Children's home run by Hexagon Care Services Limited in Preston

Inspection report for children’s home: SC479654 1 SC479654 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 one of a number of homes operated by a large private company. The home is registered to provide care for up to six children. Children living in the home also have access to the organisation’s school and therapy departments. The inspector only inspected the social care provision at this site.

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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: 8 February 2022

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC479654 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/02/2022 Full Outstanding 25/02/2020 Full Outstanding 11/02/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 10/10/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC479654 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of the inspection, six children were living at the home. Since the last inspection, one child has left, and two children have moved in. The inspector spoke to all six children during this inspection. Children move into the home in a planned way. This means that careful consideration and planning take place to ensure that each child feels comfortable when moving in. Children are building positive and trusting relationships with all staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a homely, child-friendly environment that is furnished and decorated to a good standard. Children enjoy spending time in their home. Photos, games and areas for children to be creative and relax all contribute to children feeling content in their home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children cannot access parts of their home after 9pm, including the kitchen. Children told the inspector that they find this unfair. Snacks are also kept in the staff office. This practice is restricting children’s access in their home and is not proportionate.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s progress from their starting points is good. Staff have high aspirations for children and support their engagement with education. Communication between staff at the home and school staff is excellent. This supports children in their educational outcomes. Staff challenge when it is necessary to ensure that children have the necessary educational support to reflect their individual needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are helping children to have happy and fun memories. Children are encouraged to try new activities in and out of the home. This has enhanced their self-esteem and supported them to manage new situations. Children are encouraged to develop independence skills in line with their age and understanding.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s physical and emotional needs are met. Staff support children to attend all health appointments. They are quick to identify when children need additional emotional support and have ensured that there is a multi-agency response to address this without delay.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff maintain consistent routines and boundaries in the home through positive relationships and reinforcement. Relationships between staff and children are warm and reciprocal. Children enjoy being around staff, and they are respectful towards them and listen to the advice and guidance provided. Because of these positive routines and relationships, children display improved self-esteem, confidence and self-care.

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

Since the last inspection, there has only been one occasion when a child has been missing from home. This is because children do not want to leave the home and Inspection report for children’s home: SC479654 4 enjoy spending time there, engaging with staff and other children. Regardless, the manager ensures that staff frequently revisit children’s missing-from-home procedures and protocols. Because of this, staff are familiar with these risks and are confident in the event of an incident. These proactive steps help to ensure that children’s welfare and safety are promoted.

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

Protocols and procedures that are in place to prevent and respond to children’s unsafe behaviours are robust and well thought through. They provide staff with clear guidance on responding to incidents should they occur. They consider each child as an individual and are preventative in nature. This effective planning manages and minimises risks both to children and others.

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

Safety work that is regularly carried out with children ensures that they have a comprehensive understanding of risk. Topics covered are individualised to the child’s needs. Sessions are creative and promote engagement and age-appropriate learning. This ensures that children are well informed and aware of dangers before they occur, minimising these risks.

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

Staff are familiar and confident with the behaviour management techniques that are documented to help children. They have a good understanding of children’s needs and how they are to help and respond to children at times of crisis. This ensures that children receive consistent and agreed support from those who care for them, helping to reduce incidents.

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

Not all consequences given to children are restorative in nature. The manager has not ensured that all consequences are evaluated. This is a missed opportunity to identify if practice is proportionate and fair for children.

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

Staff communicate well with each other and other agencies. They share information when necessary to ensure that children are safeguarded.

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

Safe and effective recruitment processes are in place that help to safeguard children. New staff members are inducted into the job well and feel supported.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

At the time of the inspection, the manager was new in post and not yet registered with Ofsted. The manager is suitably experienced and was previously the deputy manager at the home. Staff feel well supported in their roles by the manager and their colleagues and enjoy working in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager knows the children well and is passionate about ensuring they are provided with a homely and nurturing environment. Children speak fondly of the manager, and the inspector observed warm interactions throughout the two-day inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff and managers have a clear understanding of the children’s experiences and the progress they are making. Staff meetings take place monthly. Staff discussions are Inspection report for children’s home: SC479654 5 child-focused and reflective. The registered manager encourages staff to think creatively to improve their practice. The home’s therapist provides essential support to both staff and children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Transitions in and out of the home are well planned and carefully considered. However, pre-placement assessments do not include a clear outcome or decision on the suitability of the placement. Furthermore, leaders and managers have accepted children without the required paperwork from their local authority. This means that children have lived in the home without the staff who care for them having essential information about them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision sessions take place regularly and are reflective and of a good quality. Managers and leaders are supporting their staff to develop their skill base. Children are therefore provided with consistent care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and leaders promote effective multi-agency working. Professionals are satisfied with the level of communication and information-sharing. The manager challenges other agencies when necessary and advocates on behalf of the children. As a result, children receive organised care and support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have completed a range of mandatory and additional training. There is good management oversight of staff training. This ensures that staff have a good understanding of the experiences of the children and are equipped with the skills to meet their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s records are mostly very well maintained and comprehensive. However, not all records are signed and dated. The provider took swift action to rectify this during the inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: SC479654 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

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

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a) (2)(b)(i))

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Requirement Due date

The provider must ensure that when children move into the home, they have the required paperwork from the local authority. 22 March 2023

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)) 22 March 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC479654 7 The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 22 March 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: SC479654 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: 1 Tustin Court, Port Way, Ashton-on-Ribble, Preston PR2 2YQ

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Inspector

Jessica Higginson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC479654 9 regulates and 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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