Children's Home run by Horizon Care and Education Group Limited in Staffordshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2573144 1 Registered provider: Horizon Care and Education Group 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 owned by a large private provider. It provides care for up to two children who experience complex emotional difficulties. There was one child living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is currently working towards his level 5 qualification in leadership and management and has applied to be registered 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: 15 November 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: 2573144 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/11/2023 Full Good 01/02/2023 Full Good 06/01/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2573144 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one child has left the home and one child has moved in. The child’s move into the home was well planned. They were able to visit the home and meet staff beforehand. One child moved out of the home because despite their efforts, staff could not meet their needs safely. Although the child experienced an unplanned move, staff did their best in the circumstances to provide the child with a positive end to their time in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress while living at the home. One child who was not attending school progressed to attending full time and enjoying school. The same child also did not engage in activities outside of the home at first, but progressed to attending after-school clubs. The child who has moved in recently is not in formal education. Staff are working with professionals and the child to identify an appropriate school placement. Plans are in place to help staff encourage the child to engage in constructive activities while arrangements are finalised.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are met well by staff. Staff ensure that children attend appointments and seek medical attention when it is needed. If children refuse to attend appointments, staff are proactive in rebooking and helping the child to understand the importance of staying healthy. Staff also recognise when further support is required to meet the child’s needs and make referrals to specialist services so that children can get access to this help. Staff care for children in a therapeutic manner, which helps to support children’s emotional needs while waiting for this specialist support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home environment is generally clean and well presented. However, the child’s bedroom was very messy. Staff have recognised that the child finds keeping their room tidy challenging and have been working on strategies to help them. This work is ongoing to help the child to develop their independence skills with staff support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff value the relationships that children have with their families and are keen to support them. They ensure that children’s plans are followed and discuss any concerns with the child’s social worker so that plans can be changed to ensure that children can enjoy seeing their families in a safe way.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive some good support from staff to engage in activities and to follow their interests. Children enjoy watching movies and have been to the cinema. In addition, the child is attending a local boxing gym and a summer football camp is being arranged. Staff also respect that children want to spend time at home relaxing and enjoying their own space. Inspection report for children’s home: 2573144 4

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

Staff show a good understanding of risk. They follow the guidance in children’s plans, which are clear and up to date. When children take part in activities outside the home, staff consider and manage the risks involved to ensure that children remain safe.

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

Staff understand the risks of the online environment and take appropriate steps to safeguard children from harm. When one child was found to have inappropriate messages on their phone, action was quickly taken to safeguard them. Staff are supporting the child to learn more about how to use the internet safely.

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

Medication is administered safely. On one occasion, an error did occur. Advice was sought from a medical professional and staff completed additional training to ensure that they had the skills to manage medication safely. The child did not suffer any harm as a result of the error.

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

Staff recruitment is not always undertaken safely. On one occasion, the provider could not provide evidence that all relevant background checks had been received for an agency worker who joined the home full time. On another occasion, previous voluntary work in a position of trust had not been looked into as part of safer recruitment checks. In contrast, the manager had identified discrepancies in one individual’s recruitment checks and had sought additional information. As a result of that information not being provided, the individual was not allowed to work in the home, which demonstrates that the manager is aware of the importance of safer recruitment. The provider needs to ensure that thorough safer recruitment checks are consistently completed to help ensure that all individuals supporting children are suitable to do so.

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

The home has closed-circuit television (CCTV) installed at the front and rear of the property. It is unclear why this is needed, and no evidence was seen to justify why the monitoring is required. As a result, children are subject to monitoring and surveillance without clear justification for doing so.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has worked at the home for several years and has been promoted to manager since the last inspection. He is well respected by the staff, who value his support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a very good understanding of children’s needs. He takes an active role in gathering information prior to children moving into the home, which helps him to assess their needs and vulnerabilities. When children do not settle into the home, he is proactive in working with the child’s placing authority to consider a way forward. This helps to ensure that children receive the care they require.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monitoring systems are mostly effective. The manager completes a range of checks that help him to have good oversight of the home and staff practice. Regular audits are Inspection report for children’s home: 2573144 5 completed by the manager and senior managers and there is a clear action plan demonstrating the actions the home is working on to improve.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff and managers benefit from regular supervision sessions. They are able to reflect on practice issues and personal matters, which helps them to feel supported in their role.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff attend a range of training courses relevant to the children living in the home and attendance is excellent. Staff have the opportunity to reflect on the training with a manager and this helps them to embed their learning and consider the information within the context of the children in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team is stable and most staff are qualified and experienced. One member of staff has not completed their qualification quickly enough and is now outside of the required timescale. They are now making good progress with the course and are committed to completing it as soon as possible.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The responsible individual has left recently and at short notice. A new person has been appointed to the role. Inspection report for children’s home: 2573144 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; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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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) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to recruitment checks for agency staff. It also relates to ensuring that reasonable attempts to seek references from voluntary employment involving children are made.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement is repeated. 3 September 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may only use devices for the monitoring or surveillance of children if—

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is for the purpose of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child concerned, or other children;

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Requirement Due date

the monitoring or surveillance is no more intrusive than necessary, having regard to the child’s need for privacy. (Regulation 24 (1)(a)(d)) 3 September 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 2573144 7 This specifically relates to ensuring that CCTV is only used where there is clear justification for doing so.

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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: 2573144 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Horizon Care and Education Group Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Venture House, 12 Prospect Park, Longford Road, Cannock, Staffordshire WS11 0LG

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Inspector

Vicky Smith, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2573144 9 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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