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

Inspection report children's home: 1235654 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 four children who may require support in respect of social and emotional needs. The home is owned and operated by a private organisation.

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Information about this children's home

The registered manager has been in post since July 2022.

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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: 8 November 2022

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: 1235654 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/11/2022 Full Good 20/07/2021 Full Good 05/03/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness 18/06/2019 Full Good Inspection report children's home: 1235654 3

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outstanding

Since the previous inspection, three children have moved on to other placements. When children have left the home, managers ensure they receive exceptional support and assistance. Where possible children are fully prepared and visit their new home prior to moving in. The manager and staff go above and beyond to continue with emotional support once children move because they understand the gravity of such life changing moves.

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outstanding

Children are at the heart of this home. Managers and staff provide children with an extremely warm and nurturing home environment. Staff speak about children with enthusiasm, warmth, and compassion. They demonstrate unwavering commitment to the children. This enables children to flourish in all areas of their development.

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outstanding

Children's progress, experiences, wishes and views are central, well understood and the pillar used to develop very high-quality wrap around care. Most of the children have lived at the home for a long time. This level of stability creates a real sense of belonging. This has been significant in allowing children to build secure and mean- ingful relationships with a team of staff who children know, trust, and rely on.

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outstanding

Children grow in confidence and self-esteem because they are so well supported by staff. Children spend meaningful and purposeful time with staff. Together, children and staff discuss sensitive issues and have difficult conversations. This alleviates children’s worries and enables them to reflect, learn and develop. Staff support children to express their individuality and take pride in their achievements. The staff have outstanding relationships with each child. Together, they create a nurturing family feel in the home.

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outstanding

Staff meet children’s health needs exceptionally well. Staff receive support and guidance from clinicians within the organisation. They provide regular consultation and advice on how to support children. The clinicians also provide direct support to the children. This further promotes children’s health and emotional well-being.

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outstanding

Staff place a strong focus on supporting children to have fun, try new things and have a happy life. There is lots of laughter in the home and relationships between staff and children are exceptional. Staff go to great lengths to create pictures, photograph albums and positive memory books which provides children with a collection of happy memories. Children take these very happy memories with them when they move on.

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outstanding

Children are well prepared for the school day, and this helps them to learn. Staff work closely with education providers to ensure there is effective partnership working to help children make good progress. Staff work very creatively with education providers to make sure children have positive education experiences. Where children are not yet Inspection report children's home: 1235654 4 ready to go to school, staff take sensitive steps to bring education to the home. Children receive consistency in care and education. As a result, children engage with learning and make progress.

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outstanding

The manager and staff understand the children’s risks and vulnerabilities extremely well. The manager goes to great lengths to understand how best to protect and support children to grow and develop. For example, the manager has studied re- search-based approaches and adapted this for the practice in the home. As a result, plans for children are very supportive and effective.

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outstanding

Children are safe in this home. Staff are empathetic. They understand the complexi- ties of children’s previous life experiences and how these have an impact on their behaviour. When children move into the home risks are well known and understood. This means that staff can support children to overcome past trauma and to manage current risks.

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outstanding

There have been incidents of children going missing in care. When this happens, staff have followed missing protocols and procedures exceptionally well. Staff are quick to respond and go above and beyond to ensure children return to the home safely and as soon as possible. Following incidents, the manager is proactive and re- flects on these and effectively works with other agencies to ensure that strategies to reduce risks are carefully considered and highly effective.

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outstanding

Staff have received good quality safeguarding training including extra training be- spoke to children’s needs. As a result, they have a clear understanding of their safe- guarding roles and responsibilities. Staff know how to report any concerns they may have. Safeguarding incidents are exceptionally rare. When they do occur, staff know how to respond and keep children safe.

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outstanding

Staff are extremely diligent. This ensures that the potential risks to children are un- derstood and minimised by them. Risk assessments and care plans are extremely thorough. They provide clear and concise information about how staff need to sup- port children. Staff know and understand the underlying causes to more difficult be- haviours that children can present. This approach means children are assured that staff will do everything they can to keep them safe.

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outstanding

Staff support children to make choices and decisions about their day-to-day care and futures. Staff encourage children to develop their independence. This includes taking age appropriate and well managed risks. Staff are confident in helping children to access community facilities and have new experiences. For example, one child planned and organised a short break to Disney Land Paris with staff. As a result, children have their say and are involved in their plans and planning. Inspection report children's home: 1235654 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is a confident and passionate leader. She is highly ambitious for children and staff. A key strength of the home is the way the manager has created a committed and motivated staff team who go above and beyond. She leads by example and has set high standards and expectations for children’s care. The manager is an excellent role model for staff. She models an effective, positive, inclusive and child centred culture in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Teamwork is fundamental in providing children with the best possible care and support. Staff focus on children’s strengths and abilities. The team celebrate all successes with children. Staff are committed to ensuring that each child has the best chances and experiences possible. They advocate for children’s rights and needs. The manager and staff see themselves as a family around the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff experience an excellent level of support through regular one to one meetings and team meetings. These are reflective and mean that staff can learn lessons and adapt their own practice. Staff also benefit from further discussions in research- based practice sessions to develop their own learning and practice. They also receive daily support and guidance from the management team and each other. This cohesive approach means staff feel they have a voice in influencing the high level of care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The committed manager strives to promote the development of the staff team. She supports them to develop and grow. Staff access a range of bespoke training essential to the individual needs of the children. Research informed practice underpins the work with children in this home. This approach provides children with nurturing care from a highly skilled, reflective, and knowledgeable team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The monitoring by the manager is outstanding. Monitoring systems are highly effective in ensuring positive practice and any learning identified by the manager is shared, and acted upon. Children's needs are highlighted, there is reflection, thinking and then revised practices to help children. This contributes to providing consistent, positive, and child-centred care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Partnership work with external agencies is extremely positive. During this inspection, professionals commended the manager and staff on the good communication and the good quality of care provided. A common thread in the feedback provided by stakeholders is the positive communication, the progress children make and how happy they are living at the home. Inspection report children's home: 1235654 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 children's home: 1235654 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

Thirza Smith, social care inspector Inspection report children's home: 1235654 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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