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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2655345 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

The home provides care for up to three children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is led by a registered manager.

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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

Date of last inspection: not previously inspected

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 2655345 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not previously inspected Inspection report for children’s home: 2655345 3

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outstanding

Children are at the heart of this home. Managers and staff provide children with an extremely warm and nurturing home environment. Staff speak about children with enthusiasm, warmth and compassion. They demonstrate unwavering commitment to the children. This enables children to flourish in all areas of their development.

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outstanding

Children grow in confidence and self-esteem because they are so well supported by staff. Children can express their individuality and take pride in their achievements. This is because they receive excellent care and support from the team. The staff have outstanding relationships with each child. Together, they create a family feel in the home.

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outstanding

Children’s health needs are exceptionally well considered and met by staff. Staff work very closely and proactively with health services. There is a very strong therapeutic approach. Staff are empathetic, understanding the complexities of children’s previous life experiences and how these have an impact on their behaviour. As a result, children are happy and healthy.

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outstanding

Staff place a strong focus on supporting children to have fun, try new things and have a happy life. Staff go to great lengths to create pictures and children have positive memory books. These provide children with a collection of joyful pictures and photographs reflecting their time in the home. These books support children to reflect on and remember the events or activities with staff and people important to them. Children can take these very happy memories with them when they move on.

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outstanding

Children are engaged in education on a full-time basis. Staff advocate strongly for the children to have access to good education provision. Children make very good progress in line with their individual education plans. The communication between schools and residential staff is very effective. This ensures that children receive consistency in care and education. This supports children’s growth, development and progress.

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outstanding

Children’s contact with their families and friends is planned, encouraged and supported, where this is in their best interests. There is excellent communication between the manager, staff, family members, friends and other external professionals. Visits to family members are facilitated very well. Staff understand the value of these important relationships for children. This enables children to maintain positive relationships with people who support them. Inspection report for children’s home: 2655345 4

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outstanding

The manager and staff understand the children’s risks and vulnerabilities extremely well. The manager goes to great lengths to understand how best to protect and support children to grow and develop. For example, the manager has studied research-based approaches and adapted these for the care provided in the home. As a result, plans for children are very supportive and effective.

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outstanding

Children have very trusting relationships with staff. The manager and staff provide children with a consistent daily routine. Children enjoy this and greatly benefit from this structure. Staff provide emotional warmth and understanding. Together, they create a family feel in the home. This supports children to feel safe and secure.

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outstanding

Staff have received good-quality safeguarding training. Staff have also received extra training bespoke to the individual child’s risks. As a result, staff have a clear understanding of their safeguarding roles and responsibilities. Staff know how to report any concerns they may have. Safeguarding incidents are exceptionally rare. When they do occur, staff know how to respond and keep children safe.

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outstanding

Staff are extremely diligent. This ensures that the potential risks to children are understood and minimised. Risk assessments and care plans are very thorough. They provide clear and concise information about how children need to be supported. There is close monitoring of patterns and changes in children’s risks. Approaches to children’s care and plans are altered to reflect the changing needs. As a result, children are assured that staff will do everything to keep them safe.

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outstanding

There have been incidents of children going missing in care. When this happens, staff follow missing-from-care protocols and procedures exceptionally well. Staff are quick to respond and go above and beyond to ensure that children return to the home safely and as soon as possible. Following incidents, the manager is proactive and reflects on these incidents and works with other agencies to ensure that strategies to reduce risks are carefully considered and highly effective.

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outstanding

Staff manage difficult behaviours very well. They set clear boundaries. Staff focus on rewarding positive behaviours. Because staff look proactively for opportunities to praise children, children are supported to make positive choices about their actions and behaviours. The therapeutic approach by staff enables children to reflect on their thoughts and feelings. This helps children to take responsibility and creates an environment of accountability and fairness.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is a committed and passionate leader. She is highly ambitious for children and staff. A key strength of the home is the way the manager promotes learning and development of the team. She leads by example and has created a positive culture in the home. The staff team share the manager’s vision for this Inspection report for children’s home: 2655345 5 home. This is to ensure that all children have the best possible experiences and so children receive excellent child-centred care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Teamwork is fundamental in providing children with the best possible care and support. Staff focus on children’s strengths and abilities. They celebrate all the children’s successes no matter what these may be. Staff are committed to ensuring that each child has the best chances and outcomes possible. They advocate for children’s rights and needs. The manager and staff see themselves as a family around the child, which leads to excellent outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff experience an excellent level of support through regular formal one-to-one meetings with their manager. These are reflective and mean that staff can learn lessons and adapt their own practice. In addition, structured induction and probationary processes ensure that new staff have a well-planned induction to the home and good management oversight of their practice. As a result, staff are able to have a voice in influencing the excellent quality of care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The committed manager strives to promote the development of the staff team. Staff are supported to develop and grow. Staff access a range of bespoke training essential to the individual needs of the children. Research-informed practice underpins the work with children in this home. Staff also receive daily support and guidance from the management team and each other. This means that children receive care from a highly skilled, reflective and knowledgeable team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Effective management systems are in place. Children’s records are of a very high standard and provide detailed analysis of care provision. Regular audits take place to ensure that plans are dynamic in nature and change with the child. Children can read their plans and see their growth and the progress they are making. As a result, children are rightly proud of their achievements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Partnership work with external agencies is extensive. Multidisciplinary work means that the best interests of the children are met. Professionals contributed to this inspection and commended the work and commitment of the manager and staff. One professional said, ‘There is no better place, that’s what I would want for my own child. I don’t worry anymore about them, they are really happy there.’ Inspection report for children’s home: 2655345 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: 2655345 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

Thirza Smith, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2655345 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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