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

Inspection report for children’s home: 1229762 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 is a privately run home. Up to three children can live at the home. However, at the time of inspection, two children were resident. Since the last inspection, three children have moved in to the home and four children have left.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has an experienced registered manager.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: not applicable Inspection report for children’s home: 1229762 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/07/2022 Full Good 29/06/2021 Full Good 12/02/2020 Full Good 06/11/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1229762 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have supported children to personalise their bedrooms. One child has LED lighting and a nice set up for his much-loved computer. Children have their memories displayed around the home in photographs. The garden is large, and, in the warmer months, children enjoy playing football with staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children to participate in activities. For one child this includes exploring the local area by going on long walks. Children invite their peers on activities with them. One child very much enjoyed their recent holiday, laughing at the memory of an alpaca spitting at a staff member.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to see their family and others who are important to them. Staff go above and beyond to support children during family bereavements. One child stated that staff supported her more than she could have ‘ever imagined’. This support does not stop at the child, it also includes their wider family system.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children who did not previously attend school now attend daily. This is due to the advocacy and support of staff. One child is preparing for their first college interview.

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

Staff support children to understand risks posed to them. Staff educate children on subjects such as internet safety, the risks of weapons, and the use of illegal substances. They also teach children about the law and what impact decisions could have on their futures. This supports children to make more-informed and positive decisions.

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

Staff respond well when children display concerning behaviour. For example, staff have utilised the local fire brigade to teach children about the dangers of fire setting. This created a fun, yet serious, learning environment for the children and strengthened community relationships.

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

Staff take children’s complaints seriously. All complaints are thoroughly investigated and the outcomes shared with children. Although the outcome may not always be what the child anticipates, they are supported to understand why the decision has been made. Staff try to repair relationships with children when there has been discontent.

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

When children’s whereabouts are unknown, staff actively search the area to try to find them. Staff have a good understanding of children’s networks, which aids their ability to look for them. Staff work well with children’s parents to strengthen the search for children and ensure their safety. Inspection report for children’s home: 1229762 4

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager strives for the best outcomes for children. She remains in contact with children who have moved on from the home. Where the relationship is strained with one child living at the home, she seeks support to try to improve this. The breakdown in the relationship does not prevent her from advocating for the child’s best interests.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Overall, the manager has good oversight of the home and care provided for children. A recent change in the recording system has resulted in some records not being overseen in a timely way. Therefore, the manager does not have consistent oversight of discussions that her staff have with children. This means that she has not always been able to evaluate staff responses or offer learning development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel highly supported by the manager. Several staff commented that the manager’s ethos is a key factor for their working at the service. Although the manager has appraised her staff, leaders did not plan for appraisals to be overseen while she was off work. This resulted in staff not being appraised for a year.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Individual staff discussions and team meetings are held regularly. They offer a space for learning and reflection. Staff utilise this time to speak about children in depth and think of additional ways to best support them. The manager does not always unpick with staff how their own emotions may impact on their responses to children. For example, although staff are educated on children’s diagnoses, they are not always understanding when children need information to be repeated.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s views are actively sought, and this supports the planning of their care. Therefore, the previous requirement in relation to this has been met. Inspection report for children’s home: 1229762 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, 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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iv)(ix)(x))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to ensuring that staff understand how children’s current needs and past experiences can impact on behaviour and responses to support. This also relates to ensuring that supervision offers a reflective space for staff to understand and manage how their own feelings may impact on their responses to the behaviour and emotions of children. 29 March 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 1229762 6 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 promotes their welfare.

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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

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to ensuring that the registered person has consistent oversight of records, including key- work sessions. It also relates to ensuring that learning development from such oversight is appropriately supported to ensure the best outcomes for children. 29 March 2024

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Recommendations

 All staff must have their performance and fitness to carry out their role formally appraised at least once annually. Thought needs to be taken as to who is best placed to undertake annual reviews if the registered manager is on prolonged leave. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards, page 61, paragraph 13.5)

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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: 1229762 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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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Tamika McCalla-Gibson

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Inspectors

Ellen Monk, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1229762 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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