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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2509366 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

This home is privately owned and offers care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in September 2024.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2509366 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/04/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 25/10/2023 Full Good 27/06/2022 Full Good 08/03/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2509366 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is now settled, and newly recruited staff are getting to know the children. Staff invest in the children and spend quality time with them, including doing a variety of activities. As a result, children build trusting and secure relationships with staff. These relationships support children to make progress in different areas of their lives. The inspector spoke to both children, who appeared relaxed in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the value of education. They encourage learning, and as a result, the children’s educational attendance has improved significantly. Children are achieving positive educational outcomes and have aspirations for their future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children’s health needs are well promoted by staff. Staff monitor the children’s health and provide the necessary support to ensure that routine appointments and health checks are up to date. The children eat a wide range of nutritious meals and maintain an active lifestyle. These positive, healthy choices help to ensure that children’s health is maintained.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children contribute to the decisions made in the home. This includes decisions about preferred meals and choosing activities linked to their interests. These activities include going on day trips and holidays. Children are also getting involved in the local garden club. Children’s confidence and self-esteem are developing.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to maintain relationships with people who are important to them. This helps children to feel secure and develop a sense of identity. Staff help children to develop independent living skills. This focuses on learning life skills such as preparing healthy meals, maintaining a clean and safe home and travelling independently.

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

Staff are confident and have a clear understanding of what safeguarding means and the processes that need to be followed to protect children. This helps to ensure that children are better protected from harm.

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

The children rarely go missing from the home. On the occasions when the children have left the home without permission, staff have searched for them in the community. Staff work closely with the police and the child’s social worker to ensure that children safely return home. This demonstrates to the children that the staff who care for them will support them and keep them safe.

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

Regular conversations take place with children to help them understand boundaries and acceptable behaviour. These conversations include topics that are relevant to an individual child’s vulnerabilities but also include discussions about online safety and Inspection report for children’s home: 2509366 4 bullying. These discussions strengthen relationships and help children learn how to keep themselves safe.

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

Staff use positive incentives and restorative practice to promote socially acceptable behaviour in children. On some occasions, staff are required to physically hold children to prevent them from hurting themselves or others. Physical holds are used as a last resort, and the manager always reviews this measure. The manager’s oversight helps to ensure that the actions taken by staff are proportionate and necessary.

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

The manager ensures that the recruitment of staff is safe. She guarantees that all relevant checks and verifications are carried out before employees work with children. This helps to reduce the risk of harm to children.

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

Children’s risk assessments are updated regularly, but a few have information that is no longer relevant. The manager is aware and has started to address this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is working towards the required qualification for their role. She is supported by a staff team that is committed to providing good-quality care to children. The manager is embedding a new culture and ethos in the home. As a result, staff morale has improved and children are happy. Staff are enthusiastic about the home’s future.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is now appropriately staffed. Staff benefit from receiving regular supervision sessions and team meetings. Improved access to suitable and relevant training helps staff to develop the necessary skills and knowledge to care for the children effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has good monitoring systems in place. Monthly visits to the home by an independent person further underpin the monitoring of the home and provide external oversight of the quality of care. The manager acts on any recommendations detailed in the independent person’s report to ensure that improvements are made.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Professionals speak positively about the home and the support provided to children, noting the good progress that the children are making. Professionals report that communication is efficient and effective, and the manager has a clear vision for the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2509366 5

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. In particular, they should ensure that irrelevant information is removed from the children’s risk assessments. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes 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: 2509366 6

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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

Evelyn Chafota, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2509366 7 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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