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

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 10314249 1 Registered provider: Horizon Care and Education Group Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home is registered to provide care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

Three children were living in the home at the time of this inspection. The inspector spoke to all of the children.

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Inspection date: 25 October 2023

Dates of last inspection: 17 and 18 April 2023

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Inspection date: 25 October 2023

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 10314249 2

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Outcome from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

Children like living in this home. They are supported to make progress in most areas of their lives. Children are encouraged to have aspirations and they know that staff care about them.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff spend regular and meaningful time with children talking about things that are important to children. Direct-work sessions focus on children’s individual needs and cover a wide range of topics, including healthy eating, budgeting, respect, smoking cessation and healthy relationships. This helps children to make safer choices.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff support children with education. However, one child is not currently in education, employment or training. Staff have supported the child with some job applications and interviews, but his daily routine lacks structure. Addressing this was a requirement at the last inspection and has been restated.

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Findings from the inspection

Children’s bedrooms are clean and tidy and are checked by staff daily as part of an incentive scheme. Children have been involved in choosing new decor and furniture for their rooms and are helping to decorate.

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Findings from the inspection

Children feel safe living in the home. They said that staff understand them well. Risk plans are well structured and support staff to understand and respond to children effectively.

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Findings from the inspection

Incidents of staff needing to physically hold children to keep them safe have significantly reduced since the last inspection. Incidents are recorded well, and the manager has clear oversight of these, with learning discussed in team meetings. Children are given the opportunity to reflect on incidents. However, after one incident, a member of staff involved in the incident spoke with the child as part of the child’s debrief. This does not allow independent oversight of the incident. A recommendation made at the last inspection has not been met and a requirement has been set.

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Findings from the inspection

Children are listened to and know how to complain. All complaints are taken seriously and investigated well. Children receive feedback about their complaint in a timely manner and are given the opportunity to speak to external professionals about their concerns.

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Findings from the inspection

Allegations are well managed. Information is appropriately shared with safeguarding professionals and investigations are robust. There is oversight from the manager, with clear rationale for decision-making. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 10314249 3 The manager has taken action to ensure that staffing changes since the last inspection have not had a significant impact on the care of the children. Shortfalls in staffing are covered by agency staff who are known to the children and who are in the process of becoming permanently employed. This means that children receive care from a consistent staff team. One staff member said, ‘The home is now more settled and calmer. I enjoy coming to work.’

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Findings from the inspection

Staff feel well supported by the manager. They benefit from access to relevant training and regular team meetings. However, supervision does not always take place in line with the organisation’s supervision policy. This was a requirement at the last inspection and has been restated.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager has a good monitoring system in place. Regular audits are also completed by the manager and responsible individual to provide oversight of practice in the home. However, when children’s care plans and pathway plans are not received, this is not always escalated in a timely manner. This reduces opportunities to ensure that the care provided to children is in line with their plans. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 10314249 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/04/2023 Full Good 20/04/2022 Full Good 11/01/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 10314249 5

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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 education standard is that children are supported to make measurable progress towards achieving their education potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support through the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(viii)

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children’s daily routines encourage and promote their engagement in education, employment or training.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 22 December

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Requirement Due date

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; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that staff are supervised in line with the home’s policy. 22 December Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 10314249 6 This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that there is an up-to-date placing authority care plan and pathway plan in place for each child living in the home.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 22 December

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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

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used;

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and 22 December Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 10314249 7 a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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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

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; 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)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the child is spoken to about the incident by someone who was not directly involved. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 10314249 8

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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

Colin Jones, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: 10314249 9 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 children 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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