Children's home run by Hexagon Care Services Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 1264333 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

This children’s home is operated by a private organisation. The provider states in their statement of purpose that they provide care for up to three children who may have experienced social, emotional and mental health difficulties. This also includes children who may have experienced adverse childhood experiences and subsequent developmental delay.

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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: 23 November 2021

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable. Inspection report for children’s home: 1264333 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/11/2021 Full Good 28/08/2019 Full Good 05/02/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1264333 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children were living in the home at the time of the inspection. Both children have resided at the home for a significant period of time and have made measurable progress in this inspection period. In relation to their experiences of living in the home, one child said, ‘The staff and the house are brilliant. I love the house and my room, it is home. This is the best place I have been.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a warm, welcoming and personalised home environment. Their achievements, key events and experiences are highlighted throughout the home with photos. This reinforces to children that this is their home and allows them to develop a sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The organisation’s psychologists help to ensure that the children’s care plans and the direct work undertaken with them are therapeutically informed. This helps staff to support children to understand their life history, process significant events that have occurred in their lives and, when needed, give children access to specialist support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to engage in events and activities that they may not have had to opportunity to experience. For one child, they travelled abroad on a plane for the first time. This provides children with potential lifelong memories of positive childhood experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff develop strong and supportive relationships with children. The children told inspectors that they have key staff members that they can speak to about any worries or concerns. Throughout the inspection, positive interactions between staff and children were observed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Professionals are extremely complimentary about the care afforded to children by the staffing team at the home. In relation to this, one social worker said, ‘I was never a fan of having children in children’s homes. However, this home has made me change my view entirely.’

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

The children told inspectors that they feel safe living in the home. When asked how they are kept safe, one child said, ‘The staff make sure I am safe. I hand my phone in at night because I was silly with it. I get it back the next day. Staff check it to make sure I am safe.’

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

Children’s risks are understood by staff. Clear risk management plans tell staff what to do in response to specific risks. This means that when risky situations occur, staff know what is expected of them to reduce risks to children. Consequently, this means that children are kept safe. Inspection report for children’s home: 1264333 4 When children are at risk, there is a prompt response from staff. Children are well supported with direct-work sessions that help to educate them about risks. For one child, there has been a reduction in risks in relation to their online safety.

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

The staff team provides children with well-planned, consistent and proportionate approaches to behaviour management. This means that children understand the boundaries in the home and are settled. There have been minimal incidents, no episodes of children going missing from home or physical interventions.

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

Children are supported by staff to maintain family relationships in a safe way. When necessary, staff supervise the time children spend with their families and provide appropriate challenge to family members if required. This helps children maintain and develop their family identity in a safe and secure way.

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

Appropriate checks are undertaken when employing new staff members following a successful interview. However, the home is used to interview potential new staff members. This means that the home’s location and the children are exposed to people who have yet to be vetted and could potentially pose a risk to children. The responsible individual reports that alternative venues will be used for interviews moving forward.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a suitably experienced registered manager who is enthusiastic about achieving the best possible outcomes for the children in her care. The manager is supported by a suitably experienced deputy manager. Together, they provide effective management oversight of the children and staff in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are complimentary about the support that they receive from managers. They are provided with regular, high-quality supervision that they report helps improve their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers ensure that staff are up to date with training and development. Mandatory training ensures that staff are well equipped to be able to provide a good level of care to children. Additional bespoke training, such as motivational interviewing and individualised training from the organisation’s clinical psychologists, enables staff to meet the individual needs of each child at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

External monitoring provides the managers with a consistent and high level of independent scrutiny. The independent person visits the home monthly and ensures that the managers are challenged to provide consistently good levels of care to the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager spends time with children and seeks their wishes and feelings in relation to the care provided. However, on one occasion, no feedback was provided to one child following a consultation about a staff member. This means that the child was not clear about how their wishes and feelings had been acted on. Inspection report for children’s home: 1264333 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, the 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

The registered manager should ensure that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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 the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, interviews for applicants should be undertaken away from the home premises. 24 March 2023

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Recommendations

The registered person should inform children of any action taken in line with their views. (‘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 for children’s home: 1264333 6

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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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Inspectors

Rob Neild, Social Care Inspector Maria McGranaghan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1264333 7 inspects 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. 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

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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

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