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

Inspection report for children’s home: 1241789 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

This home is privately run and provides care for up to three children who experience social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is suitably experienced and qualified.

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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: 22 February 2022

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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: 1241789 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/02/2022 Full Good 16/03/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 07/01/2020 Full Good 06/03/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 1241789 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children make good progress in many aspects of their lives while living in this home. The staff develop positive relationships with children and their families. During the inspection, children informed the inspector that they like living in the home. One child said they wanted to leave the home; however, this was due to wanting to be closer to family and they would otherwise want to stay.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are skilled and have a good understanding of children’s individual and complex needs. A professional said, in respect of a child, ‘I am really happy with the support he has received. Staff support him with his self-esteem, and risks have reduced.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children do not want to attend house meetings to share their wishes and feelings in a formal setting. As a result, staff regularly obtain children’s views on a one-to-one basis. Positive relationships between children and staff were evident throughout the inspection. Children freely approach staff, and it is clear that staff provide children with a nurturing and caring environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Not all children are engaging in education. One child, who was attending school prior to their move to the home, continues to attend their education provision and is doing well. However, another child is struggling to engage with education via home tuition, and staff do not show enough curiosity to understand the child’s barriers to learning. Consequently, this child’s educational progress is limited.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff do not consistently support children to develop a wide range of hobbies and interests. This limits their experiences and opportunities to develop socially.

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

Children’s risk assessments are thorough and detail all known risks and strategies to manage these. As a result, staff know how to support children and keep them safe. Staff quickly recognise any changes in children’s behaviours and respond proactively to prevent incidents occurring.

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

Children receive help and support to manage their behaviours and feelings safely. Staff provide children with clear boundaries and routines. The consistency of care and support provided by staff helps children to feel safe.

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

The manager discusses safeguarding practices with staff in regular one-to-one meetings. Safeguarding matters are also discussed in team meetings. As a result, staff are fully aware of their safeguarding responsibilities, and they safeguard children effectively. Inspection report for children’s home: 1241789 4 Overall, the manager follows principles of safe recruitment. However, on occasion, there are gaps in records that summarise the vetting of new staff before they start to work in the home.

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

Children are aware of the complaints procedure, and one child has made a formal complaint. However, the child has not received a timely written response to their complaint. This has resulted in the child feeling that their views are not prioritised and them being reluctant to share concerns about their experiences in the home in the future. This compromises the child’s sense of safety.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There has been consistent, quality leadership in this home for several years. The registered manager is aspirational for children. The manager’s leadership style produces a strong sense of commitment and loyalty from the staff team. Staff say that they feel supported by the manager and that they enjoy working in a positive environment. Staff say that the manager is the reason they want to work at the home and children say that she is the reason they want to stay.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager plans new admissions to the home effectively. She considers the needs of any new child and how compatible they would be with children already living in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

When children leave the home, the manager ensures that they leave with positive memories and guidance to help them successfully transition to their new placement. For example, prior to one child leaving, the manager supported the child to find the right placement and provided them with route planners to support the child to understand their route from their new home to all known professional and personal contacts. This was necessary because the child had lived in the home for three years and the staff wanted to provide reassurance to the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The atmosphere in the home is one of happiness and warmth. The manager is a strong advocate for children. She is not afraid to challenge other professionals in the best interests of children. The manager has challenged one child’s placing authority to ensure that the child’s plan considers the child’s wishes and feelings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager communicates effectively with external professionals. A collaborative approach to care helps to ensure that children’s needs are met to a good standard. Inspection report for children’s home: 1241789 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, 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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly relates to ensuring that all children receive support with their education and that staff understand the barriers to learning. 19 August 2023

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Requirement Due date

The enjoyment and achievement standard is that children take part in and benefit from a variety of activities that meet their needs and develop and reflect their creative, cultural, intellectual, physical and social interests and skills.

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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

develop the child’s interests and hobbies; 19 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 1241789 6 participate in activities that the child enjoys and which meet and expand the child’s interests and preferences; and

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Requirement Due date

make a positive contribution to the home and the wider community; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to a range of activities that enable the child to pursue the child’s interests and hobbies. (Regulation 9 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This particularly relates to ensuring that Schedule 2 information is available regarding all staff. 19 August 2023

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Recommendation

 The registered person should encourage children to share any concerns about their care or other matters as soon as they arise. Children must be able to take up issues or make a complaint with support and without fear that this will result in any adverse consequences. Regulation 39 sets out the requirements on the registered person to have a complaints procedure. Children must be aware of this procedure and be reminded of it as necessary. This specifically relates to ensuring that children are supported to make complaints and receive a timely response. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.13) Inspection report for children’s home: 1241789 7

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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: 1241789 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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Inspector

Corline Parker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1241789 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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