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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC480854 1 SC480854 Registered provider: Hexagon Care Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

A private provider owns and operates the home. Ofsted has registered the home to provide care for up to six children. Children may require support due to having learning, social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, five children were living at the home.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home has a suitably qualified manager, who registered with Ofsted in May 2019.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 21 September 2022

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC480854 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

21/09/2022 Full Good 24/05/2021 Full Good 10/12/2019 Full Good 04/09/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC480854 3

p.2

improvement to be good

Poor staffing arrangements undermine the overall care of the children. Frequent changes of staff have challenged the manager’s ability to address important issues in the home effectively. Consequently, there are occasions when the staff do not provide the children with good-quality care.

p.3

improvement to be good

Some children in the home use vapes. While the staff complete work with the children to address this, they do not consistently respond and act when the children hoard vapes or cigarette lighters in their bedrooms. This significantly undermines the boundaries and expectations that are in place for the children.

p.3

improvement to be good

The staff encourage the children to add their views to their care plans that the staff compile. However, the children’s plans are duplicated and lack meaning. This devalues the efforts that the staff make to seek the child’s view as the children perceive these efforts as tokenistic.

p.3

improvement to be good

The older children in the home learn skills that they will need in adulthood. Staff support these children to learn skills so that they can budget and prepare meals. However, not all of the older children are supported to develop skills that are specific to them. One older child has not been supported to keep their bedroom safe and clean.

p.3

improvement to be good

The manager and deputy manager have a relentless approach to supporting the children’s access to school and college. There is good partnership working with the children’s respective virtual schools and education advocates. However, this effort and promotion of the children’s learning at school are not matched in the home. The lack of stimulus in the home, such as reading materials, does not provide the children with informal opportunities to learn.

p.3

improvement to be good

The manager works closely with the children’s families. This enables the manager to better support the children to repair and improve their relationships with their families. When the children have experienced challenge and upset concerning issues associated with their families, the staff have provided additional support that the children have responded to positively.

p.3

improvement to be good

Diversity is celebrated in the home. The staff are curious and open to learning about the children’s different cultures and influences. This has promoted a culture of acceptance between the children who live in the home.

p.3

improvement to be good

The staff are better prepared to support the children so that they have the best possible start in their new home. The manager ensures that there is thorough planning around the children who move into the home. When information is lacking, the manager has shown resourcefulness to learn about the child from other sources. Inspection report for children’s home: SC480854 4 This ensures that the staff have as much information about the child as possible.

p.3

improvement to be good

The manager consistently raises all concerns about the children’s welfare to the relevant local authority. This enables safeguarding professionals to act and address the children’s risks. However, in one instance, the manager failed to cascade information shared by a local authority to the staff team. This oversight significantly hampered the team in their ability to better protect the children.

p.4

improvement to be good

Safeguarding incidents are shared with all safeguarding agencies, and these are generally reported to Ofsted as required. However, two significant events were not reported to Ofsted. Consequently, Ofsted was not able to promptly raise an oversight by the leaders and manager, who had overlooked several areas of support that the children required.

p.4

improvement to be good

The organisation has processes in place to promote safer employment practice. However, in one instance, the organisation lacked curiosity to verify the credentials of a specific staff reference. This gap weakens the process that is in place to better protect children.

p.4

improvement to be good

Although some of the children have gone missing from the home, this is not a frequent occurrence. When children do go missing from the home, the staff report this to the police and share the information that is in the children’s Philomena plans. However, this information is lacking as some of the important information that the police would value is missing from some of the children’s plans.

p.4

improvement to be good

The manager acts decisively when there are incidents of suspected bullying. This ensures that any potential harm and conflict between the children do not escalate. The manager oversees the mediation exercises between the children. This process reassures the children that their frustrations are understood and acted on.

p.4

improvement to be good

Good networks have been established with safeguarding professionals in the local community. This has enabled the manager to better understand the inherent risks around the vicinity of the home. Likewise, professionals have had the opportunity to better understand the children who live in the home. This has improved the children’s support network.

p.4

improvement to be good

The day after the inspection concluded, the organisation informed Ofsted that it had received information of concern about the practice of some of the staff. The organisation and the local authority are currently investigating these allegations.

p.4

good

The input of the manager and the deputy manager in relation to the care of the children is significant. However, the manager’s analysis of some significant events Inspection report for children’s home: SC480854 5 that have occurred in the home has been fleeting. This has meant that the staff have not had the direction that they have needed to fulfil their obligations to the children.

p.4

good

Two significant events have occurred in the home that question the integrity and accountability of the staff. In both instances, the staff withheld important information from the manager for a significant period of time. This practice calls into question the culture and ethos of the staff’s practice in the home. This closed culture prevents the manager and leaders from taking effective action to ensure that the home is operating in line with its statement of purpose so that the children’s welfare is promoted.

p.5

good

Team meetings and staff supervision sessions are frequent and well attended. However, significant events are not comprehensively discussed. This reduces the opportunity for learning, which prevents the staff from being accountable and understanding the expectations that are placed on them.

p.5

good

The organisation does not take ownership of the records that it has produced about a child. When a child moves on from the home, the child’s case notes are surrendered to the child’s local authority to archive. This is not in line with the regulation. Additionally, the filing system is complicated and difficult for the staff and managers to retrieve the children’s information. This prevents the staff from obtaining the children’s information quickly when required. Inspection report for children’s home: SC480854 6

p.5

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, The 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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.6

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.6

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;

p.6

Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

p.6

Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm;

p.6

Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b)(d)(e)) 15 September Inspection report for children’s home: SC480854 7 The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

p.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

p.7

Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

p.7

Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

p.7

Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

p.7

Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

p.7

Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

p.7

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(e)(f)(g)(i)(h)) 15 September

p.7

Recommendations

 The registered person should create an ethos in the home that supports each child to learn, emphasising the value of independent study and reading for enjoyment. The home must make available suitable facilities, equipment and resources for learning and ensure that the home’s routines do not form barriers to children wishing to use the home’s resources to study. Staff should be creative in promoting children to read and learn about their wider world. (‘Guide to the Inspection report for children’s home: SC480854 8 Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 29, paragraph 5.18)  The registered person should show responsibility for maintaining good employment practice. They must ensure that the recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality

p.7

Recommendations

standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)  The registered person should support the staff to understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the children must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to them. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should take responsibility for the children’s case records. Children’s case records must be kept for 75 years from the date of birth of the child, or if the child dies before the age of 18, for 15 years from the date of his or her death. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)

p.8

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: SC480854 9

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hexagon Care Services Limited

p.9

Children’s home details

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

p.9

Inspectors

Steve Guirey, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC480854 10 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

p.9

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.10

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.10

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.10