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

Inspection report for children’s home: 1276442 1 Registered provider: Horizon Care and Education Group Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care for up to three children who experience social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, two children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a private organisation that operates several registered children’s homes.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in September 2018.

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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: 1276442 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/06/2023 Full Good 14/03/2023 Full Good 13/10/2021 Full Good 30/06/2021 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children’s home: 1276442 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The atmosphere in the home is welcoming, and the children thrive in the staff’s care. The children take pride in their home and are involved in deciding how rooms are decorated. The children were delighted to share that they have recently chosen the paint for the walls and the soft furnishings for the lounge.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children enjoy spending time with the staff and have fun in their company. The relationships between the staff and the children are warm and caring, which enables the children to feel safe. A professional commented, ‘The staff have a brilliant relationship with the child and a strong understanding of what they need.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children make good progress because of the staff’s care, help and support. Staff talk fondly and positively about the children. They are proud of each child’s progress, and children’s progress is celebrated.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and the staff team support family time well. They develop positive relationships with families, which enables children to see and talk to people who are important to them. As a result, children can maintain links with people who live a distance from the home. The staff are creative and have used one child’s interest in gaming to support regular family time for the child. Another child was keen to be reintroduced to their siblings, and the manager advocated for the child to have this time. This has been further developed through letters and face-to-face time. A professional commented, ‘The team is really on board around the importance of family time.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children feel listened to and that their wishes are acted on. They have plentiful opportunities to discuss their views, opinions and ideas through informal meetings and one-on-one time with staff. One idea was a holiday abroad, which the children worked towards and achieved this summer.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff support children’s education well. Children are helped to engage and make progress in their education. Staff work closely with school staff to ensure consistency. One child has been supported with work experience and successfully transitioned to college. A professional commented on how well this transition was handled.

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

Staff have a good understanding of their responsibilities to keep children safe. When concerns arise, they take appropriate action to ensure that children get the support they need to stay safe. The staff work effectively with children to help them better understand risk and how to stay safe. They are intuitive and professionally curious, know the children well and use positive relationships to help the children feel safe. Inspection report for children’s home: 1276442 4 The manager makes sure that measures to ensure children’s safety are effective. Staff thoroughly assess risk and understand children’s particular vulnerabilities. Children’s individual risk management plans are regularly updated. Staff support children to take risks that are age and developmentally appropriate. They understand that well- managed risk-taking is an essential part of children’s development. For example, staff allow children to have the freedom and responsibility appropriate for their age, such as

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

managing independent travel and time out with friends. A professional commented, ‘Plans are really well thought out and highlight the individuality of the child.’

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

Children feel that they can speak to staff about any worries that they have and that they will be listened to and supported. Regular planned conversations with children are reflective and give children the opportunity to talk about the things that are important to them.

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

When children leave the home without permission or do not return at the agreed time, staff actively communicate with the child and contact relevant agencies, such as the police. Levels of risk for one child are high and staff have managed situations well when the child has gone missing from home. Staff have worked closely with multi- agency professionals to safeguard this child.

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

Staff do not use physical intervention techniques and rarely use consequences. Staff are skilled in using de-escalation and supporting children in understanding their emotions and behaviours. They guide the children to reflect on situations and explore strategies for managing their feelings. Clear behaviour support guidance for staff, in addition to their good knowledge of the children, means that staff manage incidents well. As a result, incidents have significantly reduced for all children. One professional described how they have seen a ‘massive increase’ in a child’s confidence and said that the child has flourished in the staff’s care.

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

Safer recruitment processes are thorough. As a result, children are cared for by suitable staff who can keep them safe.

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

Safeguarding concerns are responded to and children in the home are kept safe. However, the arrangements for managing allegations are not consistently effective. On occasion, investigations have not been carried out in line with the organisation’s policies and procedures. Outcomes reached are not consistently clearly documented, and records do not evidence that concerns are always addressed conclusively with the staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has created a high aspiration and positivity culture, which has inspired the same beliefs in the staff team. The manager ensures that the therapeutic and child- focused approach is embedded in staff practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is aware of the home’s strengths and areas for development. She has plans in place to further develop the team, the recording systems and the service. The Inspection report for children’s home: 1276442 5 manager addresses recommended actions from the monthly independent person’s visit. She uses this feedback to further enhance the quality of care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a detailed knowledge about children’s individual histories, how these impact on current life experience and in turn what flexible support they need. The manager speaks about children with warmth and a determination for them to have the best possible outcomes. The manager continuously challenges any delays in the provision of the support children need from the wider network, and she finds creative ways to resolve any ongoing difficulties to ensure that children are not left waiting for answers from the wider professional team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is good morale and enthusiasm in the staff team. Staff talk positively about the support and supervision they receive. The registered manager feels supported by senior leaders. Equally, the staff team feels supported by the registered manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have regular reflective supervision, yearly appraisals and meet regularly in person for team meetings. This gives lots of opportunities for the staff to come together and discuss the needs of the children and their own support needs. One staff member described the manager as an ‘exceptional leader’ who supports the staff well and encourages them to reach their potential.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Recording systems are ineffective. This impedes the ability to monitor the quality of care. Numerous systems are in place for record-keeping, electronically and on paper. However, the manager could not easily locate important records. The manager and responsible individual acknowledge these shortfalls and plans are in place for improvement. Inspection report for children’s home: 1276442 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 prepare and implement a policy which—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the children’s home from abuse or neglect; and

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Requirement Due date

sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect.

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Requirement Due date

The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular—

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Requirement Due date

provide for liaison and co-operation with any local authority which are, or may be, making a child protection enquiry in relation to a child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

provide for the prompt referral of an allegation about current or ongoing abuse or neglect in relation to a child to the placing authority and, if different, the local authority in whose area the home is located;

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Requirement Due date

provide for the prompt referral of an allegation about past abuse or neglect in relation to a child to the placing authority and, if different, the local authority in whose area the alleged abuse or neglect occurred;

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Requirement Due date

provide for records to be kept of an allegation of abuse or neglect, and the action taken in response. (Regulation 34 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that investigations are still carried out when staff leave the organisation and that the investigations are clearly recorded, including the outcome of the allegation and actions taken. 1 November 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: 1276442 7

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that they are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of clear recording. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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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: 1276442 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, Prospect Business Park, 12 Prospect Park, Longford Road, Cannock, Staffordshire WS11 0LG

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Inspector

Sharron Dormand, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1276442 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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Inspector

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