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

Inspection report for children’s home: 1234244 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

The home is owned and managed by a private organisation and registered to provide care for up to three children who may require support in respect of social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager post is vacant. A suitably experienced manager has been appointed and has applied to become registered with Ofsted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and/or the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: 20 February 2024

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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inadequate

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1234244 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/02/2024 Full Good 30/05/2022 Full Outstanding 18/05/2021 Full Outstanding 28/11/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1234244 3

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inadequate

The quality of children’s experiences in the home has been negatively affected by changes to staff and leaders. This has resulted in inconsistent and poor care practice by staff, together with a lack of continuity and effectiveness in the leadership and management of the home.

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inadequate

Managers and staff do not have essential information and up-to-date plans for children; these have not been received from the responsible local authorities. This prevents staff from fully understanding children’s care needs, to support children to keep safe and make progress. Staff have raised this with social workers. However, when this has not been effective, leaders have not escalated concerns with the relevant local authority.

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inadequate

One child, who has been living in the home for over a year, does not have a permanence plan. There has been little progress in decision-making for the child. This undermines the child investing in building relationships and making progress. Leaders and managers have not escalated drift in the child’s care plan with the local authority.

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inadequate

One child has good engagement in education, and he responds to individual work to progress his care plan and to establish his wishes and feelings.

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inadequate

Parts of the home environment have been refurbished and are comfortable and homely. However, staff have not ensured that all children’s rooms and bathrooms are clean and hygienic. One child’s room had evidence of the child smoking in the room. The room was so untidy and unclean that a recent fire risk assessment had assessed there were hazards to a child evacuating the room during the night. The independent visitor has repeatedly raised concerns and recommendations about this over a period of three months. This does not evidence nurturing care or respect for children’s dignity.

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inadequate

There has been a lack of support for some children to help them with essential health appointments. Planning meetings have recommended individual work with children to influence decisions about their health and lifestyles. This has not been undertaken due to children’s non-engagement with the work. Records do not evidence consideration of the impact on children’s health of not attending appointments. Staff and leaders have not proactively considered strategies to effect change and promote children’s health.

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inadequate

Similarly, some children are not fully participating in their education and training timetables. There have been education planning meetings, making recommendations about individual work with children to promote participation. However, staff have not Inspection report for children’s home: 1234244 4 been effective in influencing children’s behaviours and attitudes. Children’s engagement has reduced. There have been changes in staff and managers in the home. One child informed their social worker that they did not want to attend education meetings with a member of staff they do not know.

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inadequate

There is little evidence of planning activities and social opportunities for children during the school holidays. Staff are not effectively or creatively consulting with children about their views and wishes. Staff and leaders are not demonstrating that they are aspirational and ambitious for children.

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

Children have behaviour support plans. These have been improved. They are succinct and include helpful information regarding triggers to behaviours, known risks and advice about what each child finds helpful to reduce concerning behaviours.

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

Two children use tobacco and vapes. There have been inconsistent responses by staff and managers to reduce children’s smoking habits. This behaviour is not included in their behaviour support plan.

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

On two occasions, children have returned to the home appearing to be under the influence of substances. One child is known to use cannabis, at times, when in the community. Staff and leaders have not considered undertaking room searches to inform the assessment of risks associated with substance misuse and/or smoking behaviours.

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

One child is assessed to be vulnerable to the risk of criminal exploitation. There are known risks regarding substance misuse. The child spends frequent periods of time in the community with friends and family. There has been very little professional curiosity about how and with whom he spends his time. There are very few observations about his presentation when he returns to the home. Care planning for this child has not been proactive. There is little evidence of assessment of or direct work regarding family and friend relationships.

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

One child has reported to staff a small number of incidents of aggressive behaviour to him from another child living in the home. There has been no assessment of bullying behaviour. There is no clear, explicit strategy agreed with staff about monitoring this relationship. Individual work has been undertaken with the alleged victim but not the alleged perpetrator, due to this child’s refusal to engage.

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

There are safe recruitment processes in place to ensure the fitness and suitability of the staff working with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Since the previous inspection, there have been significant changes. The registered manager and the responsible individual have left. There has been a turnover of half Inspection report for children’s home: 1234244 5 the staff team. This does not support continuity or consistency of care for children. Two of the children have lived in the home for over two years. The children have expressed their concerns about the negative impact of changes of staff and managers on their experience of living in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There is monthly monitoring by the independent visitor, resulting in recommendations about what needs to change. Unfortunately, over recent months, several recommendations about the home environment and staff practice have been repeated. This means the monitoring of the quality of care children are receiving has had limited impact because leaders are not responding to the recommendations of the independent visitor.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

A new manager has been appointed. He has applied to Ofsted for registration. He recognises that the change in the team has had an impact on the quality of care and staff practice. There is an action plan in place responding to recommendations of the monitoring of the quality of care by the independent visitor, leaders and a commissioning local authority. This action plan has oversight by senior leaders.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager has ensured that staff are undertaking relevant and essential training. There have been team meetings that have considered recommendations from the independent visitor and have included refresher sessions for staff regarding safeguarding scenarios.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Staff have not had regular supervision. This means staff have not had the opportunity to raise safeguarding concerns or any concerns with the welfare of the children or themselves. Managers have not had the opportunity to monitor staff practice and check staff’s understanding of children’s needs and/or the impact of staff training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The quality of and impact of the care children are receiving do not fit with the ethos and objectives as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. Inspection report for children’s home: 1234244 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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

treat each child with dignity and respect;

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Requirement Due date

provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children personal items that are appropriate for their age and understanding; and

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Requirement Due date

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vii)(ix)) 30 September

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met; 30 September Inspection report for children’s home: 1234244 7 children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

understand and develop skills to promote the child’s well-being. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(iv))

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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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare;

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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

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iii)(iv)(vi)(vii)(d)) 30 September

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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— 30 September Inspection report for children’s home: 1234244 8 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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(e))

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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)) 30 September

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)(c)) 30 September

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children’s home: 1234244 9

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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: 1234244 10

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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, Prospect Business Park 12 Prospect Park, Longford Road, Cannock, Staffordshire WS11 0LG

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Inspector

Cathey Moriarty, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1234244 11 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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