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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC483710 1 SC483710 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 privately run and provides care for up to three children. Since the last inspection, a total of four children have resided at the home. At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has an experienced registered manager.

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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: SC483710 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/08/2023 Full Good 11/01/2023 Full Good 30/11/2021 Full Outstanding 03/12/2019 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC483710 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is warm and welcoming. There are photos of the children on the walls, which creates a homely feel. Children have a say in the decoration to the home; one child said that they were able to pick the wallpaper for their room. Children see the house as their home and feel comfortable living there.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have built trusting relationships with children. Staff have supported one child to make a complaint to the local authority which resulted in the child feeling heard. This change means that a child is actively involved in their care planning meetings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have made progress in education. Children who previously did not plan to take exams have now done so. Staff support children to look at further education options. The staff are ambitious for the children’s future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the children to be independent. This includes understanding finances, cooking and seeking work. Children’s family members feel that they have seen progress in children’s independence skills. Children said that they feel supported by staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home supports children to see those who are important to them. One child was supported to make a complaint to the local authority when family time was changed. This supports children with their identity and maintaining important relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff recently encouraged children to climb a mountain with them. Staff and children felt proud of the achievement. To further celebrate this, staff created certificates for the children. Children said how much they enjoyed the experience and achieving something new.

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

The staff have a good understanding of the risks for the children. Assessments are reviewed regularly and support staff’s understanding of how to support children. Staff appropriately challenge support available to children and actively seek independent support specific to the children’s needs.

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

Staff create an environment where children feel able to talk to them. This results in children being open in conversations and sharing any concerns or worries. Staff actively try to have regular discussions with children to aid their reflection. If safeguarding concerns are highlighted for a child, staff appropriately liaise with professionals and seek support.

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

Staff use effective de-escalation techniques to support children. This means that physical restraint is only used as a last resort. When physical intervention has been used, this has been proportionate and well recorded. Records are appropriately overseen by the Inspection report for children’s home: SC483710 4 manager. Sessions are held with children following this to provide them space to reflect. When a consequence for children is required, these are restorative in nature. Staff ensure children understand why consequences are in place and support children to make future positive choices.

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

Staff ensure that children’s voices are heard. Staff and the manager are strong advocates for children, ensuring that children know their rights. Staff encourage children to have independent advocates and actively seek these. This further contributes to children feeling listened to and supported.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by an experienced and dedicated manager. The manager vigorously challenges decisions which she feels are not in the best interest of the children. The manager creates an ethos where staff are committed to the best outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager proactively escalates issues to higher management and challenges decisions where appropriate. For example, she has raised the need for the recommendations from the fire assessment to be fulfilled within timescale. This, however, is still outstanding.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager identifies training for staff specific to children’s needs. This has enabled staff to further support children and meet their individual needs. One member of staff moving from a temporary to a permanent role does not have the required training. This relates to an organisational issue and has been escalated by the manager. The provider has put a plan in place to prevent this issue happening in the future.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

On occasion, written records are not signed by the correct author. This has been due to staff who are not yet on the system inputting records using a colleague’s account. Since this issue was highlighted, the system has been changed to prevent further occurrence.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel supported by the manager and find regular supervision beneficial. Staff are provided with a space to be reflective both in one-to-one and group settings. This has supported staff to develop and build their confidence. Staff feel that they work collaboratively on decision-making, which supports the home to have a good morale. Inspection report for children’s home: SC483710 5

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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

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform. (Regulation 31 (1)(3)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person should ensure that all staff have completed mandatory training such as safeguarding. In particular, this relates to staff moving from a temporary to a permanent role. 25 October 2024

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Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

take adequate precautions against the risk of fire, including the provision of suitable fire equipment in the children’s home. (Regulation 25 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person should ensure that all recommendations made in the fire assessment are completed within the appropriate time frame. 25 October 2024

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

and are signed and dated by the author of each entry.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 36 (1)(b)(c)) 25 October 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC483710 6 The registered person should ensure that all written recordings are signed by the correct author and that staff do not use one another’s digital accounts.

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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: SC483710 7

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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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Inspectors

Ellen Monk, Social Care Inspector Jess Baines, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC483710 8 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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