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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC484247 1 SC484247 Registered provider: Hexagon Care Services Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The children’s home is operated by a private company. It provides care for up to six children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There were six children living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been in post since March 2023, but he is not yet registered with Ofsted.

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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 requires improvement to be 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 September 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: SC484247 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/09/2022 Full Outstanding 01/12/2021 Full Good 11/02/2020 Full Good 15/05/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC484247 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children living at this home are happy, and they have a sense of belonging. They enjoy open and trusting relationships with staff, who provide them with unconditional and nurturing care. Children respond well to the staffing structure in place, which provides them with consistent care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making progress in their education. Children have high attendance at school, and they are aspirational about their futures. Some children have completed formal qualifications and are waiting for the results. There are plans in place for those children to start training or employment. Those children on apprenticeships are making progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are aspirational for the children, and they tell them that they are proud of their achievements. This positive approach has helped children to build confidence and make progress in their independence. One child said, ‘Staff have helped me to make progress, I am proud of what I have achieved.’ Some children have received an award for taking part in voluntary work helping the homeless community.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are helped to see the people who are important in their lives. Family time is promoted in line with children’s plans. Some children enjoy spending time with their friends in the community. They engage in activities with friends, and their friends visit the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy taking part in activities that reflect their hobbies and interests, such as going to the gym and playing football. Staff arranged for the cast of a television show to visit the home, and the children had their photos taken. Some children went to watch an England football game and had their photo taken with the team manager. This provides children with new experiences and memories that they will take with them when they move on from the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is a proactive and planned approach to supporting children to develop the skills needed to live independently. Some children are having driving lessons and are in part-time employment. Children report that they are helped with their independence and that they feel prepared to live independently when they move out of the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are consulted, and they are involved in the decisions about what is happening in their lives. Records show that children are confident in expressing their wishes and feelings and that staff respond. Inspection report for children’s home: SC484247 4

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improvement to be good

The risks for most children are reduced. One child, who has more recently moved into the home, continues to show unwanted and risky behaviour at home and in the community.

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improvement to be good

There is a risk associated to knives for one child. A concealed knife was removed from a bedroom, and there has been an incident where a child alluded to be in possession of a knife and made threats to staff. Risk assessments have not been updated to provide staff with guidance about how to respond to incidents involving knives, and information about bedroom searches was ambiguous. Not all staff were clear about the steps they should take.

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improvement to be good

When there has been an incident of fire-setting, staff have not always completed a bedroom search to ensure the safety of the child and others. One child’s risk assessment has not been updated to include the full information about a serious incident, and there is conflicting information about bedroom searches across documents.

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improvement to be good

Incidents considered to be serious have not always been reported to Ofsted. This means that the regulator does not have full information about the risks relating to children living at the home.

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improvement to be good

Allegations are taken seriously and reported to safeguarding professionals. However, staff have not always reported incidents of concern relating to practice in a timely manner. The manager was not made aware of one incident that prevented a prompt investigation and meant that they could not ensure that the child received the right support. The manager acted to address this shortfall and has ensured that staff understand how to respond to allegations and that they know the whistle-blowing policy.

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improvement to be good

Most children do not go missing from the home. There are plans in place that provide clear steps for staff to follow. Staff understand their responsibilities to children who go missing. When one child has been missing, staff respond by searching for the child and reporting them as missing.

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improvement to be good

Records show that staff talk to children about incidents when children have shown risky behaviour. Where there are identified risks for one child, staff have been proactive in supporting the child to access support from external agencies. This helps to educate children about risks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager knows the strengths of the home, and he has a clear plan for development. He understands the needs of the children, and he is a positive role model for staff. Inspection report for children’s home: SC484247 5 Staff said that they feel supported by the manager. They are receiving regular supervision that is reflective, and the children’s plans are discussed. Records show that there is an importance placed on support and staff well-being. This positive environment means that morale is high, and staff are working as a team to deliver consistent care to the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings happen regularly. They provide staff with the opportunity to explore safeguarding and to receive additional training, which is key to the children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

While there is an audit tool in place to track the progress children are making, some children do not have an up-to-date care plan written by the placing authority. This has the potential to hinder the manager reviewing the quality of care provided to children in line with their individual plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has built strong relationships with other professionals involved in the children’s care. There is evidence of strong partnership working with other agencies to ensure that children are receiving the right support. Professionals said that staff know the children well and that communication with the home is good.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staffing is sufficient to ensure that children are provided with consistent care from adults who know them well. Staff have completed the relevant training for their role. When the risks to children change, the manager has sourced additional training for staff through an external provider. This ensures that staff have the knowledge and skills to meet the children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children live in a home that is nicely decorated and maintained to a high standard. The manager has ensured that the environment is homely and personalised to reflect the children’s personalities. Inspection report for children’s home: SC484247 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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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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)(i)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person should ensure that risk assessments provide full up-to-date information about incidents and include clear guidance for staff to follow; this relates specifically to the risk of knives and fire starting. They should ensure that staff are clear about the steps they should follow.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with and act in accordance with the home’s whistle-blowing policy.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person should ensure that information in children’s risk assessments is clear for staff to follow regarding the procedure they should follow when conducting 19 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC484247 7 a bedroom search. They should ensure that a bedroom search is completed when there has been a serious incident. This relates specifically to the risk of knives and fire-setting.

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Requirement Due date

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; and

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that each child has an up-to-date plan written by the placing authority on their file. 19 August 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 19 August 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: SC484247 8

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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: SC484247 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hexagon Care Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 1 Tustin Court, Riversway, Preston, Lancashire PR2 2YQ

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Inspector

Rachel Webster, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC484247 10 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 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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