Children's home run by Hexagon Care Services Limited in Preston

Inspection report for children’s home: SC480847 1 SC480847 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

This home is privately owned. It offers care for up to four children with learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2021.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 30 January 2024

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC480847 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/01/2024 Full Good 24/03/2023 Full Good 09/02/2022 Full Good 24/09/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC480847 3

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improvement to be good

During this inspection, inspectors were aware that information suggests a serious incident concerning children had occurred since the last inspection. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate incidents of this kind, actions taken by the setting in response to the incident were considered alongside other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform inspectors’ judgements.

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improvement to be good

The experiences and progress of children living in the home vary. This is a view shared by parents and professionals, who suggest some children have made positive progress and others have not had a positive experience. Since the last inspection, three children have left the home. Two children living in the home were seen during the inspection and appeared happy. However, changes in staffing and children have unsettled some children and hindered them from having a positive daily care routine.

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improvement to be good

Staff have found it challenging to encourage all children to consistently access health support. Some children decline medication and struggle to have healthy sleep routines. Staff care about the children and work with children’s social workers and psychologists to progress the children’s care. Staff are working hard to reduce the amount of time some children spend in their bedrooms.

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improvement to be good

Children’s progress and attendance at education are varied. Despite on-site education, staff have experienced challenges in supporting some children to consistently access education and additional learning. This can be hindered by children spending time on their devices during the night. However, some children have made positive progress and enjoy engaging in creative learning.

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improvement to be good

Some areas of the home have been refurbished. However, the children’s bedrooms that were recently decorated present with untidy paintwork, and a television unit has not been repaired. A shared facility also requires a deep clean. These shortfalls do not provide children with a homely and nurturing environment to live in. The children have access to a written and audio children’s guide. However, there are gaps in the information, which hinders children from having a full understanding of what their care looks like.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children to share their views and develop their life and independence skills. Children are supported to access a variety of social opportunities in line with their interests. Children also enjoy varied activities with staff, including days out, pumpkin picking and attending celebration events. Staff support the children to have photos of their activities and events. These opportunities help the children build their social skills and confidence and have lifelong memories to look back on. Inspection report for children’s home: SC480847 4 Staff sensitively support children’s transitions to and from the home. Where possible, staff assist children visiting the home and support children to meet their new carers when moving on from the home. These opportunities help to reduce children’s potential worries and anxieties.

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improvement to be good

Some staff were unable to share information about recent significant events and associated risks for children. Staff have not always reported children missing from the home in line with their plans. This is hindered by the fact that children’s risk assessments and plans provide conflicting information about actions that staff should take. This prevents staff from ensuring an effective response to reduce harm to children when they go missing from the home. However, staff actively search for children, which helps to reduce any potential impact.

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improvement to be good

The staff are required to offer the children a high level of supervision. However, gaps in children’s case records suggest that staff have not always consistently had oversight of children. Therefore, leaders and managers have not been assured that staff are appropriately supporting children’s peer relationships. The registered manager has recently made changes to increase staff supervision. However, there continues to be gaps in children’s risk assessments highlighting the actions that staff should take to ensure effective supervision of the children. This can confuse staff around their roles and responsibilities when supporting peer relationships.

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improvement to be good

On occasions, staff physically hold children to keep people safe. These holds are proportionate and used as a last resort when de-escalation techniques are unsuccessful. However, two records were not clear regarding the duration of the physical holds. On these occasions, there appeared to be no concerns regarding staff practice, but this discrepancy was not highlighted in management oversight.

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improvement to be good

Staff offer children sensitive support during emotionally challenging times and when children display self-injurious behaviours. Staff ensure that they check on children to review their well-being. Staff use restorative practice and encourage children to talk about events. Children are aware of how to make a complaint, and the registered manager responds to complaints appropriately and in a timely manner. This helps children to talk about their worries and feel able to share any concerns.

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improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have effective links with local authority designated officers and take action to address any concerns regarding staff practice. Staff are aware of actions that they should take if they have any concerns and understand systems in place to manage any allegations.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Leaders and managers have systems in place to review and monitor children’s progress and the development of the home. However, some of these systems require Inspection report for children’s home: SC480847 5 improvements to be effective. Leaders and managers have failed to identify, in a timely manner, shortfalls in some significant incidents around the recording of staff’s supervision of the children. The registered manager has not ensured that children’s risk assessments and plans provide staff with clear guidance on actions that they need to take to reduce risks to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager has not highlighted shortfalls in the recording of some physical holds of children. In addition, actions have not been taken to address that some staff have been using specialist holds without having updated support to use these. The registered manager has not ensured that all staff have accessed support to develop their skills in areas around associated risks, such as sexualised behaviours. These gaps can hinder the care staff offer the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager has not taken timely actions to ensure that gaps in one staff’s recruitment have been progressed. This appears to have not raised any safeguarding concerns for children. However, the gaps mean that the manager is unable to be assured that children’s welfare is promoted. The registered manager has delayed updating Ofsted of a significant event. On this occasion, this has not caused any harm to children but has delayed independent oversight.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager has not ensured that the home’s location risk assessment has all the required updated information recorded. Therefore, staff do not have access to all the required information to understand the risks in the local area.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff said that they are well supported by the registered manager and have a strong bond as a team. Staff have access to regular supervision and team meetings. These opportunities offer staff the chance to reflect on the children’s needs and their practice individually and as a team. Staff have access to reflective support from a psychologist. Leaders and managers are proactive in addressing staff practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager understands children’s plans and supports staff to help children make progress. The registered manager shares concerns and challenges local authorities when deemed necessary. Inspection report for children’s home: SC480847 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 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

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

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all children’s risk assessments and plans clearly record actions that staff should take to reduce risks. In addition, the registered person must ensure that staff have a clear understanding of associated risks. 15 December 2024

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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— 15 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC480847 7 promotes their welfare.

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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

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;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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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)(b) (2)(c)(e)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all staff record actions that are taken to support children to reduce harm. In addition, the registered person must ensure that all actions regarding staff recruitment are carried out in a timely manner.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 15 December 2024 Inspection report for children’s home: SC480847 8

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that when reviewing the appropriateness and suitability of the home’s location, they include all relevant information which assists in the identification of any risks and strategies for managing the presenting risks. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1)  The registered person should ensure that repairs are carried out in a timely manner and that children’s bedrooms are maintained to a suitable standard so that the home remains comfortable and welcoming. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  The registered person should ensure that children have access to a guide that helps them understand what their daily care looks like. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 24, paragraph 4.22)

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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: SC480847 9

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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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Inspectors

Gina Lightfoot, Social Care Inspector Ladean Wilson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC480847 10 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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