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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC463852 1 SC463852

p.1

Registered provider: Horizon Care and Education Group Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home provides care for up to four children with social and emotional difficulties. Three children were living in the home at the time of the inspection and were spoken to by the inspector.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since January 2020.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

p.1

outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

p.1

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.

p.1

outstanding

Date of last inspection: 7 February 2024

p.1

outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

p.1

outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC463852 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/02/2024 Full Outstanding 14/02/2023 Full Good 01/11/2021 Full Good 25/09/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC463852 3

p.2

outstanding

Since the last inspection, four children have left the home and three have moved in. The manager and staff support children to an exceptional standard, investing in thoroughly getting to know them and their needs. This helps children to flourish, make progress in many areas of their lives and achieve long-lasting positive outcomes.

p.3

outstanding

Each child who has left the home speaks highly of all the staff and the manager. One child describes it as ‘home’, and another described the staff as ‘family, because of how they made me feel’. Staff continue to support children when they move on, which gives them reassurance and helps them with their future independence. Outcomes for these children have been exceptional. Two children have gone to university, another has been successful in getting their first job and another child has moved into their own flat. Children are incredibly proud of their achievements and feel these could not have been possible without the support and guidance from the manager and staff.

p.3

outstanding

The manager seeks feedback from children who have previously lived at the home and shares their experiences with new children. Staff encourage children who have left the home to visit, which helps to create a loving family atmosphere. This also helps new children to settle in more easily and have high aspirations for themselves as they can see what other children have achieved and have positive role models.

p.3

outstanding

Children make excellent progress in their education. Staff promote the importance of education and what benefits this can have on children’s futures, and they praise and celebrate their educational achievements. One child’s school attendance has significantly improved since living at the home, and staff support the child to read daily. Their teacher said that their progress had been ‘remarkable’ and directly linked this to the stability staff have provided the child.

p.3

outstanding

Staff support children to have excellent routines and use professional curiosity to explore children’s interests and hobbies. They encourage children to attend various after-school activities. These boost children’s self-esteem and allow them to make friends in their local community. In addition, the manager encourages children’s families and friends to visit the home. This allows children to feel valued and respected and helps staff to build excellent relationships with the people who are important to children.

p.3

outstanding

Staff build secure and trusting relationships with children. Their empathetic and therapeutic approach helps them to discuss sensitive issues with children. This has included issues relating to children’s personal hygiene. This sensitively undertaken work helps children to feel less embarrassed and allows the issue to be resolved Inspection report for children’s home: SC463852 4 quickly. As a result, children confidently approach staff to discuss difficult subject matters.

p.3

outstanding

The manager and staff prepare children for independence in a planned and collaborative way. Staff work closely with children to assess their capabilities and complete excellent direct work to teach children how to improve their life skills. Staff encourage children to take age-appropriate risks to aid their learning. This helps children to thrive and feel included in their future plans and development.

p.4

outstanding

Children say that they feel safe, and they are kept safe by staff who clearly understand their roles and responsibilities. Staff have a detailed understanding of risks that children face and work with them to reduce these. Risk assessments are detailed and regularly updated and provide staff with clear direction which they follow. This has resulted in children becoming safer because of the care that they receive.

p.4

outstanding

The manager and staff have exceptional communication with external professionals and discuss new emerging risks with them without delay. When needed, the manager appropriately challenges other professionals when services do not meet children’s needs. There have been risks for one child relating to a peer at their school. The manager has worked with other professionals to ensure that the risks are understood by all and consider how to best manage these. In addition, the manager has used solution-focused ways to explore the child’s relationship with their peer and minimise risks relating to it.

p.4

outstanding

Staff have regular conversations with children to teach them about dangers in the community and how to keep themselves safe. Staff adapt their approach in line with children’s level of understanding, which helps children make great progress in terms of their understanding and safety. For example, one child struggles to understand the risks of exploitation. Staff use creative methods such as role play and discuss scenarios with the child, which has increased the child’s awareness and understanding.

p.4

outstanding

Staff respond quickly and effectively to children who are at risk of going missing from home or school. Staff clearly understand their responsibilities when a child is missing and follow procedures diligently. For example, one child nearly went missing from school and a member of staff immediately went to the school to support the child. The support resulted in the child remaining at the school and then safely returning home with staff. The child was welcomed back home in a warm and nurturing way, which created space for a reflective discussion with the child.

p.4

outstanding

The manager and staff prioritise online safety to ensure that children use the internet and electronic devices safely. Staff explain clearly to children why device checks are undertaken, and this helps children to put their trust in the staff. When there are Inspection report for children’s home: SC463852 5 increasing risks associated with a child’s device usage, staff take appropriate measures to protect the child from further harm. For example, the manager took immediate action and sensitively spoke to a child when she was notified that they had been exposed to inappropriate content. Her nurturing and inquisitive response encouraged the child to share additional information which helped staff to think of alternative ways to keep the child safe.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is ambitious, experienced and an exceptional leader. She has high expectations for children and staff, and staff follow her lead. She is consistently present in the home, which helps to provide reassurance to staff and children, especially those who are new to the home. Staff receive tailored support, and the manager is fully aware of the strengths and skill set of her team. The deputy manager is experienced and supports the manager to an extremely high standard, which creates a strong working team.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager encourages staff to use their knowledge and expertise to learn from one another. Staff are encouraged to be highly reflective, and team meetings include discussions on children’s progress, lessons learned from practice and challenges staff are facing. When there are gaps in staff knowledge, the manager arranges specific training to upskill them, and this ensures that children receive outstanding levels of care.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager goes above and beyond to ensure that children’s needs are met and keeps children at the centre of her decision-making. She wants children to have the best experience of residential care and regularly speaks to children to understand them and their lived experiences. She acts on children’s suggestions, such as decorating the living room, dinner choices and holidays, and has created a child- friendly and homely environment with photos of children and their achievements displayed throughout the home. These things help children feel loved, listened to and supported.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager skilfully considers and balances the needs of children and staff. She has carefully considered the needs of new children who move into the home, alongside children who already live there. The manager includes children in the planning for new children who move into the home, which enhances the trust and respect children have for staff.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager engages in critically reflective discussions with the responsible individual and independent visitor to ensure that practice in the home does not become complacent. She gathers feedback and writes critical analyses to reflect on children’s experiences in the home and whether there are any ways practice could be improved on.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff say that they feel ‘privileged’ to work alongside the manager and be part of the amazing progress children have made. The manager and staff are passionate about Inspection report for children’s home: SC463852 6 the children they care for, which is why a social worker describes the home as ‘one of the best children’s residential homes that I currently visit’.

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

No requirements or recommendations have been made following this inspection. Inspection report for children’s home: SC463852 7

p.6

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: SC463852 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Horizon Care and Education Group Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Venture House, Prospect Business Park, 12 Prospect Park, Longford Road, Cannock, Staffordshire WS11 0LG

p.8

Inspector

Caoimhe Richards, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC463852 9 and inspects 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.

p.8

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9