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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2589621 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 provider. It provides care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 2017.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, three children were living in the home. Two 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: 2589621 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/10/2022 Full Good 26/10/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2589621 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are happy and like living in the home. Some children have lived in the home for several years and have been supported to develop positive, trusting relationships with staff. Children benefit from the consistent and predictable care they receive from staff who clearly want them to do well.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is welcoming and has ample space for children to relax and spend time together and alone. The home is decorated to a good standard throughout. However, it was identified during the inspection that some recently purchased blinds have a cord that may pose a hazard to some children. This is something that the manager is taking action to address.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to maintain relationships with people who are important to them. They develop positive relationships with family members and include them in children’s plans. Staff are supporting one parent in preparation for their child returning to their care. The child values this and recognises the positive impact that staff input is having for their whole family.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are attending education. One child, who previously struggled to attend, now attends full time. Staff liaise effectively with school staff and virtual heads to support children to attend school and do well in their education. One child is also being supported to complete the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children take part in a wide range of activities, both inside and outside of the home. They watch films, play games together and attend cadets. The children look forward to a Korean grill night each week as a member of staff cooks this with traditional equipment. These experiences help children to build positive memories, as well as developing their social skills and interactions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to move on positively from the home into semi-independence or return to live with family members. The relationships that staff have nurtured are maintained once children leave and they continue to be supported and benefit from these relationships into adulthood.

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

Children say that they feel safe living in the home. Their risk plans are detailed and identify their risks and vulnerabilities so that staff can support them well. Children have input into these plans so that they can help staff understand the most appropriate intervention to use in caring for them. Children’s plans are aligned with the plans set out by their placing authority.

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

Staff complete key-work sessions with children on issues that are relevant to their lives. The sessions cover a range of subjects, including relationships, sexual health Inspection report for children’s home: 2589621 4 and aspirations. Children value these sessions and say that they help them understand important issues to them.

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

When children have gone missing from the home, staff follow the relevant procedures and will go out to look for children in the locality. Different strategies have been used to help one child who has recently started to go missing. These have had some impact, but the child is continuing to go missing. The manager and staff are continuing to work with other statutory agencies to provide a coordinated response and implement a multi-agency plan to keep the child safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is highly experienced and qualified. She is a positive role model to children and staff. The manager and staff are enthusiastic and ambitious for children and are committed to promoting positive outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children are cared for by a consistent, stable staff team that knows them well. There has been one new member of staff since the last inspection. They benefited from a well-planned induction and are mentored by an experienced member of staff. Staff and children are also supported by the in-house clinical team. However, the qualifications and supervision arrangements for the in-house clinical team are not included in the home’s workforce development plan.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager promotes effective partnerships with the wider professional network. She is a strong advocate for children and ensures that they have timely access to the services that they require. The manager successfully negotiated with health providers to make therapeutic health services more accessible for children locally.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision sessions and annual appraisals of their practice. All staff speak highly of the manager and feel well supported in the quality of work they deliver.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home’s plans for children are up to date and reflective of their needs. However, one child did not have an up-to-date care plan and there was no evidence a pathway plan had been considered by the placing authority. This limits opportunities to ensure that children are cared for in accordance with their statutory plans. Inspection report for children’s home: 2589621 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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child's health. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the responsible person must ensure that furnishings such as blinds do not present a hazard to children. 31 May 2024

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children have an up-to-date care plan or pathway plan to enable their care to be tailored to their individual needs. 31 May 2024

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the home’s workforce plan fulfils the workforce-related requirements of regulation 16, schedule 1 and includes the qualification and supervision arrangements of staff providing therapy in the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2589621 6 (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)

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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: 2589621 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

Colin Jones, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2589621 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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