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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2572133 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 owned by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to four children aged between eight and 17 years with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is in the process of submitting her application to register 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 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: 9 November 2022

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2572133 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/11/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/08/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/05/2021 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 2572133 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is warm, welcoming and well decorated. Soft furnishings and photos help to create a homely environment. Children’s bedrooms are comfortably furnished, and children are encouraged to personalise their own space. This supports children to develop a sense of belonging. One child told the inspector that the home is ‘amazing and calm’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that children’s health needs are met. Children are supported to attend all their routine health appointments. Staff promote children’s fitness and well-being by supporting them to attend activities, such as football and going to the gym. Staff are supported by the provider’s clinical team to establish appropriate approaches to promote children’s emotional health and well-being. Additionally, staff seek specialist help when necessary. This multi-agency approach means that children’s holistic needs are promoted effectively.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s education is promoted by the manager and staff. One child found it challenging attending an education placement. Staff and education professionals have identified that the child’s needs can be best met through home education. Staff are supporting the child through the home education curriculum, which the child has engaged with positively. Staff and education providers work together, through daily conversations and taking an active interest in children’s education, to help children achieve the best outcomes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have developed positive and trusting relationships with staff. One child told the inspector, ‘Staff are good.’ Warm and friendly interactions between children and staff were observed during the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to develop their independence skills by helping them to budget and encouraging them to help with daily tasks, such as cooking simple meals and cleaning their bedrooms. These tasks support children to build independence skills and prepare them for adult life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to spend time with those who are important to them, such as family and friends. Staff have positive relationships with family members, ensuring that safe and meaningful contact takes place when appropriate. One child’s family member said that staff ‘go out their way both emotionally and physically; they are very caring’. This approach helps children to maintain relationships with people who are significant in their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

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

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff prioritise the safety and welfare of children. There are very few safeguarding incidents in the home. When incidents do occur, safeguarding concerns are managed well and shared appropriately with other professionals, enabling relevant Inspection report for children’s home: 2572133 4 professionals to respond to incidents. These processes ensure that children are kept safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff and the manager know what action to take to keep children safe. Risk assessments identify known risks and the action that staff are expected to take to keep children safe. The manager and staff regularly review the plans, and any updates are completed immediately. Children said that they feel safe, and that staff help them to keep safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There has been only one incident of physical intervention since the last inspection. This was used as a last resort after staff had tried to de-escalate the situation using measures identified in the child’s plans. A debrief was completed with the child in a timely manner after the restraint. However, the manager did not carry out a debrief with the member of staff involved. This limits the independent scrutiny of the incident to identify any gaps in practice.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help children to understand their emotions. Children receive support from staff who use a therapeutic approach, which helps children to stay calm. This helps the children to explore their thoughts and feelings through conversation and activity with empathetic staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Safer recruitment practices are in place. This ensures that staff are carefully vetted and are safe and appropriate to work at the children’s home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is in the process of registering with Ofsted. In the short time that she has been in post, she has built trusting relationships with both the children and the staff. She leads by example and has high expectations of the staff and the care that they provide to the children. One staff member said that the manager is ‘supportive’ and that the home is ‘a good place to work’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is staffed by a stable and consistent staff team. The manager ensures that staff are well supported to undertake their roles effectively. Staff have completed a variety of relevant training suitable to the children’s needs. The therapeutic model of care used in the home is understood by all staff. Consequently, staff have the knowledge and skills to provide good-quality care to the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that staff receive good-quality, reflective supervision that is regular and develops their practice. Children are at the centre of supervision discussions and there is emphasis on improving the quality of care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff’s strengths and areas for development are captured in appraisals. Staff are encouraged to take ownership of their continued professional development, which is evident with one staff member taking responsibility in supporting the home’s development plan. Inspection report for children’s home: 2572133 5 The manager’s monitoring and reviewing systems are effective. She is fully aware of the home’s strengths and areas for development. She promptly addresses shortfalls, which helps to ensure that children are safe and promotes a good standard of care for the children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2572133 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, 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.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the behaviour management policy") which sets out—

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Requirement Due date

how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it.

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so ("the authorised person")—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure. (Regulation 35 (1)(a)(b) (2) (3)(b)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the manager ensuring that staff involved in physical interventions are offered a debrief following the incident. 23 September

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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: 2572133 7

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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

Jas Nahar, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2572133 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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