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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2674686 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 registered on 3 May 2022 and is run by a private provider. It provides care for up to two children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in May 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: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2674686 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not previously inspected Inspection report for children’s home: 2674686 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of this inspection, one child had recently left the home and one child had just moved in. Staff had been supporting the child who has moved out on a solo basis. A planned move to support the new child has enabled them to adapt to the new placement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a warm and welcoming environment. The home has been decorated and furnished to meet the needs of the children who live here. Children’s games and belongings are seen in the home. The child who lives in the home spoke excitedly about how they want to decorate their bedroom. They said, ‘This is the biggest bedroom I have ever had.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Relationships between staff and children are based on trust and mutual respect, which helps children to reach their full potential. Children are supported by staff to make progress in their independence skills. The child who has recently left learned how to use public transport and prepare simple meals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff consult with children in a variety of ways about all aspects of their care and about the home. Children make choices about the activities they take part in, such as go-karting, quad biking and playing golf at the driving range. The child who has moved in has told staff about their interests in playing football, and staff have already arranged for the child to join a football club.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support relationships with children’s families and take time to develop good working relationships. Families feel involved in the care of their child, which has a positive impact on the children. Children see their families and spend time with people who are safe and important to them. This gives children stability and helps them to improve their support networks as they get older.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to attend appointments, and they take part in multi-agency meetings for children. professionals say that staff come prepared and contribute to promote good information-sharing. The manager and staff advocate for children to ensure that their needs are met. For example, the manager has repeatedly challenged the local authority and virtual school to provide the child with an acceptable level of education. The manager sourced a tutor, which led to the child making progress in their core subjects.

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

Safeguarding concerns are well managed by the manager and staff. Incidents are promptly monitored and referred to partnership agencies.

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

Extensive training means that staff have the skills and knowledge to meet the needs of the children. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of children’s risks and Inspection report for children’s home: 2674686 4 behaviours and can identify how they would respond to children with self-injurious behaviours.

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

Children receive a period of stability and learn to invest in the support from staff. However, when the risks became too great, due to external influences, criminal behaviours and substance misuse, staff were unable to keep a child safe. This led to the manager deciding to end the placement.

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

When children go missing from home, staff follow the policies and procedures to locate them and return them home safely. Staff advocate for return home interviews to explore the reasons why the child went missing and carry out key-work sessions to explore the risks further.

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

Staff have attempted to reduce the impact of negative influences on one child through structured routines and activities, including time away from the home. The clinical team of psychologists who support the home provide staff with strategies to reduce the exposure to risk. Professionals and staff have carried out direct key-work sessions to educate the child around risks.

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

Staff use incentives and consequences to promote positive behaviours. Records of consequences are not clearly recorded and do not evidence when debriefs have taken place and when the manager has had management oversight. This does not enable them to evaluate the effectiveness of the consequences used.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is currently completing the required qualification in leadership and management. The manager is passionate and enthusiastic about the care that staff provide to children. He has a wealth of experience in understanding children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager takes a careful approach when admitting children to the home. He ensures that staff have the relevant training and skills to support children’s individual needs before they move in. Children have a period of settling into the home before any decisions are made for another child to move in. When necessary, the home is maintained as a solo occupancy.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

New members of staff are safely recruited and receive a well-planned induction to the home. Most of the staff are qualified in residential childcare at level 3. Staff are supported by the manager to complete their qualifications. This helps to promote career development and keeps staff motivated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff speak positively about the support they receive from the manager. Staff receive regular supervision which focuses on the needs of the children and safeguarding. Staff are encouraged to develop their practice but have not received a mid-year appraisal, as identified in the home’s statement of purpose. Inspection report for children’s home: 2674686 5 The new responsible individual came into post in May 2022, but this change is not reflected in the home’s statement of purpose. The manager has failed to send an updated statement of purpose to the regulator. Inspection report for children’s home: 2674686 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

keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b)

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must revise when staff appraisals take place and update the details of the responsible individual. 24 February 2023

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and 24 February 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2674686 7 a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that debriefs and recordings are completed within the necessary time frames.

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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: 2674686 8

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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

Aasia Hussain, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2674686 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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