Children's home run by Horizon Care and Education Group Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2490996 1 Registered provider: Horizon Care and Education Group 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

This children’s home is owned and managed by a private organisation. The home provides 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, the home was providing care for three children.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in November 2023. The registered provider has recently appointed a new responsible individual, and we are currently checking this person has the relevant capacity, experience, and skills to carry out the role.

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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: 16 January 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: 2490996 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/01/2024 Full Good 29/11/2022 Full Good 22/02/2022 Full Good 16/01/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: 2490996 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress in this home. They form trusting relationships with staff and receive consistent and well-planned care. Because of this, children grow in self- esteem and confidence and develop aspirations for their future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Consultation takes place regularly with children. Staff support children to develop activity planners and menus and choose the décor of their rooms. However, children do not consistently engage in discussions regarding the care they receive, or the work undertaken with them. This feedback is important in evaluating children’s overall care experiences and enables children to develop a sense of control regarding their lives and the decisions made for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Care is taken to ensure that each child’s plan is regularly reviewed and the required support made available to them. For example, additional guidance and support for education is embedded in practice. As a result, children who have missed a considerable amount of schooling, are now fully engaged in their educational plans.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to attend appointments, and additional support is provided to children who have a history of non-attendance due to anxiety. The home provides a healthy and balanced range of meals alongside regular activities for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Family time for children is consistently supported. Staff work hard to build trusting relationships with children’s families and, where possible, include them in the planning for their child’s care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children help to plan activities inside and outside of the home. Children enjoy spending time with staff and were observed sharing banter and having fun together. One child said, ‘The staff are great. I like everything about this home.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive a guide to how the home operates, including the house rules and boundaries. The guide includes information about the staff working in the home and contact details for independent advice and support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home offers ample space for children to engage in different activities, such as having time alone or using one of the two lounge areas and gaming area. The exterior of the home offers private off-road parking and a large, well-maintained rear garden. The home is well presented and suitably maintained.

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

Children are protected from harm. Detailed assessments provide consistent strategies to minimise potential risk to children. When risks have occurred, the staff have taken suitable action in accordance with the home’s procedures. Inspection report for children’s home: 2490996 4 Staff are trained in the use of holding a child to keep them safe. When incidents occur, the measures used are the least restrictive and serve to guide a child away from danger and/or risk. Records are detailed and include a full account of the incident, the debrief with the child and staff members, and follow up key-worker sessions. However, some of the language used in the records is not trauma informed and therefore does not consider that behaviours are a response to past traumatic experiences.

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

Children are cared for by staff who are suitably vetted before undertaking their role. This means that staff are safe to work with children.

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

Allegations against staff are appropriately managed. The manager works with external safeguarding agencies and the placing authority to ensure that the most appropriate steps are taken to address any concerns. Records of investigations are well documented and include the outcomes and any areas identified for learning.

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

Training sessions and key-work sessions are undertaken with children regarding navigating social media safely and recognising risks when using smart phone applications. Suitable restrictions ensure that children’s media access is closely monitored, and action is taken should a concern arise.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff receive regular supervision. Records identify areas for progress and support and illustrate the overall development of staff’s skills. Half the staff have relevant residential childcare experience and are qualified at level 3 of the children’s workforce and development taskforce.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager completes regular audits of the work undertaken with children and the arrangements in place to protect them from harm. The manager and staff form close working relationships with external support agencies who regularly visit children in their home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The independent visitor undertakes regular visits to the home and provides suitable reports to reflect the home practice. Reports provide a measured overview of the care that children receive and progress towards individual plans and address any areas for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive suitable training opportunities from internal and external training professionals. However, specific training in relation to the needs identified for one child did not take place prior to their admission. Therefore, strategies to manage the previously known complex behaviours were not in place from the starting point.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Furthermore, staff undertake additional training via an online social care training hub. This covers a range of topics and provides staff with a basic understanding of their roles and responsibilities when caring for children. However, opportunities to discuss and explore their learning and how this works in practice are limited. Inspection report for children’s home: 2490996 5

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff receive specific training in relation to a child’s identified needs prior to the child moving into the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards.’ Page 34, paragraph 7.12)  The registered person should ensure that children are encouraged by staff to see the home’s records as ‘living documents,’ supporting them to view and contribute to the record in a way that reflects their voice on a regular basis. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards.’ Page 58, paragraph 11.19)  The registered person should ensure that staff are provided opportunities to discuss and explore the learning from training hub programmes and how this training is used in practice. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home Regulations, including the quality standards.’ Page 53, paragraph 10.11)  The registered person should ensure that consideration is given to the information

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Recommendations

written about children and that records are carefully recorded, objective and clear. (‘Guide to the Children’s Home 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: 2490996 6

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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: Horizon Care and Education Group Limited, Venture House, Unit 12, Prospect Business Park, Longford Road, Cannock, Staffordshire WS11 0LG

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Inspector

Maria McGranaghan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2490996 7 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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