Children's home run by Horizon Care and Education Group Limited

Inspection report for children's home: 1253501 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 provides care for up to three children who have learning disabilities. There were three children living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is led by a registered manager.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 13 February 2023

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 1253501 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/02/2023 Full Outstanding 14/12/2021 Full Outstanding 19/12/2019 Full Outstanding 06/03/2019 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children's home: 1253501 3

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outstanding

Children are extremely happy at this home. Staff have built very positive and close relationships with children. Children are very comfortable spending their time with the staff. Staff say they love working with the children. A local authority personal assistant said, ‘They understand their needs and you can see [child’s name] loves the staff, genuinely.’

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outstanding

Children’s care plans are individualised, comprehensive and detailed. Care planning starts before admission with an initial assessment booklet. Managers complete this together with the child’s parents. As a result, staff know how to provide excellent care and protection from when children first move in. A range of additional, creatively designed documents, including a ‘my journey’ booklet, capture the highlights and excellent progress the children make while living in the home.

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outstanding

Staff meet children’s health needs exceptionally well. This is particularly the case with regard to managing children’s epilepsy. There is effective partnership working between staff and health professionals. Each child has a detailed ‘health passport’ that serves as a reminder to staff of the child’s needs and any medication used by the child.

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outstanding

Staff support children to maintain their education placements. All the children attend school full time. Staff and teachers use a daily log to inform each other of how the child has been at home and school. Staff are extremely proud of the children and any progress they make. They celebrate their achievements. This has included a child learning a new word and understanding its meaning.

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outstanding

Staff fully understand the way each child communicates. For children who are non- verbal, staff use a range of communication methods, including pictures, symbols and Makaton. Staff make social stories with pictures to help children to understand daily events, such as meals, routines and activities. Staff use pictures and symbols to help children express their views and make choices.

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outstanding

Staff ensure that children’s families remain central to their lives. This includes time with families at the home or their family home. Family members are extremely positive about the manager and the staff. One parent said, ‘The staff are brilliant and very professional. We have no concerns.’

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outstanding

Children’s moves in and out of the home are exceptionally well planned. The manager ensures that they have all the information they need before children move in. Staff work closely with parents and social workers at this important time in a child’s life. One child has lived at the home for a long time and is now moving to an adult provision. Staff from the new home have visited and worked alongside the Inspection report for children's home: 1253501 4 staff at this home. Therefore, children are very well supported through these times of change.

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outstanding

Staff have an excellent understanding of risks to children. They are aware of the additional vulnerabilities of children with learning disabilities. Behaviour support plans clearly identify behaviours that may be risky for each child. The plans inform staff of how to recognise these risks and how to respond to them. Staff have a detailed understanding of each child’s needs and behaviours. This ensures that staff keep children as safe as possible.

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outstanding

Staff are skilled at responding to children’s behaviour that is difficult to manage. Staff know the children extremely well and are in tune with their emotions. This allows them to see when a child is upset or anxious and they know how to support them. As a result, recourse to physical intervention is rare. A forensic psychologist provides additional support to staff. This contributes further to staff’s understanding of children’s individual behaviour and the best way to support each child.

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outstanding

The manager ensures that additional safety measures are in place when required, such as video monitoring for some children to keep them safe. Parents and social workers have consented to this as it is necessary. One parent said, ‘The standard of care and safeguarding is excellent.’

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outstanding

The manager and staff fully understand how to deal with any safeguarding concerns. For example, when a safeguarding concern arose, a member of staff reported this. The manager took immediate action to keep children safe. Safeguarding professionals were appropriately involved.

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outstanding

Children do not go missing from the home. Staff supervise the children closely in the home and out in the community. Staff fully understand what to do should a child go missing, as there are clear protocols and policies in place.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and deputy manager are aspirational. They have high expectations of themselves and the staff. They have the needs of the children at the centre of their practice. They role model high standards of practice and help staff develop into skilled practitioners. Staff feel extremely well supported by the managers and say they can speak to them about anything.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive high-quality monthly one-to-one supervision sessions. This helps them to feel supported and developed by experienced senior workers and managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Regular team meetings enable in-depth discussions about each child, including their progress, any concerns and their overall care. The meetings provide a time for Inspection report for children's home: 1253501 5 reflection, learning and development. This has led to ongoing improvements in practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager seeks to continually learn and develop for the benefit of the children. She accesses research and additional training specific to the needs of the children. She then shares this with all staff to develop their practice and improve children’s experiences. For example, research into sensory processing and self-regulation led to the home buying a play tent for the lounge. Learning from research is embedded in practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

A new, experienced responsible individual supports the manager extremely well. She visits the home regularly and is readily available by phone. The responsible individual supervises the manager each month. In addition to this, support meetings are held at the start and end of each week with other team managers to share information and promote the smooth running of the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager uses a range of quality assurance tools and monitoring systems effectively. This includes daily, weekly and monthly checks of the home, as well as monthly audits and regular practice observations. This gives the manager and responsible individual comprehensive oversight of the care of the children and assurances that children continue to receive excellent standards of care.

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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: 1253501 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

Shaun Caplis, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 1253501 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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