Children's home run by Horizon Care and Education Group Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 1276442 1 Registered provider: Horizon Care and Education Group Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private organisation and provides care for up to three children. According to the statement of purpose, the home offers care to children with complex needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in September 2018.

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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: 13 October 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: 1276442 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/10/2021 Full Good 30/06/2021 Full Inadequate 05/02/2020 Full Outstanding 19/03/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1276442 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are happy and settled at this home. They receive well-planned care that supports them to make good progress across all areas of their development. Children enjoy positive, trusting relationships with staff. One child said, ‘Staff really care about you and listen to your problems if you have any. They are enjoyable to spend time with.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide children with predictable daily routines. This includes children and staff spending quality time together during evening meals. When needed, children are provided with visual timetables to reduce anxiety and to help them enjoy a sense of certainty.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff follow thoughtful settling plans to help children prepare for bedtime and to sleep through to the morning. This includes using sensory items and mindfulness exercises to help children relax. As a result, children are up and ready to learn each morning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children attend school and their attendance is high. Staff have established effective communication with professionals at the children’s schools. This means that staff have up-to-date knowledge of children’s engagement in learning and what has happened during their school day. This enables staff to prepare for the evening and to adjust planned activities if necessary to give children the time and support they need.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work alongside children to carry out household tasks and to help children learn important independence skills. Children develop increased levels of independence and spend time in the community without staff supervision. This allows the children to practise managing without staff at a pace that is right for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to be healthy. Children are supported to attend health appointments and staff refer children for specialist health services when needed. Staff provide the children with a balanced diet and encourage them to choose healthy meals. Children can take part in regular physical activities. All the children and staff have bicycles. Cycling is a regular activity for some children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are supported by a therapist to meet the children’s emotional and sensory needs. Consultations with the therapist equip staff with the resources they need to engage with children. Staff engage with children in meaningful ways and talk about their feelings and the support that helps them. This helps children recognise their own emotions and develop strategies when they feel anxious or angry.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The house is homely and benefits from being close to large accessible outdoor spaces, such as the beach. Children like their bedrooms, which they have been able to personalise. However, the dining room floor covering is torn in places and needs Inspection report for children’s home: 1276442 4 replacing. Bedroom door alarms are used to monitor children’s location during the night. While permission for the use of these has been obtained, the requirement for this restriction on privacy has not been assessed for each child.

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

Staff work well as a team. They are consistent in their responses to children. Consequently, children understand what is expected of them and know that the rules are there to keep them safe. This helps children to feel safe and cared for. Staff consult with the home’s therapist every month to reflect on their practice and to plan their approaches to meet children’s social and emotional needs. This provides staff with the knowledge and confidence they need to engage in meaningful conversations with children about consent, healthy relationships and personal boundaries.

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

Children rarely receive consequences for unwanted behaviour. Staff recognise when children have experienced a natural consequence, such as personal items being broken by the child when upset, so do not apply further consequences. When imposed, consequences are usually restorative in nature. Staff have established incentive programmes for each child to encourage positive behaviours. These are largely successful and have resulted in children not using their mobile phones at the dinner table, which assists relationship building.

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

Staff regularly talk to children about their safety when using social media and the internet. Measures are in place to restrict and monitor access to the internet in the home. Staff are aware that children can access the internet at other locations and follow individual risk assessments to help children stay safe online.

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

There have been infrequent incidents of children leaving the home without permission. Staff know the local area well and are persistent in finding children quickly. One child, who regularly went missing from their previous home, has not had any incidents of going missing from this home.

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

The manager responds to allegations against staff. This is usually in line with the safeguarding protocols. On one occasion, there was a delay in referring to external professionals while further information was gathered. This is not in line with home’s own safeguarding policy and does not ensure that the risks to the child or member of staff subject to the allegation are suitably managed.

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

Recruitment of permanent members of staff is thorough. When agency staff are used, the manager verifies their Disclosure and Barring Service check and identity before they start on shift. However, references and gaps in employment history have not been explored for one agency member of staff. This does not provide the manager with the same level of assurance obtained for permanent staff. Inspection report for children’s home: 1276442 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by a committed, appropriately qualified registered manager. She has established a highly motivated team of staff who feel well supported by the manager and each other.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is a strong advocate for children and ensures that their wishes and feelings are understood by other professionals. She has been instrumental in securing a school placement for one child. Children know how to make a complaint and are reminded of their right to an independent advocate.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager works well with other professionals. Children’s social workers said that the manager knows their child well and the communication is good. One child’s social worker said, ‘I’m so impressed with the home It’s a refreshing experience feeling reassured that everything is in hand.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has created good relationships with the neighbours. For example, a street party was organised to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and was attended by all the children. One child enjoys washing cars. The neighbours often request this child’s car cleaning services and pay him for his efforts. This helps the children to feel accepted and included in their community.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has an effective system in place for monitoring staff training. Most staff have completed training identified by the home as mandatory, including safeguarding children, first aid and behaviour management. Training is organised for staff who have recently joined the home. Regular consultations with the home’s therapist help to complement staff’s learning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s plans and paperwork are up to date. Staff maintain detailed records of children’s daily experiences and any incidents that occur. However, some gaps were identified in the recording of one room search and in the accuracy of some weekly reports.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager carries out regular internal reviews of the service. This includes an analysis of incidents and monitoring for trends. These reviews have informed the development of an action plan that is supporting the continual improvement of the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 1276442 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 protection of children standard is 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

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that external safeguarding agencies are contacted without delay in the event an allegation of abuse is made against a person working in the home.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was raised at the last inspection and is restated. 14 April 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home offers a nurturing and homely environment. In particular, replace worn flooring in the dining room. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that limits on privacy are only put in place to safeguard each child in the home (regulation 21(c)(i)). Any modifications to the environment of the home must only be made where this is intended to safeguard the child’s welfare. All decisions should be informed by a rigorous assessment of that individual child’s needs, be properly recorded and be kept under regular review. This specifically relates to the use of door alarms on children’s bedrooms. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.10) Inspection report for children’s home: 1276442 7  The registered person should ensure that the recruitment of staff safeguards

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Recommendations

children and minimises potential risks to them. This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that the agency has obtained satisfactory references and explored gaps in employment history. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)  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. In particular, ensure that weekly reports and records of room searches contain accurate information. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 1276442 8

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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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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Rebecca Grimshaw

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Inspector

Paula Edwards, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1276442 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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