Children's home run by Horizon Care and Education Group Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1235654 1 Registered provider: Horizon Care and Education Group Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides care for up to four children who may require support in respect of social, emotional and behavioural needs. The home is owned and operated by a private organisation.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since July 2022.

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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 children’s home: 1235654 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/07/2021 Full Good 05/03/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness 18/06/2019 Full Good 01/05/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: 1235654 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children with differing care experiences and levels of engagement receive consistently high levels of care and support. A strength of the home is the positive relationships between children and staff. Children benefit from staff showing them emotional warmth and genuine affection. The children develop a sense of belonging and have a range of positive experiences. As a result, children are nurtured and feel secure.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged and supported to explore their interests. They enjoy many positive experiences and develop hobbies and talents. Children access community activities on a regular basis. Children are motivated to achieve their goals. Because of this, children’s confidence and self-esteem improve.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s contact with families is encouraged and supported. Good arrangements are in place for children to spend time with people who matter to them, even those who live some distance from the home. There is good communication between the home, family members and professionals. Families are also welcomed to the home, where they spend time together. This contributes to the stability of the children’s placements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are committed to their education and training. They achieve good attendance. As children become older, staff prepare them for adult life and support them to take positive risks. Alongside their training, children apply for employment. This positive attitude and approach to education, training and employment help children to make good academic and vocational progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy good health. Staff understand the children’s individual health needs. Staff are supported by the organisation’s clinical psychologist. They provide regular consultation and advice on how to support children. This further promotes children’s health and emotional well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment reflects that children are valued. It is homely, with a good standard of decoration and furnishings. Staff take pride in making the house a home. It is evident that the needs of the children have been put first.

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

Children have trusting relationships with the registered manager and staff. Children know that they will be listened to and taken seriously. This reflects the staff’s ability to manage and support children through their anxieties or worries. Consequently, children have the stability they need, and this helps to keep them safe. Inspection report children’s home: 1235654 4 Staff complete the mandatory training required. They also receive bespoke training that is tailored to the needs of the children. Staff discuss safeguarding issues in team meetings. This provides opportunities for staff to discuss and reflect more on specific safeguarding issues. As a result, training is focused on care, support and the safeguarding needs of children.

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

Children are safer because their risk assessments and plans provide clarity and direction for staff. When there is an incident of concern, the manager and staff reflect on the plans and risks, and adjust plans if required. Care plans are subject to regular updating, so they accurately reflect children’s risks and vulnerabilities. These plans provide staff with the direction they need to support and protect children.

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

Staff use their skills and training to keep incidents to a minimum in the home. The therapeutic approach used to support children is effective in helping them to regulate their emotions. This helps to keep children safe.

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

The recruitment of new staff is managed well and designed to safeguard children. Safer recruitment practices and protocols are followed. If any concerns are identified, the manager completes a robust response. This means that potential new staff are subject to clear vetting processes. This reduces the risk of unsuitable adults working in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A dedicated manager leads this home. She speaks with passion and is a positive role model for children and staff. This is instrumental in the good standard of care provided in this home. Staff also speak passionately about the children and their progress. Staff feel well supported and have a shared sense of togetherness in promoting positive care to the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive an excellent level of support through regular informal and formal one- to-one meetings with their manager. These sessions are reflective and supportive. Staff also receive yearly appraisals. In addition, structured induction and probationary processes ensure that new staff have a well-planned introduction to the home. As a result, staff are clear of their roles and responsibilities and are able to develop their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff enjoy their work. They see themselves as a ‘work family’. The staff have confidence in the manager and recognise how the home has improved under her leadership. Staff have regular focused team meetings and in-house training. A culture of high aspiration is beginning to be embedded in staff practice. As a result, children are thriving in a nurturing home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has invested significant time and energy into the home. She shows exceptional commitment and, as a result, the home has now stabilised. The manager understands the strengths and weakness of the home. She acts quickly to address any shortfalls. One child said, ‘She [the manager] has changed this house into a home.’ Inspection report children’s home: 1235654 5 Records for children include comprehensive and up-to-date information. They show the development and progress of each child. However, staff do not always encourage children to contribute to their records. Consequently, children do not have the opportunity to question what is written about them or add their comments. The opportunity to do this may help children to understand their care experience better. Inspection report children’s home: 1235654 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that children are consulted regularly on their views about the home’s care to inform and support continued improvement in the quality of care provided. Due consideration should be given to the child’s cognitive ability in the development and implementation of any consultation processes. Children should be able to see the results of their views being listened to and acted on. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11)

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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: 1235654 7

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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, Unit 12, Venture House, Prospect Business Park, Longford Road, Cannock, Staffordshire WS11 0LG

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Inspector

Thirza Smith, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1235654 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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