Children's Home run by Hexagon Care Services Limited in Wakefield

Inspection report for children’s home: 2509366 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 home is privately owned and is registered for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Two children were living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2023 and is dual registered for another home with the same provider.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 25 October 2023

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2509366 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/10/2023 Full Good 27/06/2022 Full Good 08/03/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 12/02/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: 2509366 3

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improvement to be good

Shortfalls identified in how well children are helped and protected and the effectiveness of leaders and managers mean that children’s overall experience and progress are not consistently good.

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improvement to be good

Children’s day-to-day experiences vary. They have gone through a period of instability due to changes in the home because of staff absences. There has been an increase of incidents and on some occasions this has been because of inconsistences in staff practice. Leaders and managers have identified this issue, and have started to address it.

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improvement to be good

Staff monitor the children’s health and provide the necessary support to ensure that routine appointments and checks are up to date. The children are registered with a GP, dentist and optician, and they have access to regular therapy. This ensures that children’s emotional well-being is supported and maintained.

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improvement to be good

Children’s education is promoted well by the staff team so children attend school and engage well with their education plans. When children are not able to attend school, staff support them with their learning at home. This support helps children to achieve positive educational outcomes.

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improvement to be good

Children enjoy participating in a variety of social activities. This gives them a sense of achievement, and allows them to explore their interests and talents. Staff ensure that they take photos of these occasions to build positive memories for children of their time living in the home.

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improvement to be good

Children live in a pleasant and homely environment that provides ample space for them to live and relax in. The children’s bedrooms are tailored to suit their preferences. The physical condition of the home help children to feel valued, which is good for their self-esteem.

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improvement to be good

Staff understand the importance of maintaining family relationships. They ensure that the children see their families and friends. This helps children to maintain a strong bond and positive cultural identity.

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improvement to be good

There are shortfalls in safeguarding practices in the home. Despite risk assessments and behaviour management plans being in place, some staff have not followed the steps highlighted in these. Children have been given mixed messages about bedtime Inspection report for children’s home: 2509366 4 routines. As a result, children’s anxieties escalate due to a lack of consistent staff practice.

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improvement to be good

Not all staff have a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities in protecting children from harm. Leaders and managers complete learning reviews following serious incidents. However, staff errors continue to put children at risk of harm. This does not give assurances that the management learning reviews are effective.

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improvement to be good

There has been an increase of physical interventions since the last inspection. Children have been physically held by the staff to prevent injury to themselves or others. Following an incident, the children and staff have the opportunity to talk about their experience. However, not all records had the date when these were evaluated by the manager. This does not demonstrate that prompt action is taken by the manager to ensure that the use of physical intervention is both proportionate, and effective.

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improvement to be good

Staff have regular conversations with children to help them learn and understand the importance of being kind to each other, and the risks associated with bullying and using the internet safely.

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improvement to be good

Allegation management is good. Swift action is taken to ensure that the well-being of children is safeguarded. The manager has a good working relationship with the local authority designated officer and the children’s social workers. This ensures that communication systems are effective to keep children safe.

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improvement to be good

Staff recruitment is effective and helps to prevent the employment of unsuitable staff. Leaders and managers carry out all necessary employment checks and verify these checks before staff work in the home.

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good

The manager, who is also the registered manager at another of the provider’s homes, has not maintained adequate oversight of the standards of care provided to children in this home. This lack of oversight prevents the manager from effectively identifying, actioning, reviewing and evaluating the children’s progress and experiences in a timely manner. The manager is in the process of leaving, and a new manager is being appointed.

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good

The manager has internal monitoring systems in place to review the development of the service, and how the service meets children’s needs. However, these are not effective. For example, the manager did not identify when staff have not followed the company’s policies and safeguarding procedures on driving children in vehicles. This could have placed children and staff at risk of harm.

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good

Staff say that they receive good support from their colleagues and managers. They Inspection report for children’s home: 2509366 5 benefit from regular team meetings and supervision sessions. However, not all staff have received the provider’s mandatory training, essential to support them in their roles. This does not fully equip staff with the skills and knowledge to care for children appropriately.

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good

The manager works closely with social workers and other professionals. These positive relationships means that their communication is effective. This helps to ensure that children receive the support they need promptly.

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good

Both the incoming manager and the responsible individual recognise the shortfalls that were raised during the inspection. They are actively working to make improvements to the home. They have a clear vision for the home. However, it is too early to assess the effectiveness of these changes. Inspection report for children’s home: 2509366 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 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

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies; and

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation12 (1) (2)(a)(v)(vii)(b)) 5 July 2024

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)) 5 July 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— 5 July 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2509366 7 within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure.

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(a)(vii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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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: 2509366 8

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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: 2509366 9 regulates and inspects 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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