Children's Home run by Hexagon Care Services Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC480681 1 SC480681 Registered provider: Hexagon Care Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is one of a number of homes owned and managed by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to four children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in 2015.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home. Both children spoke to the inspector about their experiences of living in the home.

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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: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC480681 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/03/2023 Full Good 02/11/2021 Full Good 11/12/2018 Full Good 28/11/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC480681 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children have lived in the home since before the previous inspection. The children say they are happy living in this home. They make good progress because of the care and support they receive from staff, who know them well. Staff build meaningful relationships with the children. Consequently, children feel valued. One child said, ‘It is the best place to live.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are able to make their views known through regular conversations with staff. The home also has regular meetings with the children so that they can shape and influence the care that they receive. These meetings cover a wide range of topics, such as activities and meals, and extend into conversations about different cultures. This helps to widen the children’s appreciation of the world around them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle. Children are supported to attend routine healthcare appointments, whereas before they did not. Children are able to make age-appropriate decisions about their healthcare, and staff offer advice when required. An example of this is when one child did not want to have a flu vaccine, so staff supported them with information and advice to enable them to make an informed decision.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported in a positive manner when they leave the home. When they leave, most children move into semi-independent living. Many children previously living in the home continue to visit and are still in contact with the staff after reaching adulthood. One such adult came to visit staff during the inspection, and the conversations that were observed were a key indicator that enduring positive relationships are nurtured.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to attend school and to achieve their potential. One child is struggling to maintain his school placement, and staff have supported them in accessing a building course, which they enjoy. The child has aspirations to develop a trade.

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

Children say they feel safe in this home. Staff understand children’s behaviours well. Children’s individual risk and behaviour support plans are thorough and offer staff advice about how to respond to children and keep them safe.

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

Staff take appropriate action when children go missing from the home and make every effort to contact them and encourage their safe return. One child has recently started to go missing. Staff have evaluated these incidents and are working with the child and their social worker to understand the reasons behind them. Risk plans are Inspection report for children’s home: SC480681 4 updated following episodes of the child going missing from home to ensure that staff understand children’s current and emerging vulnerabilities and risks.

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

Staff promote positive behaviours through incentives and rewards. Physical interventions are not used, and staff deliver a model of care that engages children to make positive choices. This approach is helped by staff and children engaging in age-appropriate, direct-work sessions on topics that help children develop strategies for themselves.

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

Safer recruitment processes are robust, and all necessary checks are completed to a high standard. The manager reviews all recruitment checks thoroughly and identifies whether any further action is required.

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

Door alarms are always activated on children’s bedrooms. Risk assessments do not state why there is a need to activate these alarms. There is no consent in place from the social worker and therefore this decision is not reviewed. This limits children’s right to privacy.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say they enjoy working at the home and they feel supported by the manager and his deputy. Staff morale is high, and retention is good. New staff receive a detailed induction with a comprehensive training package that gives them the competences to meet children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision and attend regular team meetings, which is in line with the provider’s policy. Children’s needs are considered at each meeting alongside their progress and achievements. This allows staff to discuss in detail how best to care for and support the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team is stable. The manager has ensured that children receive care from diverse staff team members, whose skills complement each other’s. There are plans for the children and staff to move to a new home owned by the provider group. New staff have been coming to work at the home to get to know the children before the move in order to support a smooth transition.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The monitoring of the home by the independent visitor, the manager and the responsible individual is effective. Issues are resolved quickly so that the quality of care that children receive helps them to make progress. However, the home’s rota does not include the actual hours that all staff work in the home. This limits management oversight and leaves children vulnerable as it is not clear who is caring for the children at any given time. Inspection report for children’s home: SC480681 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 registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children;

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Requirement Due date

the child’s placing authority consents in writing to the monitoring or surveillance;

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Requirement Due date

so far as reasonably practicable in the light of the child’s age and understanding, the child is informed in advance of the intention to do the monitoring or surveillance; and

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the bedroom door alarms are only used to keep children safe, and that their use is: agreed by children’s placing authorities, reflected in children’s plans, and kept under review. 28 March 2024

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Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date; and

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Requirement Due date

retain the records for at least 15 years from the date of the last entry. (Regulation 37 (1)(2)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must compile a rota that accurately records the actual hours worked by staff and managers. 28 March 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC480681 6

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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: SC480681 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hexagon Care Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Hexagon Care, 1 Tustin Court, Port Way, Ashton- on-Ribble, Preston PR2 2YQ

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Inspector

Colin Jones, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC480681 8 regulates and 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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