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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC480678 1 SC480678 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

This home is operated by a private provider. It is registered to provide care for up to five children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in 2016.

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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: 30 November 2021

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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: SC480678 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/11/2021 Full Good 10/12/2019 Full Good 18/09/2018 Full Outstanding 19/07/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC480678 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children thrive in this home due to the calm, nurturing approach and positive example set by the staff team. Children respond to frequent praise and the incentives put in place to help them achieve and succeed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive good support to regulate their emotions and behaviour and become calm and settled. For example, staff support children to reflect on their school day and the choices that they made to remain calm and not become angry.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff place a strong emphasis on education; some children have made good progress and their attendance has improved. Staff work closely with education providers to ensure that children receive high levels of pastoral support and their individual needs are understood by teaching staff. As a result, children previously at risk of permanent exclusion are now successfully engaged in education and doing well. However, not all children have up-to-date personal education plans or education, health and care (EHC) plans. This can impact on the progress that children make in education and limit the support delivered by the staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to achieve their aspirations. For example, one child has been supported to regularly save money earned from their apprenticeship to buy a moped. This is something the child has always aspired to do and gives him a further level of independence as he transitions into adulthood. This level of support sets a good foundation for children’s futures.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff discuss children moving on from the home with them and prepare them for independent living. Children’s time at the home is celebrated. The strength of relationships between staff and children means that some children stay in touch with the staff when they have moved on.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff advocate strongly for the children in their care. They support children to express their views, wishes and feelings about the home and their care. A parent praised the manager and staff for their professional challenge with placing authorities when advocating for their child to spend more time with their family.

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

All staff have completed safeguarding training. Leaders have completed designated safeguarding lead training to ensure that they have the skills and knowledge to support children effectively.

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

The team works well in supporting children to identify and take risks safely. Staff carried out direct work with a child, supporting him to apply for a provisional driving licence and complete compulsory basic training for his moped. Staff have also Inspection report for children’s home: SC480678 4 supported and educated children around risks such as internet safety, exploitation and consent.

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

Behaviour support plans and risk assessments set out in specific detail how children are to be supported in a way that is sensitive to their adverse childhood experiences. The identified support strategies and measures implemented by staff have resulted in improved emotional and behavioural outcomes for children. As a result, physical intervention has only been required on one occasion since the last inspection.

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

Safeguarding children is at the forefront of staff practice. However, in one case there has been a lack of professional curiosity. When a child made an allegation at school the manager failed to request an incident report detailing the event.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A consistent management team has led the home for six years. The manager and deputy manager demonstrate a passion for their work. Staff say they receive good support to help them work effectively with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff training programme is extensive and leaders are committed to the development of the staff team. Good practice is recorded in team meeting minutes, showing staff have the opportunity to reflect on their recent training, such as in global development delay and autism spectrum disorder. This helps improve the experiences and outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders’ and managers’ monitoring systems require improvement. They had not identified the weaknesses found during the inspection. For example, local authority health assessment documents were missing for some children. The manager took action to resolve this during the inspection. However, the weaknesses in the monitoring system do have the potential to impact on the progress and experiences of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Case file information for the children is comprehensive. However, one child’s EHC plan was significantly out of date. The manager had requested a review of the plan but had failed to adequately escalate requests when a review was not completed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff said that they receive regular supervision and find this support beneficial for their professional development. The recording of supervisions is of a good standard and demonstrates reflective practice and a focus on the support and aspirations for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Overall, matching before placement of children is good. However, records of the matching process should show that consideration has been given to the home’s location assessment. Consultation with social workers, of children already living in the home, would make this stronger. Inspection report for children’s home: SC480678 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child’s needs;

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring the request for the review of a child’s EHC plan is adequately escalated without delay. 15 February 2023

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the manager must ensure that there is robust monitoring and oversight in the home. That shortfalls and anomalies in documentation are identified without delay. 15 February 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC480678 6 The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home

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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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(a)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that all risks taken into consideration are evidenced and that they consult with social workers of existing children at the home and include the detail in the impact assessments. Managers should also ensure that children’s up-to-date plans are requested without delay to ensure that they receive effectively planned care. 15 February 2023

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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: SC480678 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

Kelly McCurdy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC480678 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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