collaborative working style re-enforces a message that the adults around them do care.

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

The registered person has not verified a character reference for an employee who only had one reference of employment from a family member. This is does not ensure the suitability of that staff member working in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is enthusiastic and leads by example. He has high aspirations for the children, which are filtered through to his dedicated staff team. Staff spoken to at the inspection all speak highly of him and recognise his dedication to the home and the support that he gives them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is aware of the home’s strengths and has a development plan in place to support the progress of the home. Weaknesses that are identified are acted on swiftly, ensuring that any issues with staff are addressed and where needed guidance and support is offered. Although shortfalls have been identified during this inspection, any maintenance issues are acted on as soon as identified. This means that children can continue to live in a home where they are safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has implemented a monitoring tool that tracks what emotions the children are presenting with. This identifies when children are struggling and outlines potential triggers. These areas are focused on through direct Inspection report for children’s home: 2530059 5 sessions with staff. This monitoring tool is useful for the registered manager as it also reflects staff productivity.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager admitted a child into the home with specific needs which are not set out in the home’s statement of purpose. Although staff are trained in this area and it has no impact on the child, the home is operating outside what is documented in its statement of purpose.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervisions are reflective and support staff development. Supervisions give staff the opportunity to discuss the children and any struggles that they are facing. The emotional impact of work is recognised and acted on promptly. This ensures that staff feel valued and supported in their roles.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are trained in the company’s mandatory training, such as physical intervention, safeguarding and first aid. However, staff are not trained in specific areas where children pose or face risk. This is not providing staff with a set of skills to reduce the risk of harm to children, themselves or others. This also does not raise staff awareness around how to manage specific behaviours or how to respond to specific thoughts and feelings. Inspection report for children’s home: 2530059 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, 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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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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

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)) 12 April 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. (Regulation 16 (1)) 12 April 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(d)) 12 April 2022

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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)) 12 April 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 2530059 7

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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: 2530059 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hexagon Care Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

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

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Thomas Cappleman

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Inspector

Gemma McDonnell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2530059 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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