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

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2572133 1 Registered provider: Horizon Care and Education Group Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to four children aged between eight and 17 years with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has recently returned to the home having taken parental leave.

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Information about this children’s home

Date of last inspection: 9 November 2022

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At these inspections, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has closely looked at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2572133 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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The care of children

Since the last inspection, the same two children have continued to live in the home. The children are settled and have made progress. This is because they share good relationships with staff. One child told the inspector that they felt ‘safe and happy living at the home’.

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The care of children

Leaders now ensure that children’s wishes, views and feelings are captured well. For example, the quality of the key work that staff complete with children has improved. In addition, staff use daily records to provide children with the opportunity to share their opinions of the home and the care they receive. As a result, children feel valued and listened to.

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The care of children

Staff prioritise the time that children spend with their friends and families. For example, staff support one child to see their school friends regularly in the community. In addition, staff ensured that both children enjoyed positive time with their families at Christmas. This support helps children to stay connected with those people who are important in their lives.

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The care of children

Staff recognise the importance of education and promote children’s individual needs effectively. One child continues to attend mainstream school and is making good progress. The child said that their wish is to ‘work in a career with music’ when they leave school. Staff also work with education professionals to help children to overcome their difficulties and reconnect with their education. This approach reassures children and helps them to feel supported.

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The care of children

Managers have taken sufficient action since the last inspection to improve known shortfalls in respect of the arrangements for the health and safety of the home. As a result, the home’s environment has become safer. However, there are areas of the home that require redecoration and development. Furthermore, the home’s internal doors can be locked by staff. This has the potential to prevent children from accessing all areas of the home. Consequently, the home is not consistently providing a homely and nurturing environment for children.

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The safety of children

Since the last inspection, there have been no missing-from-home incidents with children. However, there are up-to-date and clear protocols in place. Leaders ensure that the protocols are shared with external professionals and the police. In addition, the management team provide missing-from-home training and updates to statutory Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2572133 3 guidance in team meetings. These actions develop staff confidence and equip them with the skills to safeguard children who may go missing from the home.

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The safety of children

Staff are beginning to adopt a therapeutic and restorative approach to managing children’s behaviour. They rarely use consequences with children and there have been no incidents that require physical restraint. When staff have had to issue a consequence to children, they have ensured that this is done fairly, and have involved children in the discussions. As a result, children respect this approach and respond well. However, the inspector identified shortfalls in the recording process, and the effectiveness of consequences is not always recorded in children’s records.

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The safety of children

Staff understand children’s needs and follow children’s plans effectively. Staff told the inspector the strategies that they use to keep children safe. As a result, staff have the confidence to protect children’s welfare. This has meant that the number of significant incidents with children has reduced since the last inspection. However, the strategies described by staff are not always recorded or up to date in children’s plans. This recording shortfall means that staff potentially do not have the most- recent information and strategies available to them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The registered manager has recently returned to the home from parental leave. In her absence, the interim manager has worked effectively with the responsible individual to oversee the home. The management team know the home’s strengths and areas for development. For example, they have recognised that inconsistent management systems over a period of time have had some impact on the home’s progress. However, they are committed to making improvements to the care that children receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff are now receiving regular supervision and appraisals. Records are more reflective, and these sessions help staff to feel supported in their role. Staff said that ‘managers are supportive’ and that they ‘enjoy working in the home’. Managers also feel supported by the home’s responsible individual. This supportive network helps to improve staff and managers’ confidence and awareness.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

Staff training is up to date and relevant to the needs of children. For example, staff have completed internet safety training, which is specific to the needs of the children. In contrast, managers have not ensured that all staff complete the qualification required to work in the home within the compulsory timescales. This has the potential to impact on the quality of care received by children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers

The management team’s oversight and monitoring of the home is improving. They use both internal and external monitoring systems to identify areas for improvement. For example, the registered manager has introduced progress reports to track and celebrate children’s progress. These systems help to improve the quality of care for children. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2572133 4 The registered manager has ensured that all the requirements made at the last inspection have been addressed. This has led to an improvement in how staff use children’s views and wishes to improve children’s experiences. Furthermore, support systems for staff have been used to develop their practice. These improvements reassure Ofsted that leaders can take action to make the home better for children.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/11/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/08/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/05/2021 Full Inadequate Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2572133 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person must ensure that the children’s home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of the children. They will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments, which are well maintained. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc.); however, in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than institutional impression. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all staff in a care role, including external agency or bank staff, must have the qualification in regulation 32(4) within the relevant timescale listed in regulation 32(5). (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.12)

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2572133 6

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

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Inspector

Dean Wilton, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 2572133 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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