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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2623947 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 is operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to three children who have had adverse childhood experiences.

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Information about this children’s home

The current manager has been registered with Ofsted since February 2022. The manager is undertaking a level 5 qualification in leadership and management.

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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: 20 September 2022

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2623947 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/09/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2623947 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s experiences of moving from or into the home are positive and consider their wishes and feelings. The registered manager works with people who are important to the children to ensure that they receive support to prepare them for moving home. Children are given information about the home and have the option to visit. At the time of this inspection, two children were living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff promote education well. When new children move in to the home staff support children, where possible, to maintain attendance at their current school. This reduces disruption to their learning. One child, who was previously not attending school prior to moving in to the home, now participates in daily online tutoring. Staff take time to understand the child’s barriers to attending school and provide them with support. As a result, the child is now planning to attend a school that is local to the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The importance of children’s identity is understood and promoted by the manager and staff. Children receive personalised care that enables them to embrace and understand their culture. One child now has a better understanding of how to manage their hair type, and their personal care routine includes skin care. This has contributed to improving the child’s confidence and self-esteem.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff offer children opportunities to attend a wide range of fun activities. They are encouraged to join local groups and clubs to support them to develop positive friendships and improve their social skills that will help them in the future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The views and wishes of children are understood by the manager and staff. This means that children are supported by staff to keep in touch with people who are important to them, and they benefit from spending time with people who they care about. One child’s family member referred to the manager and staff as ‘angels from above’ as their influence has contributed to the positive changes that they have seen in the child since moving in to the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Health is promoted well. Children are registered with local services and attend routine health checks. When children are unwell, staff are very nurturing. For example, one child who was suffering with a cold was woken up by staff who had made them a hot lemon and honey drink. Medication prescribed to children is correctly stored and administered to children in line with the prescriber’s directions.

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

Behaviours and risks are understood by staff. There are clear plans in place that provide staff with effective guidance on responding to risks. Children have positive relationships with the staff who care for them. This means that children accept help to regulate their emotions, resulting in a reduction in incidents. Inspection report for children’s home: 2623947 4 Children feel safe and can speak to managers and staff if they have any worries or concerns. Staff have a good understanding of safeguarding practices. This helps to keep children safe.

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

There have been no occasions where children’s whereabouts have not been known by staff. Positive relationships between children are promoted by staff, who respond promptly when there are any tensions. This prevents conflicts from escalating and ensures that children have positive experiences of living together.

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

Staff are trained to use physical intervention. This is only used as a last resort. Since the last inspection, there has been one occasion where it was needed to prevent harm to a person. Staff keep descriptive records of the incidents and techniques used. The child and staff involved reflected on the incident, which was reviewed by a senior manager.

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

Five new staff have started working in the home. There are safe recruitment systems in place, which reduce the risk of children being cared for by unsuitable individuals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has effective systems in place to monitor the quality of care that children receive. The manager consults with staff and children about the day-to-day operations of the home. This helps her to develop a vision for the home that everyone is invested in achieving.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The culture of the home is based on high expectations. Staff use language that is reflective of a family environment. For example, the office used by staff is referred to as a ‘study’ and the staff team are referred to as the ‘grown ups’. This practice, alongside the well-maintained and furnished environment, makes the home feel welcoming and comfortable.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff feel well supported. Staff benefit from regular supervisions and team meetings. These provide staff with safe, reflective spaces. In addition, a clinician employed by the organisation provides staff with a monthly group consultation to help them to review therapeutic care plans. This helps staff to develop effective strategies that are trauma informed and child centred.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are sufficient staff to support the two children who live in the home. This means that they receive consistent care from people they know. The manager ensures that staff complete relevant training within expected timescales. Staff who do not hold a suitable qualification are supported to complete this within regulatory requirements. Inspection report for children’s home: 2623947 5

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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: 2623947 6

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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

Helen Dunn, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2623947 7 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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