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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC480671 1 SC480671 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

This home is owned and operated by a private company.

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Information about this children’s home

It is registered to provider care for up to eight children with social and emotional needs. However, the provider’s statement of purpose states the home provides care for up to three girls.

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Information about this children’s home

A school operated by the same provider is on the same site. The inspector only inspected the social care provision.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is suitably experienced and has been registered since February 2022.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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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

Date of last inspection: 7 September 2023

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC480671 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/09/2023 Full Good 14/06/2022 Full Good 24/03/2022 Interim Improved effectiveness 06/07/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC480671 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children stay in the home for a long time. They have known most staff for a significant period and have strong, trusting relationships with them. One care-experienced member of staff said, ‘it is everything I wanted when I was growing up’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff and children in the home are supportive and caring of each other and operate as a family. Staff involve children in all planning for the home, such as meals, activities, and holidays. Listening to children is ingrained within staff practice and occurs organically in the home. Children feel heard and valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff offer children emotional security and a stable base. This allows children to safely explore and process their historical experiences. For one child, this has meant they have been able to enjoy festive celebrations for the first time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home is beautifully decorated and well maintained. Staff involve children in any changes to their home, and communal areas reflect all children’s interests. Staff have supported all children to make changes to their bedrooms since the last inspection, in line with their evolving tastes. There are photos throughout the home of children’s special memories and important people. Children are relaxed and at home in their space.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

All children have a suitable school or college place. One child was delayed attending college because an appropriate provision could not be found. The manager progressed complaints on the child’s behalf and eventually found a suitable college themselves. The child is now attending college with their peers. Staff promote children’s engagement with their education and one child has received an award from school for their outstanding contributions. All children are making exceptional progress from their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff prepare children for when they will leave the home. The staff and in-house psychologist have completed a specialist assessment with a child who has additional needs to tailor their plans for independence. Staff use research-informed methods to create visual plans for children and plot their progress with them. Children can choose their own goals and are motivated to learn the skills for adulthood. The in-house psychologist is emotionally preparing children for when they or others will move out.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff help children to apply for employment. Children are supported to make CVs, research local jobs, and apply for them. Staff have supported children who were not born in this country through complex processes to gain key identification documents. They have then helped them open bank accounts and apply for disability benefits. Children have the tools and are learning skills for future economic independence and stability. Inspection report for children’s home: SC480671 4

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

Staff manage behaviour through their relationships with children. They rarely use formal consequences. When they are used, they are fair, proportionate, and linked to the behaviour. Staff help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves and others.

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

The clinical team and model are fully embedded in the home. The in-house psychologist directly supports the children as well as assisting staff. Staff know and use the home’s therapeutic model and this guides their practice. Children experience consistent, therapeutic care.

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

Staff and the psychologist use research-informed methods to teach the children emotional literacy and coping strategies. Children are learning to communicate their feelings and manage them. The psychologist liaises with other professionals, such as the school counsellor, to ensure joined-up care. Children have made significant progress in their managing emotions and social skills.

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

Risk assessments are clear and contain strategies for staff to follow. Risks for all children are all low and have reduced further over the last inspection period. Staff understand the risks to children and how to manage them. Staff know how to manage risks that are not often experienced through written guidance and knowledge checks by managers.

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

Incidents are rare in the home. When self-harm incidents have occurred, staff have responded sensitively and understood the context for the children. Children have been responded to warmly, and staff have actively used the principles of their therapeutic model when supporting them.

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

The manager has responded immediately and thoroughly to a concern raised about the conduct of a member of staff, which could have impacted the safety of children. The matter was investigated, and all relevant agencies were informed to ensure transparency and oversight. The managed prioritised the safety and wellbeing of children and ensured that staff were aware of their high expectations of staff behaviour and conduct.

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

The managers and leaders have extremely effective oversight of safeguarding. Their oversight is prompt, and thoroughly considers staff practice, implementation of plans and therapeutic models, underlying reasons for incidents and the quality of recording.

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

Children rarely go missing. Staff know the individual missing plans for each child. On the one occasion that a child went missing, staff stayed in contact with the child and used their knowledge of the area and child’s friends to quickly locate them. Staff worked hard to understand the underlying reasons for the episode and supported the child.

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

Staff never hold children. This encourages relationships of mutual respect and trust between staff and children. Staff are trained to hold children safely in the event this is necessary. Inspection report for children’s home: SC480671 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The management team is stable and has been in the home for a long time. The manager is experienced, skilled and child focused. They are supported by an equally passionate and committed deputy manager. The manager and deputy manager work well together and provide consistent leadership to the team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The managers and leaders have excellent relationships with children. Children seek them out to ask questions and spend time together. The manager and deputy work in the home on some weekends so that they can spend more time with children without having managerial tasks to complete.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff know the children and their needs well. Most staff have worked in the home for a significant period and the manager does not use agency staff in the home. Newer staff have enthusiasm for the job and are empathetic and understanding. Children are looked after by adults who care about them and are focused on giving them the best care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Managers and leaders have designed the rota so that newer staff are always supported by multiple more experienced staff. Staff share good practice and communicate effectively with each other. Children experience the same high quality of care every day.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff have a high-quality induction and further training. The managers and leaders prioritise the training and learning of the staff. The in-house psychologist designs and delivers training on areas specific to the needs of the children in the home, such as gender identity. Casual staff are as well trained as full time staff. Staff are well prepared to meet the needs of the children they care for.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are supervised regularly. Supervisions are thorough, reflective and focus on staff development. Managers and leaders discuss the therapeutic model and how this is used in practice at every supervision, which firmly embeds the model in the home. Actions are put into place to drive the progress of staff. Staff understand their practice and how to improve it.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Team meetings are regular and well attended. The in-house psychologist attends and there is space for reflection and group learning. Staff have shared understanding of the goals for children and how to achieve them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff understand the progress children are making. The manager completes progress scoring with staff but also invites external professionals to contribute. This ensures that the scoring is robust, and that progress is evident in each of the child’s settings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The managers and staff have extremely positive relationships with external agencies. They communicate with them regularly and effectively. The manager respectfully challenges other professionals on behalf of the children to ensure their needs are met, Inspection report for children’s home: SC480671 6 which has been instrumental in children’s progress. Children experience the best possible joined-up care.

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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: SC480671 7

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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 PR2 2YQ

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Inspector

Sarah Huntbatch, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC480671 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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