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

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC479654 1 SC479654 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

This home is one of a number of homes operated by a private company. The home is registered to provide care for up to six children of the same gender. Children living in the home also have access to the organisation’s school and therapy departments. The inspector only inspected the social care provision at this site.

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Information about this children’s home

There were five children living in the home at the time of the inspection. Some of the children spoke with the inspector about their experiences of living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

A manager has been appointed. She has submitted her application to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspectors were aware during this inspection that serious child protection allegations were being investigated by the appropriate authorities.

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This monitoring visit

Following a full inspection on 19 and 20 July 2023, Ofsted judged the home to be inadequate. Serious shortfalls were identified in relation to the leadership and management of the home and the oversight of safeguarding practices. One compliance notice was issued, under section 22A of the Care Standards Act 2000. This related to regulation 13, the leadership and management standard.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit took place to monitor the actions taken by the provider in relation to the compliance notice.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has an improved understanding of her role, responsibilities and the general monitoring of the operation of the home. She has spent time developing the staff team’s knowledge and practice in their roles. The responsible individual regularly supervises the manager to ensure that there is regular senior management Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC479654 2 oversight of the home, and together they have agreed an action plan to drive improvements in the quality of care.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has implemented a clear mobile phone monitoring procedure for staff to follow, should children need to be supported to safely manage their mobile phone and internet use. Staff understand how frequently checks should be undertaken and how to conduct the checks. Daily records evidence that staff now appropriately record and report any concerns and undertake follow-up direct work with children to educate them on keeping themselves safe online.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has explored staff’s understanding of when they should conduct a room search, balancing their professional curiosity to keep children safe with children’s right to privacy. A room search flow chart has been devised to guide staff through the process, with oversight by senior managers.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last full inspection, there have been no incidents of children needing to be held to keep them safe. However, the manager has revisited the positive handling and restraint policy with staff during a team meeting. This has helped to improve the staff team’s understanding of effective incident recording and the importance of undertaking staff and child debriefs following any serious incidents.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has undertaken improvement work in relation to her oversight of incidents. She has developed a better level of scrutiny when evaluating incidents and the staff team’s responses to serious incidents. In one example of this, the manager took prompt action when she was not satisfied with staff’s response to a child going missing from the home. She plans to follow this up with the rest of the staff team as part of a lessons learned exercise.

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This monitoring visit

The senior leadership team and manager have all revisited supervision training. The manager now oversees all staff supervision records to ensure that she has oversight of the team’s professional development.

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This monitoring visit

The manager and deputy manager have undertaken safer recruitment training. The manager now recognises the importance of having full oversight of all recruitment records before staff start work in the home, to assure herself that all checks have been appropriately conducted.

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This monitoring visit

A clearer training matrix has been introduced that enables the manager to monitor staff training needs more effectively. She has introduced training or a topic of discussion to the weekly staff meeting agenda to develop her staff’s understanding of their roles and responsibilities in safeguarding children. This has included topics such as supporting children to manage their mobile phones safely, signs of grooming, professional curiosity and whistle-blowing procedures.

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This monitoring visit

Placing authority quality assurance officers and social workers were all satisfied with the improvements made since the last inspection. They reported that the home’s senior leadership team was responsive to their recommendations and guidance. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC479654 3 Children spoken to during the visit said they were happy in the home and that the care and support they are provided with has improved.

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This monitoring visit

A case review was held following this visit. It was determined at the case review that the provider has acted to meet all the steps in the compliance notice served under regulation 13.

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This monitoring visit

The remaining requirements regarding areas of concern raised at the full inspection were not considered during this visit. They remain in place and will be reviewed at the home’s next inspection.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/07/2023 Full Inadequate 07/03/2023 Full Good 08/02/2022 Full Outstanding 25/02/2020 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC479654 4

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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 with 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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(v)(vi))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, staff must be provided with clear and consistent guidance to reduce risks for children and promote their safety, for example, in relation to the frequency of checks on children’s mobile phones and when room searches must be undertaken. 5 September 2023

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, that overseas checks are undertaken for staff when they have worked overseas. 5 September 2023 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC479654 5 The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, that poor or concerning staff practice is always addressed or overseen by the manager or a member of the senior management team. 5 September 2023

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline, or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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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; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(vii)(b)(i)(c)) 5 September 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

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

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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)(c)(e)) 5 September 2023

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person— 5 September 2023 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC479654 6 if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives, and persons working at the home as the independent person requires. (Regulation 44 (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing, and evaluating—

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Requirement Due date

the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities, and the quality of care they receive in it.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (2)(a)(b) (5)) 5 September 2023

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that children are consulted regularly on their views about the home’s care, to inform and support continued improvement in the quality of care provided. Children should be able to see the results of their views being listened to and acted on. Specifically, children should be provided with feedback about their requests made in house meetings, even if they cannot be actioned. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11)  The registered person should ensure that staff have sufficient understanding of relevant health services. They should support children to navigate these services, advocating on their behalf where necessary and appropriate. Specifically, staff should access appropriate healthcare services to seek advice when children sustain injuries following unforeseen events. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes

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Recommendations

Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.8)  The registered person should ensure that all medicines are administered in line with a medically approved protocol. Records must be kept of the administration of all medication, which includes occasions when prescribed medication is refused. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15) Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC479654 7

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC479654 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hexagon Care Services Limited

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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

Cheryl Field, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC479654 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 children who are looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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