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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2586951 1 Registered provider: Horizon Care and Education Group Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This privately owned home provides care for up to three children. The provider’s statement of purpose states that children may have severe emotional and behavioural difficulties (social and emotional difficulties).

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 2020.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home for 2586951 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/05/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home for 2586951 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to build positive relationships with the adults who are caring for them. Staff know the children well and work hard to build their trust. The security that this brings has allowed children to build their confidence and to progress positively from their starting points.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is comfortable and well decorated. The children have individualised, well- equipped bedrooms and have input into how their rooms are decorated. A lot of thought has gone into providing a comfortable home with a family feeling.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are either in education or are being supported to access education soon. Staff support with educational activities if children are not in school. A learning mentor said, ‘Staff and the manager communicate well. [Name of child] has settled and formed relationships with staff.’ The clear communication, consistency and boundaries give a positive message to children about the importance of their engagement with education.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are supported with monthly group sessions provided by the company’s therapeutic department to help them understand and support the children in their care. This ensures that children receive appropriate support to enable them to develop and maintain stable emotional health.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage and support children to engage in activities in the community. Children access the local gym; they attend Scouts and go swimming. They go for drives with staff, go for countryside walks and have lots of fun days out with staff. Activities such as these will support the children to feel they are a part of their community and will give them a sense of belonging.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to see their families where this is appropriate, and families are welcomed into the home. Staff ensure that visits are safe and on the children’s terms. This support has enabled the children to maintain family relationships. A parent said, ‘[Name of child] is so happy, they really look after him. I couldn’t ask for better.’ This is important for children as it helps them retain a sense of identity and belonging.

p.3

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

Children feel safe, supported and happy in this home. They respond to the dedicated support offered by staff. A social worker said, ‘The structure and routine suits [name of child]. It works well for her. She has respect for the staff.’ Staff know the children very well. There are effective risk assessments and safety plans in place. Inspection report for children’s home for 2586951 4 Staff understand the risks that using the internet may pose for children. Staff have undertaken training with regard to sexual and criminal exploitation and have strategies in place to help keep children safe.

p.3

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

Staff communicate well with other agencies, such as the police and children’s social care. The home has a safe location assessment and staff are aware of the risks that exist in the local area. This helps to ensure that children are safeguarded.

p.4

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

Safer recruitment practices are in place. Staff are carefully vetted to ensure that there are no known risks that would indicate why adults should not work with children.

p.4

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

There have been a small number of physical restraints since the last inspection. These have been appropriate and recorded in detail. The manager has analysed each of these incidents and ensures that there is learning from each one. Staff understand children’s behaviours and their triggers.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager knows the staff and the children in the home very well. She is clear about the home’s strengths and weaknesses. She is confident and has high ambitions for the children’s progress. A social worker said, ‘She is an excellent manager. She goes the extra mile for the children.’

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager works proactively with other agencies and professionals. She has good working relationships with social workers and partner agencies. This communication with other agencies and strong advocacy for the children mean that everyone working with the children is clear about how to support them to achieve good outcomes.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has effective monitoring systems in place to help ensure that the quality of children’s care, including the safety of the home, is checked regularly. The manager ensures that children’s care plans are up to date and appropriate for each child. This ensures that children’s progress is understood and supported.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager was absent from work for a period. During this time, some staff had long gaps in between their supervision and did not receive their annual appraisals. This did lead to some staff feeling stressed and under pressure. Now that the manager is back at work, supervision is regular and staff report that they feel supported. Inspection report for children’s home for 2586951 5

p.4

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that all staff have their performance and fitness to carry out their role formally appraised at least once a year. Staff should receive regular supervision on their performance where they are given the opportunity to reflect on the needs of the children in their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 60, paragraph 13.2)

p.5

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 for 2586951 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Horizon Care and Education Group Limited

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Venture House, Unit 12, Prospect Business Park, Longford Road, Cannock WS11 0LG

p.6

Inspector

Cathy Wilkins, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home for 2586951 7 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.

p.6

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7