Horizons Plus Ltd

Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Horizons Plus Ltd 1 Horizons Plus Limited

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Registered provider: Horizons Plus Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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provider

This supported accommodation service is owned and operated by a private provider. The service provides two shared properties that are limited to looked after children and care leavers.

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provider

The registered service manager, who is also the nominated individual, has been in post since the service was registered in December 2023.

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This monitoring visit

Ofsted carried out this monitoring visit in response to third-party concerns about staff’s ability to meet children’s needs and support them to stay safe.

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This monitoring visit

One property where three children were living was visited. One child said that they are happy living in the home and feel well supported by staff.

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This monitoring visit

Children’s risks are assessed and regularly reviewed. Information is captured in children’s plans, which staff use to inform their approach to supporting each child.

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This monitoring visit

Children are frequently reported missing from the home. In these instances, staff follow plans that have been agreed with the child’s placing authority. Consideration is given to the individual needs and circumstances of the child. Additional risks, such as risk of criminal exploitation, are managed through a multi-agency approach. This helps promote a proportionate and age-appropriate response to managing these risks.

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This monitoring visit

Risks relating to substance misuse are not managed effectively. Although staff do individual work with children and referrals are made to specialist organisations, there is very little evidence that this is impacting positively on children’s attitudes to Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Horizons Plus Ltd 2 substance misuse. This was evident during the visit when a strong smell of cannabis was noted in children’s bedrooms. Staff confirmed that children smoking cannabis in their bedrooms is a regular occurrence but could not provide any evidence that this behaviour was being challenged, despite this being identified as a prohibited behaviour in the organisation’s behaviour management policy. In addition to the risks to the individual, wider health and safety concerns were also noted, including children covering smoke detectors with socks.

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This monitoring visit

The checks designed to help children maintain a safe and clean environment are not being implemented by staff. This is evident in the poor standard of cleanliness in the bedrooms of all children living in the accommodation.

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This monitoring visit

Management oversight is lacking. The manager has failed to identify shortfalls in staff practice, including a failure to implement the behaviour management policy in relation to substance misuse, health and safety concerns not being addressed and good standards of cleanliness not being maintained. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Horizons Plus Ltd 3

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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 Supported Accommodation (England) Regulations 2023 and the ‘Guide to the Supported Accommodation Regulations, including Quality Standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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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 supported accommodation undertaking that puts children first and prioritises their wellbeing and development.

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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

Lead and manage the supported accommodation undertaking in a way that is consistent with the ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the undertakings statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work effectively as a team, where appropriate, to meet the needs of children. (Regulation 4 (1) (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must maintain effective oversight of staff practice to ensure that a good standard of safe accommodation is maintained, and that staff take appropriate action to reduce children’s risk-taking behaviours. 17 May 2024

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Requirement Due date

The protection standard is that children are enabled to feel safe and that their needs are met.

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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

have their individual needs met; 17 May 2024 Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Horizons Plus Ltd 4 ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of abuse, neglect, exploitation or any other harm, and act to reduce such risk;

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Requirement Due date

work collaboratively with children to help them understand how to keep safe, by offering guidance and support on how to minimise potential risk of harm. (Regulation 5 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(f)(ii)(iii))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, staff must ensure that the risks associated with children smoking cannabis in the home are managed, to keep the individual children, the wider group and staff safe.

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Requirement Due date

The accommodation standard is that children experience a comfortable and secure living environment.

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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

ensure that the premises used as supported accommodation—

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Requirement Due date

are suitable for the purposes of supported accommodation and are accessible, safe, secure and well-maintained.

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Requirement Due date

are adequately maintained so as to provide a welcoming and homely environment within both individual and shared living spaces.

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Requirement Due date

are designed, furnished and maintained to remove avoidable hazards which could pose a health and safety risk to children. (Regulation 6 (1) (2)(b)(vi)(vii)(ix))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that systems designed to maintain a safe and clean environment are implemented effectively by staff. 17 May 2024

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to follow up information received by Ofsted and/or to ensure that the supported accommodation provider was complying with regulation.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Horizons Plus Ltd 5

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered provider: Horizons Plus Limited

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Supported accommodation provider details

Registered service manager: Sarah Leahair

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Inspector

Helen Fee, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for supported accommodation provider - monitoring visit: Horizons Plus Ltd 6 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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