Children's Home run by Horizon Care and Education Group Limited in Telford and Wrekin

Inspection report for children’s home: 2569994 1 Registered provider: Horizon Care and Education Group Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for up to two children who need support with their presenting behaviours and emotions and/or have learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is suitably qualified and experienced and has submitted her application to register with Ofsted.

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Inspection date: 14 March 2022

Date of last inspection: 1 September 2021

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Inspection date: 14 March 2022

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 14 March 2022

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2569994 2

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At this interim inspection, Ofsted judged that it has declined in effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Leaders and managers have failed to meet five of the 10 requirements raised at the last inspection and these are restated. Consequently, the necessary improvements and continuous development of the home have not been achieved. Since the last inspection, in September 2021, the registered manager has resigned her registration. A new manager has recently started in the home and has submitted her application to register with Ofsted. The new manager has demonstrated a good understanding of the shortfalls in safeguarding practice in this home and is taking action to improve staff’s practice.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff do not adhere to agreed safety protocols. For example, due to staff failures, children have been able to leave their rooms at night without staff knowing. This has resulted in children leaving the home, as well as children making unwelcome advances towards each other. One incident led to police involvement. Managers are addressing this concern.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have failed to understand their responsibilities regarding how they should supervise and care for children. For example, staff colluded with a child about their family-time arrangements. This led to unsupervised contact, which was outside their agreed plan. Another example involved a member of staff drinking alcohol while on duty with children. These incidents led to formal investigations and actions, including dismissal.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff do not provide a consistent approach to children. Children are clear that they want to know the rules and that they can respect them if they are fair. The staff team uses team meetings to agree rules and protocols, but children told the inspector that these are not always adhered to. This leaves children feeling frustrated and ‘set up’. This shows that some staff have a lack of insight into the impact their behaviour has on children.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have not kept the home in a clean and tidy state. The home is dirty in places and needs some repair. Some radiators are rusty, and bathrooms need attention to make them pleasant environments. This does not show children that staff want them to have a positive environment to grow up in.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The new manager has been in post for a short time. She has a good understanding of the shortfalls in the home and is undertaking action to put these right. Concerns about staff practice and culture have been her priority and these are being proactively addressed. Inspection report for children’s home: 2569994 3 Staff complete risk assessments to cover different worries about children. These assessments are brief and more guidance would be useful for newer staff. Staff update these documents but not all staff sign them, so it is not clear whether they have read and understood them. The manager is currently putting in place new risk and behaviour plans to provide staff with more detailed guidance.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff recording is often confused and poorly written. The manager is aware of this shortfall and is working with staff to address this. The manager understands the importance of children’s records being accurate and respectful to represent their time in the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager notifies Ofsted about serious incidents in the home. She ensures that any follow-up actions are also shared with the regulator and other professionals. However, covering managers do not always do this. The responsible individual is addressing this.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There is now a regular independent visitor for the home. However, the visitor does not regularly gain feedback from children, parents and professionals. They have also not fully considered the home environment. Since the last inspection, there have been times when reports provided to Ofsted have been delayed. In addition, recommendations are not always acted on. This limits the development of the home and the regulator’s oversight.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The previous registered manager submitted a review of the quality of care to Ofsted. This was poor quality, lacked analysis and did not consult with key stakeholders. The current manager has not yet completed a review of the quality of care children receive, although she does demonstrate a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the care provided.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff work with children to support them to develop in different areas of their lives. For example, there is some positive focused work with children around their independence and relationships. In addition, staff are well attuned to some risks to children. They provide a sensitive response to children who self-harm that does not evoke a sense of shame. This enables children to allow staff to support them with this issue.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Where children have been at risk of exploitation, staff have worked with children to help them understand this risk. In relation to this area, staff have taken action to ensure children’s safety and involved other professionals as needed. The manager actively chases records from relevant meetings so that staff have the most up-to- date guidance. Where these records are not forthcoming, the manager escalates this concern as needed. Inspection report for children’s home: 2569994 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/09/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2569994 5

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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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that risk assessments are detailed and provide clear guidance for staff. The registered manager must also ensure that staff follow this guidance and agreed safety plans and protocols.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 19 April 2022

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, staff must ensure that they develop an understanding of children’s behaviour so that they can predict and prevent difficult situations and keep children safe from harm effectively. 19 April 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 2569994 6 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;

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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 work as a team where appropriate. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the provider must ensure that staff work cohesively and consistently so that children receive consistency in their care. 19 April 2022

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires; and

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Requirement Due date

to inspect the premises of the home and such of the home’s records (except for a child’s case records, unless the child and the child’s placing authority consent) as the independent person requires.

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Requirement Due date

A visit by the independent person to the home may be unannounced.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person’s report may recommend actions that the registered person may take in relation to the home and timescales within which the registered person must consider whether or not to take those actions.

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must provide a copy of the independent person’s report to—

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Requirement Due date

HMCI. (Regulation 44 (2)(a)(b) (3) (5) (7)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the provider must ensure that the independent visitor regularly consults with, and gains the views of, children, parents and families, staff and external professionals. They must also consider the environment and 19 April 2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 2569994 7 ensure that reports are provided to Ofsted in a timely way. The manager must ensure that recommendations are fully considered and provide evidence in their response to the report that they are acted upon as needed. The provider must give consideration as to whether a visit should be unannounced and, if not, they should ensure that there is a clear rationale for this.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review (“the quality of care review report”). (Regulation 45 (2)(b)(c) (3))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the provider must ensure that the quality-of- care review gains the views of all children living in the home, their parents, and staff working in the home. The review must be well written, honest and objective, and consider the areas of weakness in the home openly and the actions that will be taken to address these weaknesses.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 19 April 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person and staff should ensure that the home is kept to a high standard of cleanliness and repair. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that records of supervision clearly evidence how the manager holds staff to account for their practice and include measurable Inspection report for children’s home: 2569994 8 actions that support staff to develop. This recommendation was made at the last inspection and is restated. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.3)  The registered person should ensure that all notifications to Ofsted are made in a timely way, including by covering managers. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.10)  The registered person should ensure that records contain all required details and

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Recommendations

be of a high standard regarding spelling, punctuation and grammar. Staff must ensure that records are completed in a way that is helpful to children. This recommendation was made at the last inspection and is restated. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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: 2569994 9

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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: Horizon Care and Education Group Limited, Venture House, Unit 12, Prospect Business Park, Longford Road, Cannock WS11 0LG

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Rebecca Grimshaw

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Inspector

Karol Keenan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2569994 10 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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