Children's home run by Hexagon Care Services Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2509367 1 Registered provider: Hexagon Care Services Limited

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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 run by a private provider. It is registered to provide care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties. 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 manager has been registered with Ofsted since August 2021

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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: 2509367 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/07/2023 Full Good 04/07/2022 Full Good 01/02/2022 Full Inadequate 23/01/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: 2509367 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make progress because of the care that they receive. Children enjoy positive relationships with staff who understand their vulnerabilities and needs. Staff make significant efforts to get to know children well, and to learn about what matters to them most. As a result, children share their wishes and feelings openly and participate in the running of the home. This helps children to develop a sense of self-worth.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s emotional and physical health needs are met. They benefit from regular individual sessions with the clinical team. These sessions help children process their thoughts and feelings about their previous life experiences. Staff encourage children to attend health appointments and exercise regularly. This ensures that children’s health is maintained.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff prioritise children’s education. They encourage children to develop good daily routines so that they uphold good school attendance. Where barriers to learning occur, staff work closely with schools to overcome these. This close partnership working ensures that there is a coordinated approach to supporting children’s learning. This helps children to achieve good educational outcomes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children build their confidence and self-esteem through engaging in activities in the home and the wider community linked to their interests. Children spoke happily about these activities and what they hope to do in the future. These activities include playing football, horse riding and going fishing. These activities provide opportunities for children to make new friends and improve their social interaction skills as well as enjoying things they like.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to develop independent living skills. This includes encouraging children to cook, shop and clean. Staff are particularly supportive of children’s need to keep in touch with their families. These arrangements are child-focused and staff ensure that all visits are safe. As a result, children develop close bonds with people that are important to them. This helps children to develop their identity and positive self-image.

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

Children’s risk assessments are regularly updated to reflect current risks and behaviours. They provide staff with clear guidance on the actions to take to keep children safe. This helps to ensure that children are safeguarded effectively.

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

Children are well supported. This is because staff work closely with the organisation’s clinical team and have completed trauma-informed training. Staff use this training to help them to understand children’s experiences and find appropriate strategies to respond to children’s needs. Inspection report for children’s home: 2509367 4 Staff have detailed conversations with children to help the children to learn how to keep themselves safe. This means that children become increasingly safer because of the actions that staff take to support and protect them.

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

Staff use physical intervention only when necessary to safeguard children and keep everyone safe from harm. The records are detailed, and the manager ensures that discussions are held with children when physical interventions have been used. This practice ensures that children are safe and consulted over the methods used to protect them from harm.

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

Safer recruitment processes are strong. The manager ensures that staff identification documents and Disclosure and Barring Service checks are checked thoroughly, and gaps in employment and references are verified. This helps to reduce the risk of harm to children by ensuring only thoroughly vetted staff are being recruited.

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

Leaders and managers ensure that any concerns raised with regard to staff practice are appropriately referred and addressed in line with statutory safeguarding procedures. The managers work closely with the local authority designated officer and social workers to make sure information is shared effectively. This means that the right decisions are made quickly to keep children safe .

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is suitably qualified and supported in her role by a team of both experienced and new staff who are child focused. Children’s safety and well-being are at the centre of her thinking. She knows the children well and understands their progress and developmental needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from relevant training opportunities. Training programmes for staff include courses specific to the needs of the children. New staff receive a well-structured induction programme. This ensures that staff are equipped appropriately to meet children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff said that they feel supported in their roles. They receive regular reflective supervision and team meetings. Regular team meetings focus on the progress of children and improvement of practice. This means that staff are encouraged to reflect on strategies that are effective in meeting the needs of the children. However, several supervision records were not signed by both the supervisor and supervisee to verify that the content of the record was accurate.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager uses a range of tools to monitor the quality of care provided by the service. For example, they undertake audits and daily observations of how staff support children. The monthly independent visitor’s reports provide an additional layer of scrutiny. Any recommendations made by the independent visitor are quickly addressed by the staff. This ensures that children receive good quality care. Inspection report for children’s home: 2509367 5 There is collaborative working relationship between the home, children’s families and professionals. Child-focused meetings led by the therapist enhance the individual care of the children. This means that children’s needs are kept at the forefront of staff practice and reviewed regularly with all those involved in the children’s lives. Inspection report for children’s home: 2509367 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that a record is kept of individual staff supervision sessions, and that the content of discussion and agreed outcomes is agreed by both the supervisor and supervisee. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.4)

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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: 2509367 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hexagon Care Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Unit 1 Tustin Court, Riversway, Preston Lancashire, PR2 2YQ

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Inspector

Evelyn Chafota, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2509367 8 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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