Children's home run by Hexagon Care Services Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2536761 1 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

The home is owned by a large private provider. It offers care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been in post since January 2025 and is not registered with Ofsted.

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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

Date of last inspection: 28 February 2024

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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: 2536761 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/02/2024 Full Good 01/03/2023 Full Good 25/01/2022 Full Good 04/02/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2536761 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both children spoke to the inspector about their experiences of living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children say they are happy in the home. They are supported in developing positive relationships with staff and each other, which helps them to feel secure. Staff listen to children’s views and encourage them to participate in decisions about their daily lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is warm and welcoming. The environment is well maintained, and children are encouraged to personalise their bedrooms. This creates a stable and comfortable place and helps children to feel a sense of pride and belonging in the home. The manager has asked one child, who excels at art, to produce artwork for the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work closely with schools to ensure that children receive the educational support they need. Regular communication with teachers helps ensure consistency, and children also have access to additional learning opportunities outside of school. This helps them to develop skills and knowledge beyond the classroom.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are well supported, and staff ensure that they have access to doctors, dentists and opticians. Staff encourage children to adopt healthy lifestyles by ensuring that they have balanced meals, regular exercise, and support with emotional well-being. Staff also help children develop self-care routines that are incentivised. However, one child has been given a vaping contract, which gives mixed messages regarding the use of vapes and is a barrier to helping them stop.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Various activities are available to help children build confidence and develop new skills. These activities are suited to their interests and abilities, encouraging social interaction and development, especially when children are unable to have family time.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have successfully supported one child to move out of the home into a semi- independence flat. One child living at the home now has a bespoke semi- independence plan, which will support them in building the skills they need over the coming year and help them move on in a positive manner.

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

Children say that they feel safe and valued. They know that adults listen to them and take their views seriously.

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

Children are provided with consistent and predictable routines that help structure their day, support their well-being and encourage positive behaviour. Staff provide reassurance and guidance to help children develop their own coping strategies and Inspection report for children’s home: 2536761 4 manage their behaviour, and children can choose which staff members to accompany them on activities.

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

Risk management plans are regularly reviewed to ensure children’s safety and well- being. The organisation’s clinical team works alongside staff to assess these plans and adapt them as needed. This collaborative approach ensures that risks are identified and managed effectively. Staff respond sensitively to incidents and ensure that children can reflect and receive appropriate help.

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

Staff follow clear procedures when children are missing from the home and understand their role to ensure their safe return. They work closely with external agencies to minimise risks. On their return, children are offered support to understand and address any underlying concerns.

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

Staff receive regular training that is tailored to the specific needs of the children in their care. This ensures that they are well equipped to respond to complex behaviours and provide effective support. Ongoing professional development helps maintain high standards of care. Staff are also able to receive ongoing support from the therapist to help them respond to children’s needs and ensure that the work they carry out is in line with the children’s plans.

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

Individual work is carried out with children on issues that are important to them, including healthy lifestyles, mental health awareness, and social media safety. These sessions help children to discuss issues and build skills and resilience as they prepare for adulthood.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has recently returned after a period of leave. She demonstrates a strong commitment to the children and staff and sets high standards of care. The leadership from the manager and her deputy provides a positive and supportive environment in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say they feel well supported by the manager and work together as a strong, cohesive team. Regular supervision, training and open communication help to create a positive work environment. This consistency in care and a shared commitment to the children’s well-being are strengths of the staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Long-serving members of staff provide children with continuity of care, and any changes to the team are well planned to minimise the impact on children. The home follows safer recruitment practices when recruiting staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has effective systems in place to monitor the quality of care and drive improvements. The manager and the responsible individual carry out regular audits. They seek feedback from staff and children to continually assess the home’s performance. However, the use of alarms on children’s bedroom doors has not been reviewed, and there is no valid reason for an alarm to be activated on one child’s bedroom door. This practice unnecessarily limits children’s privacy. Inspection report for children’s home: 2536761 5 Children’s records are well maintained, allowing staff to track their progress and respond to changing needs. Care plans are regularly reviewed and updated to ensure that they remain relevant and focused on each child’s best interests. This helps to provide personalised and effective support. Inspection report for children’s home: 2536761 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 privacy of children is appropriately protected;

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Requirement Due date

children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises; and

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Requirement Due date

any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises—

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Requirement Due date

is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home;

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Requirement Due date

is kept under review and, if necessary, revised; and

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Requirement Due date

allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (a)(b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must review any limitations to children in the home. 8 May 2025

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff respond consistently to children who use e-cigarettes. Staff should work with placing authorities, relevant health services, and external agencies to ensure that children are actively discouraged from smoking and have access to smoking cessation services. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.10) Inspection report for children’s home: 2536761 7

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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: 2536761 8

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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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Inspector

Colin Jones, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2536761 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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