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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2586943 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 organisation and provides care for up to four children. Children who live at the home may have experienced childhood trauma and may therefore exhibit complex behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

The post for a registered manager has been vacant since April 2023. There is a manager in post who is in the process of applying 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 requires improvement to be good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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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: 2586943 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/03/2023 Full Good 16/06/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2586943 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children and adults enjoy spending time together. The family-orientated approach of staff helps children to feel valued. Staff understand children’s individual needs, which helps children to form positive and trusting relationships with their carers. Children say that they feel safe and happy living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff pay attention to ensuring that children’s health needs are met. Children’s health plans are kept up to date and identify any actions needed to ensure that children remain in good health. Children are supported to attend routine, ad hoc and follow-up appointments as needed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to make good progress with their education. Staff regularly communicate with each child’s teachers. This has helped staff to understand children’s individual needs and provide the right support for learning at home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to move in and out of the home in a planned way. Children moving into the home have visits to the home before moving and are provided with the children’s guide. Children moving out of the home benefit from direct work with staff that is focused on preparing them for independent living. Staff ensure that children are kept up to date about when they might move. As a result, children feel better equipped for the next stage of their life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the previous inspection, some areas of the home have been redecorated. However, some areas of the home require additional attention to ensure a homely feel. For example, in one child’s bedroom, an area of dampness remained following an unsuccessful attempt to remedy the concern. The damp issue was addressed satisfactorily during the inspection.

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

There has been one complaint from a child since the previous inspection. This complaint was well managed and handled in line with the company policy. The child was kept informed during the process. Effective follow-up work was undertaken with relevant parties to minimise the likelihood of the concern reoccurring. Where incidents have occurred, staff have responded well to these. Staff are knowledgeable about their responsibilities when managing concerns. As a result, children have been safeguarded effectively.

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

Staff follow children’s individual protocols and respond immediately when children leave the home without permission. The fast response from staff has meant that children have returned to the home quickly..

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

Where medication errors have occurred, these have been well managed and medical attention has been sought to ensure that children are safe and that their health has Inspection report for children’s home: 2586943 4 not been compromised. Following medication errors, managers have reviewed risk management plans and provided learning opportunities for staff to raise their awareness about practice expectations. This has reduced the risk of further errors.

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

When a child made an allegation, managers responded to this promptly. The child was supported while enquiries were made and managers ensured that the child was informed of the outcome at the earliest opportunity. However, the manager did not report this to Ofsted as a notifiable incident.

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good

The current manager has been in post since July 2023.

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good

Managers support staff to complete training in a timely manner. Team meetings are used as opportunities to develop staff’s knowledge, particularly in respect of therapeutic practice. As a result, staff are better equipped to support children’s needs.

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good

Since the last inspection, some staff have achieved a relevant qualification. Staff who are enrolled to attain an award are currently within the time frame for achieving this. This is an improving picture.

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good

There is good communication between the manager, staff and relevant professionals. One professional said, ‘The home is well managed and provides a safe, nurturing environment for the young people.’

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good

New members of staff are not always safely recruited. On one occasion, the manager did not assure herself that a reference for an agency member of staff had been verified. In addition, managers have not always ensured that the reasons for staff leaving previous employment with children or vulnerable adults are clarified.

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good

Staff have not received regular professional supervision. For example, the deputy manager has not had supervision for over five months. For several members of staff, there have been months where supervision has not taken place. As a result, staff have not fully been supported to professionally develop or reflect on their practice.

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good

The manager’s oversight of the quality of care has not been timely or consistent. For example, there has been a delay in managers reviewing some incidents. In addition, managers have not always reviewed the effectiveness of staff responses to incidents. Consequently, it is not clear how managers have assured themselves about the quality of care being provided to children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2586943 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (2)(c)(i)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that the home’s environment is well maintained and that work is undertaken to repair damaged areas of the home. 4 January 2024

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that they have effective oversight of the operation of the home and the quality of care provided to children. Leaders must 4 January 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2586943 6 implement monitoring and review systems to help them understand and improve children’s progress and experiences.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 4 January 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have a system in place so that all serious events are notified, within 24 hours, to the appropriate people. The system should cover the action that should be followed if the event arises at the weekend or on a public holiday. Notification must include details of the action taken by the home’s staff in response to the event. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.9)  The registered person should ensure that recruitment, supervision and performance management of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1)

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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: 2586943 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

Chanel Bryant, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2586943 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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