Children's home run by Hexagon Care Services Limited in Preston

Inspection report for children’s home: 1236771 1 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

The home is operated by a private organisation. It offers care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, three children were living at the home. They spoke to the inspector about their experiences of living there.

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Information about this children’s home

A manager is in post and has submitted her application to register with Ofsted.

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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

Date of last inspection: 28 February and 1 March 2023

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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: 1236771 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/02/2023 Full Good 08/02/2022 Full Good 24/09/2019 Full Good 27/11/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 1236771 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children like living in the home. They feel happy, safe, and settled. Staff are child- centred and provide loving and nurturing care to the children. Children are making progress in all areas of their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Relationships between staff and children are positive. Children enjoy spending time with staff inside and outside of the home. Staff encourage children to take part in different activities. One child regularly goes go-karting, and another enjoys going for walks in the park with staff. Staff take children on days trips and holidays in this country and abroad. This supports children’s social development and helps to improve their self-confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children with their education. All children have made significant progress in this area. One child who rarely attended school before living in the home now attends every day. Staff advocated for another child to receive alternative education to meet their needs. One teacher spoke very positively about the support from staff. Staff are ambitious for all children to do well.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand children’s healthcare needs and support children to attend health appointments. Staff provide children with healthy meals, which children help to plan and cook. Staff and children enjoy meals out together to experience different types of food. Staff promote children’s emotional well-being and advocate for them to ensure that the right services are in place.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are helped to spend time with people who are important to them. They are supported to have overnight stays with their family and friends, and friends are welcome to visit the home. Staff regularly speak with family members. One family member said, ‘Staff really care about the children there and communication is good.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a large home that is comfortable and welcoming. Communal areas are spacious and homely. Children’s bedrooms are big, well furnished, and personalised. Two children keep a small pet animal each. This provides the children with a sense of belonging in the home.

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

Children are safe and protected. Their risks and vulnerabilities are known and understood. Children’s risk plans are individualised, detailed, and clear. Direct work is carried out with children; however, this does not always address their identified needs.

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

Positive behaviour is consistently promoted in the home. Staff use creative and fun ways to reward children, which children respond well to. Children receive help and support to understand and manage their feelings and behaviour safely. Appropriate Inspection report for children’s home: 1236771 4 and consistent boundaries are in place, providing a stable and calm environment for children. Consequently, children do not go missing from the home and staff do not need to hold children to keep them safe.

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

Staff are trained in a therapeutic model that helps them to understand and manage children’s experiences and behaviours in their day-to-day practice for the benefit of all the children.

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

Children are encouraged and supported to take age-appropriate risks to help them to develop their independence skills and confidence.

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

Effective planning takes place before children come to live at the home. Staff go over and above and use child-friendly techniques to ensure that children feel safe and comfortable before they move in.

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

Safer recruitment practices are in place to ensure that only adults who are safe to work with children are employed in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The acting manager is knowledgeable, caring and dedicated. She is passionate about the welfare and progress of the children and is committed to developing the home. She is supported by an experienced and hard-working deputy.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is fully involved in the children’s lives and provides reliable and effective support. One professional said that she is ‘very child centred’ and an ‘excellent and tireless advocate’ for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff enjoy working at the home and are proud to work there. One staff member said that the home ‘feels like a family’, and another said that it is a ‘home from home’. The manager and staff have high expectation for themselves and the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel valued and supported by the manager and her deputy. Staff benefit from regular supervision sessions and team meetings, where they can reflect on their practice and learn from one another. A robust training programme is available for staff, providing them with the skills and knowledge to meet the needs of the children living in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager works proactively and effectively with other agencies and professionals. One professional from education said that communication from the home is ‘absolutely excellent’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager regularly monitors the quality of care provided to the children. She knows the strengths and vulnerabilities of the home and takes action to make improvements. For example, staff recently attended training to develop report writing skills. This helps staff to effectively evaluate their practice and to use child- friendly language for the benefit of children. Inspection report for children’s home: 1236771 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

an understanding about acceptable behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

and 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. (Regulation 11 (1) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that all children receive proactive direct work that is targeted to their specific needs, to help them to understand how to keep themselves safe. 30 April 2024

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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: 1236771 6

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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

Zillah Brooks, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1236771 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 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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