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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2603286 1 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

The home provides care for up to four children who have learning disabilities and additional learning needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is led by a registered manager who is experienced and holds the required qualification.

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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 good

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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: 20 February 2024

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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: 2603286 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/02/2024 Full Outstanding 01/03/2023 Full Outstanding 28/09/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2603286 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Since the last inspection, one child has left the home, and another moved to the home. Managers ensure that children receive very good support to prepare them for moving into the home. This includes, visiting the home and meeting staff, so children are aware of who will be caring for them and what they can expect when they move to the home. Staff remain very committed to the children and provide ongoing emotional support during the transition, to make sure the child has the best possible start to living in their new home. They make every effort to make children feel truly cared about and valued, such as welcoming a former resident back for a special birthday celebration, reinforcing their genuine care and commitment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s progress, experiences, wishes and views are central, and are used to develop very good-quality wraparound care. Most of the children have lived at the home since it opened. This level of stability creates a real sense of belonging. This has been significant in allowing children to build secure and meaningful relationships with a team of staff, whose members children know and trust, and can rely on.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are making remarkable progress in all areas of their lives. One child has developed self-confidence, empowering them to take on a mentorship role and actively contributing to the children’s council for a local authority. Another has received an award for charity fundraising, showing dedication to helping others. One child has made significant improvements in personal care routines, greatly enhancing their quality of life. Their growing independence is also evident in activities like work experience, independent travel, and managing life skills such as budgeting, cooking and shopping. These achievements reflect their ability to take responsibility and make substantial progress in both personal and social development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children make significant progress in education. All children have tailored educational packages to ensure any barriers to education are overcome. As a result, this creates stability, which supports children to succeed. One child who had struggled to engage in lessons and had been out of education for a significant period now accesses education daily. The child’s social worker said, ‘He has made fantastic progress in this area; he is doing incredible.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children enjoy seeing their family and friends regularly. Staff have built good relationships with children’s families and friends. Staff help children to share positive experiences with the people who are important to them, for example by arranging gatherings for special occasions and planning activities. This means that children feel cared about. One child said: ‘Staff are great; they are just like family.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

All children are preparing for adulthood. The nature and extent of their needs is well understood by staff. This enables them to set realistic, but also challenging goals for Inspection report for children’s home: 2603286 4 each child. Transition planning is excellent. This highly effective care planning ensures that children have the very best start to their adulthood.

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

The staff are very experienced and well-established, and this means they understand each child’s needs very well, especially in relation to keeping them safe. Staff have regular discussions about emerging safeguarding issues so their knowledge and understanding of keeping children safe is constantly refreshed. Staff are not afraid to challenge each other, demonstrating an open and transparent safeguarding culture.

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

Children’s individual risk assessments capture their risks and vulnerabilities. The level of detail is meticulous and is testament to how well staff know each child. Managers and staff review risk assessments and update them if circumstances warrant it. As a result, staff have up-to-date information about each child and the best way to respond to their needs and to risks when they arise, enabling them to keep children as safe as possible.

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

Behaviour management strategies are innovative, and staff are confident and skilful in this area of practice. They support children to learn how to manage their emotions and regulate their behaviour. Staff understand that each child is different and requires an individual approach. Staff have a detailed and insightful understanding of the needs of each child. As a result, there have not been any incidents of physical intervention for over a year.

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

Children are safe online. Staff carry out proportionate checks on children’s phones, as any parent would. They also carry out direct work regarding online safety. The manager and staff have shown real persistence with children to help them stay safe when using social media and the internet. With one child, this has taken a significant work. However, staff have not given up. The child is now able to recognise their own vulnerabilities online and ongoing work continues in this area.

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

Children rarely go missing from care. When this happens, staff have followed the correct protocols and procedures. Staff are quick to respond to ensure children return to the home, safely and as soon as possible. Following incidents, the manager is proactive and reflects on these incidents and working effectively with other agencies to ensure that strategies to reduce risks are carefully considered and highly effective.

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

The ethos of the home is that children are cared for by staff who do not give up on them. The manager ensures that children are well matched. There is extensive planning when children move in and out of the home. This has meant that children make progress and their experience of living at the home is positive from an early stage.

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

Children’s health needs are met. Staff receive specialist training to enable them to support and care for the children safely. Staff have very recently received training in catatonia, and they have revisited medication administration training. There have been four medication errors in the last 12 months. However, when they have occurred, leaders and managers have responded quickly and appropriately. Inspection report for children’s home: 2603286 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home is managed by a committed, motivated and nurturing leadership team. They are focused on improving outcomes for children. Managers are forward-looking to the next aspect of care that can be improved for children’s overall well-being.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager provides extensive and creative support to staff in several key areas of practice. Managers regularly use trusted sources of learning and published research to develop the team’s knowledge and skills. The team is highly committed. They drive plans forward to continually improve children’s care and experiences. The manager and leadership team are inspirational in their approach to using research-informed practice that is worthy of wider dissemination.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

External professionals speak highly of the care provided. The manager has established excellent relationships with key external agencies. This ensures that children receive the services they need when they need them. The manager and deputy manager are both influential in decision-making about children. This enhances the life chances for the children in their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The monitoring by the manager is outstanding. Effective management systems are in place. Records are of a very high standard and provide detailed analysis of care provision. Regular audits take place, with actions to address any shortfalls or learnings. This means the manager has a clear understanding of the home’s strengths and weaknesses. As a result, detailed development plans are in place to ensure continual improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff are positive about the support they receive from managers. As a result, morale is high, with team members having admiration for each other and for the children they support. They benefit from good quality, reflective supervision, and new employees have excellent inductions. Regular team meetings are purposeful, focusing on ensuring that everyone consistently meets the child’s needs and provides the best care possible.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The team is aspirational for all children. There is excellent team morale and a sense of shared ownership. One staff member said, ‘I honestly love it here. It’s far more than just a job. It’s our commitment to children to support them to be the best versions of themselves.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is an excellent advocate for children. She effectively challenges decisions made by professionals when they are not in children’s best interests. They escalate concerns appropriately when support is not put in place to meet children’s needs. One child’s social worker said, `The managers are amazing, and they are receptive. They will challenge me if need be. This is great, and always puts the child’s best interests at heart.’ Inspection report for children’s home: 2603286 6

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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: 2603286 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hexagon Care Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Hexagon Care, 1 Tustin Court, Port Way, Ashton-on- Ribble, Preston PR2 2YQ

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Inspectors

Zoey Lee, Social Care Inspector Linda Mason, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2603286 8 regulates 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.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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