Children's Home run by Horizon Residential Children's Home in Waltham Forest

Inspection report for children’s home: SC007284 1 SC007284 Registered provider: Horizon Residential Children’s Home Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned children’s home that provides care for up to six children aged 11 to 18 years who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in April 2000. The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2010.

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Information about this children’s home

There were six children living in the home at the time of this inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC007284 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/03/2022 Full Outstanding 07/10/2019 Full Outstanding 11/12/2018 Full Outstanding 14/11/2017 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC007284 3

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outstanding

Children benefit from having exceptionally strong relationships with staff. Staff provide a consistent and nurturing environment and a good quality of care to children. The atmosphere in the home is calm, relaxed and has a family feel. Consequently, children feel safe and well supported. Children make significant progress in their social, emotional and behavioural development. Children are more confident and have increased their self-esteem and self-worth. One child said, ‘I wouldn’t be the person I am without them.’

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outstanding

Leaders and managers undertake comprehensive planning and assessment of children’s needs prior to them moving into the home. They consider staff’s skills and experience, as well as the needs of the other children already living in the home. This approach has a positive impact on children’s placements and improves their outcomes.

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outstanding

Staff understand that positive attachments are a protective factor for children. Staff go above and beyond to support children to keep in touch with people who are important to them. Children are supported very well to reconnect with their family members, who they may not have seen for some time.

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outstanding

Staff have very high aspirations for the children. They work in partnership with other professionals to ensure that children receive high-quality support in all areas of their care and development. This includes working alongside children’s professional networks. Consequently, children have improved outcomes.

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outstanding

Children make excellent progress in education from their starting points. All children attend education and staff support them to achieve well and gain qualifications. One child has achieved very good results in their GCSEs, and two other children are working towards achieving their GCSEs. Some children are also supported by staff to find part-time employment. This provides children with good opportunities to succeed in education and work.

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outstanding

Children access a wide range of activities at the home and in the community. Children enjoy individual activities, and staff actively encourage togetherness by arranging things for children to do with staff and other children. Activities include playing football with staff in the local park, visits to a go-karting venue, trampolining parks and theme parks. Children also enjoyed a trip to the seaside during the summer holidays.

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outstanding

Photo books capture the fun experiences and the many achievements that children have. The photo memory books provide children with positive memories of their time at the home, and inform their life story and sense of identity. Inspection report for children’s home: SC007284 4 The manager and staff actively model positive behaviours and attitudes. They celebrate difference and inclusion. This helps to grow children’s confidence and helps them to develop a positive sense of acceptance and tolerance. One child said, ‘The best thing about this home is staff, they are respectful, understand my religion and are inclusive.’

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outstanding

The home is very well maintained and has been recently renovated. Additionally, a games room is being created in the garden. Children have personalised their bedrooms and this helps them to feel valued and comfortable in their home.

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outstanding

The manager and staff recognise and understand each child’s individual risks and vulnerabilities. Children say that they feel safe.

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outstanding

Children’s risk assessments are dynamic documents that are kept under regular review. They are revised to reflect new and emerging risks, and record any reductions when risks have decreased.

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outstanding

Children who go missing from the home experience a well-coordinated response. Staff take action to locate children and encourage their safe return home. Staff work collaboratively with families and key professionals to support children to understand the risks they face when they go missing. Missing from home plans include clear strategies for staff to follow when children are missing. As a result, the number of missing episodes have significantly decreased or stopped for the majority of the children.

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outstanding

Children’s behaviours are managed well through the implementation of consistent boundaries. Children understand the expectations for behaviour in the home. Children are praised and rewarded for their achievements. Children have excellent and respectful relationships with each other.

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outstanding

The manager and staff’s response to safeguarding concerns and incidents is excellent. The primary concern of the manager and staff is the safety and well-being of children. Leaders and managers undertake detailed debriefs with staff and children following significant incidents to identify if anything could be done differently to support children. Subsequently, the number of significant incidents is low.

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outstanding

Physical intervention is only used if there is a risk of harm to the child or others. Since the last inspection, there have been two incidents of restraint in relation to three children. These have been recorded appropriately and include details from debriefs with children about their feelings and experience. As a result, children feel listened to, and have confidence in the staff team’s ability to keep them safe. The manager has excellent oversight of physical intervention records. Inspection report for children’s home: SC007284 5 Staff demonstrate an excellent understanding of safeguarding practice, policies and procedures. An example of this is when a recent allegation was reported to safeguarding partners without delay.

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outstanding

Safer recruitment practice helps to ensure that all staff are suitable and do not pose a risk to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is managed by a suitably qualified and experienced manager who has been the manager for over 10 years. The manager is supported by a very strong leadership team. The manager provides inspirational, child-centred leadership and promotes positive outcomes for the children. They are child-focused and aspirational. This ethos is mirrored by the staff team, which provides an excellent level of care and support to the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The monitoring and review systems are excellent and enable the manager to fully understand the home’s strengths and areas for development. The monitoring systems and learning from feedback and practice lead to the continuous improvement and development of the home. The manager continually considers ways to further develop practice. An example of this is the implementation of a new appraisal form to ensure more in-depth feedback on staff performance.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

New staff have a good induction. The induction process and records are comprehensive and demonstrate that new staff are able to reflect on their development. All staff receive regular one-to-one supervision, attend regular child- focused team meetings, and undertake a range of training and development and research opportunities. Therefore, staff practice and knowledge are of a consistently high standard.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The leaders and managers advocate very well for children and ensure that their voice is heard. Leaders and managers have supported children to challenge the decisions and plans of the professional network, for example local authorities, when necessary. Such challenge has been successful and has reduced worry and anxiety for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Feedback from key professionals and family members is very positive. They praised staff for their child-centred relationships and the stability and care that they provide to children. One parent said, ‘ [ child’s name] has excellent relationships with staff, they all are fantastic, it’s like a home away from home.’ Social workers recognise the impressive progress that children make because of the exceptional help and support that they receive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Children know how to make a complaint. Complaints are rare because of the positive relationships that children have with the staff. Children feel confident about sharing their views with staff and know that they will be listened to. Inspection report for children’s home: SC007284 6

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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: SC007284 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Horizon Residential Children’s Home

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 46 The Ridgeway, North Harrow, Harrow, Middlesex HA2 7QN

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Mehnaaz Chaudhary

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Inspector

Aneta Wasilewska, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC007284 8 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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