Children's home run by Esland North Limited in Preston

Inspection report for children’s home: SC480161 1 SC480161 Registered provider: Hexagon Care Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private company to provide care for up to six male children. The statement of purpose states that care is provided for children who require a medium- to long-term placement with therapeutic input to address their individual needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

Six children were living at the home at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspector only inspected the social care provision at this site.

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC480161 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/03/2023 Full Outstanding 14/12/2021 Full Outstanding 18/12/2019 Full Outstanding 15/01/2019 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC480161 3

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outstanding

Children make exceptional progress in all areas of their lives when living in the home. Care planning at the home is meticulous and provides an excellent overview of the care and support children require and how it will be delivered.

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outstanding

The manager ensures that children are listened to and that they are fully included in their care. One child said: ‘I like the staff. They are funny and kind. Staff help me with any problems I have and always make sure that I am OK. They really listen to me and take an interest in everything I do.’ Another child said: ‘I would really like to be at home, but if I can’t be there, then this is the only other place I would like to be.’

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outstanding

One young person has recently left the home following his 18th birthday. Staff worked in partnership with his placing authority to support his move. This helped him to settle well and to ease any anxiety he had about his transition to adult services. Two children have moved into the home following comprehensive planning. Full consideration was given to their needs and to those of the other children living at the home.

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outstanding

Staff fully support and encourage children’s educational outcomes. Education staff work closely with the care and therapy staff, to further promote educational attendance and attainment. Five of the children attend the on-site school and one child has started college. Children have done well in their recent GCSE exams, achieving results in line with their predicted grades. Two children have chosen to return to resit some exams to improve their grades and enhance their future opportunities.

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outstanding

Children’s physical, emotional and mental health is exceptionally well supported. All children are registered with community healthcare professionals as well as accessing the in-house therapy team, who develop appropriate plans to contribute to the promotion of children’s emotional health and well-being. Each child has weekly therapy sessions, which enables them to understand and reflect on their individual behaviours, strategies to manage these and their ongoing emotional health. Where additional support is required, appropriate referrals are made and followed up with specialist services.

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outstanding

Children are encouraged and supported to develop interests and hobbies. They are supported to try a range of activities and to join groups to pursue their interests. During the school holidays, children have taken part in a wide range of activities, including trips to theatres, going for bike rides, going to theme parks and community leisure facilities. Inspection report for children’s home: SC480161 4 Staff promote family time in line with children’s individual plans. They understand that family time can sometimes be difficult for children and support children to discuss their feelings and help them to develop strategies to manage this time. Parents say they feel very involved in the care their children receive and are very complimentary about the impact the team has had and the progress their children have made. One parent said: ‘My child has made so much progress since he has lived at the home. He is maturing and his confidence is growing. I really cannot

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outstanding

think of anything more they can do for him.’

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outstanding

Managers and staff promote equality and diversity effectively and help children understand the importance of this. As a result, children say they get along well together and respect each other’s views and opinions.

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outstanding

Practice in the home is underpinned by an exceptionally strong safeguarding culture. The manager ensures that highly effective planning takes place when assessing risk and ensures that comprehensive, individualised risk plans are in place and kept under review. The team works in partnership with other professionals tasked with safeguarding children, consulting regularly to ensure that the most suitable strategies are in place.

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outstanding

Staff have daily handover meetings, where any changes to care or risk plans are discussed as well as regular staff meetings, which are in-depth and recorded. This means staff have a clear understanding of individual plans for each child and that they know how to keep them safe.

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outstanding

Staff provide children with consistent and clear boundaries. Detailed behaviour management plans are developed in conjunction with the in-house therapy and education teams. Regular direct work sessions with the children support children to understand expectations of behaviour and understand accountability. Staff are skilled in de-escalation techniques and help children resolve any conflicts in a positive and supportive way. As a result, children feel safe at the home and respond positively to the rules and boundaries that are in place.

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outstanding

The home has a rewards and kindness system in place that was introduced in consultation with the children. Children like this approach because it recognises the good things they do, no matter how small these may seem. This helps them to focus on positive rather than negative behaviours and encourages them to treat everyone with dignity and respect.

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outstanding

Consequences for negative behaviours are minimal, but when implemented, are fair and proportionate. They are discussed and agreed with the child, who offers their own suggestion for any consequence imposed. This is highly effective and helps children to understand the impact of their actions. Inspection report for children’s home: SC480161 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is suitably qualified and experienced. She provides inspirational leadership and management, placing outcomes for children at the forefront of practice in the home. The manager is supported by a qualified and experienced deputy manager, who shares the same ambition, ethos and vision for children. They, along with the dedicated staff team, provide a warm, homely and highly nurturing home for children, enabling them to feel safe, supported and cared for.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff working at the home have a full understanding of their role and responsibilities in providing highly effective care for children. Minimal changes in the staff team contribute to children receiving consistent care. In addition, the home has a dedicated team of bank staff to ensure that the children are always cared for by staff whom they know. When new staff are recruited, safer recruitment practice is followed. Staff say they feel supported in their role and receive regular high-quality supervision that enables them to reflect and develop their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Highly effective partnership working between the team and other professionals ensures that children receive the care they need. Training provided to staff continues to ensure that their skills and knowledge are up to date, and the use of current research further enhances the care and support they provide. Regular multidisciplinary team meetings and staff meetings ensure that the consistent approach to care is in the best interest of the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has strong and effective monitoring systems in place and provides appropriate challenges to external professionals if there is a delay in receiving relevant documentation. She monitors the records in the home to ensure that they reflect the current and future plans for children. She, along with staff, provides all professionals with regular updates about children’s progress as well as any areas of concern. Professionals are highly complimentary about the level of communication with the managers and staff from the home. One professional said: ‘The level of communication is of an incredibly high standard. This supports ongoing planning and support for [name]. As a result of this, the progress he has made has been exceptional.’

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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: SC480161 6

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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

Sarah Oldham, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC480161 7 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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Inspector

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