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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2580626 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

The home is run by a private organisation and is registered to care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, two children were living at the home and were present throughout the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since 22 January 2024.

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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: 2580626 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/07/2023 Full Good 12/10/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 11/01/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2580626 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one child has moved out and one child has moved in. These moves were carefully planned to ensure that children’s experiences were positive. One child refers to the team being their family.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a home where they are helped to develop a sense of belonging. The environment is warm and nurturing. Children are encouraged to participate in decisions about the home’s décor, including how they want their bedroom to be decorated.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive individualised care from a committed staff team who take time to build trusting relationships with them. Because of this, children are comfortable to express their feelings and know that they can rely on staff to respond sensitively. This helps children feel safe.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to develop and maintain relationships with people who they care about. Staff develop positive relationships with children’s family and partners, and support children to spend time with them in and out of the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are ambitious for children to do well in education. They understand children’s barriers to learning and work with them to overcome these. As a result of this, one child’s attendance has improved, and they have successfully started to undertake their GCSE examinations.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s rights are respected and promoted. Consultations with children take place regularly. This is an opportunity for children to contribute to plans about their day-to- day care. In addition, children are aware of their right to complain. When a complaint is received, a thorough investigation is completed, and children are made aware of the outcome.

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

Children say that they are happy living at the home. They feel safe and can identify someone they can speak to about their wellbeing. Staff support children to manage their behaviour and feelings safely through regular discussions about subjects such as self-harm, that encourage children to consider alternative coping strategies that are not harmful.

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

Safety plans for children are individualised. They identify children’s vulnerabilities and provide staff with guidance on how to manage these. Staff speak confidently about these risks and action that they can take to prevent children experiencing unnecessary harm. Inspection report for children’s home: 2580626 4 Safeguarding procedures are thorough. Staff search for children when they go missing from home. They work with partner agencies to find children quickly and ensure that children are given opportunities to take part in an independent return home interview to help leaders, managers and staff understand what they can do to reduce incidents.

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

Restraint is only used when necessary. When incidents do occur, reports are detailed and contain management debriefs with staff to ensure that the restraint was necessary. Children are also consulted, but discussions do not capture children’s views on the use of the physical intervention.

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

There is a quick and effective response to allegations made by children. Leaders and managers take allegations seriously and ensure that the relevant agencies are notified. Allegations are investigated in consultation with the local authority designated officer (LADO). Children are made aware of the outcome; this gives them confidence that concerns about their care will be addressed.

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

During the recruitment process, leaders and managers have not sought two references for one newly recruited staff member. This does not meet regulation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is suitably qualified, experienced and has high aspirations for the children and staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Support systems are effective. More experienced staff provide advice and guidance to new team members. Staff say leaders and managers are always available to offer advice, informally and formally through regular supervision. Furthermore, supervision is used as an opportunity to discuss areas of development and improve staff practice and the care of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staffing arrangements are good. Children are supported by a stable staff team who understand their individual and shared roles and responsibilities around caring for children. They ensure that children receive consistent and predictable care, which helps children feel secure.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers ensure that staff have the skills and experience to effectively meet the needs of children. They support staff to access training specific to children’s needs, and respond quickly to concerns about staff performance, by using forums such as team meetings to deliver further training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Management oversight is good. The manager has good knowledge of the day-to-day events in the home. He understands the children’s needs and how to meet these. Incident records are well evaluated, and lessons learnt are discussed with staff to improve outcomes for children. Inspection report for children’s home: 2580626 5 Partnership working is effective. Leaders and managers notify relevant bodies such as Ofsted, the LADO and placing authorities, of significant events concerning the welfare and safety of children. This ensures that there is independent oversight and children are safeguarded. Inspection report for children’s home: 2580626 6

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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 registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home;

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual is of integrity and good character;

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

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Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, leaders and managers must ensure that they request and receive two satisfactory references prior to employing staff to work in the home. 04 July 2024

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Recommendation

 The registered provider should ensure that discussions with children following the use of a physical intervention, seek the child’s views on how they felt about the restraint. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards, page 50, paragraph 9.60) Inspection report for children’s home: 2580626 7

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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: 2580626 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

Chibuzo Otache, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2580626 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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