Children's Home run by Hexagon Care Services Limited in Westmorland and Furness

Inspection report for children's home: 1269215 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 is registered to provide care for up to three children who may experience a range of social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, two children were living in the home and spoke with the inspector about their experiences in the home.

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 1269215 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/07/2024 Full Good 04/07/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/08/2022 Full Good 26/05/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 1269215 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children say that they enjoy living at the home. One child said that, although she would ideally like to live with her family, she prefers staying at the home because it feels calmer and there is less shouting.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have positive relationships with staff. Children said that they feel valued by staff and that staff care about them. One child joked about her relationship with staff, sharing humorous interactions and comments that show a positive environment where children can be themselves.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive education and are making progress. Where children struggle, staff work closely with teachers to provide support that is effective in children overcoming barriers to attending lessons or in their emotional well-being in educational settings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff talk with children on a range of topics relevant to their individual needs and experiences. However, the quality of this work can vary; some records tend to be more descriptive than reflective of the child’s voice and engagement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Both staff and children benefit from the involvement of therapeutic workers, who contribute to the development of individual therapeutic plans and interventions. These plans are integrated with each child’s behavioural, social and personal support strategies to promote the best possible outcomes.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to maintain relationships with their family and friends. Staff promote children’s time with those who are most important to the children, providing transport and supervision in accordance with the arrangements set out in the local authority’s plans.

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

Children said that they feel safe. During the inspection, one child experienced a distressing incident at school and chose to contact staff to explain the situation and express their emotions. This response highlighted the child’s trust in the support and care provided by staff, preferring their guidance over that of anyone else they could have spoken to.

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

Staff understand the individual risks faced by children and care plans, and risk management plans are updated regularly with clear guidance for staff on how best to support children. Staff reflect on their own practice, learn from experiences and continually develop the support they provide. As a result, children are helped to feel safe, and the frequency of incidents has been reduced. Inspection report for children's home: 1269215 4 Children who go missing from home are returned safely. Staff follow safety plans and organisational policies effectively, ensuring a prompt and coordinated safeguarding response through collaboration with multi-agency partners and family networks. Children are supported to understand the risks associated with going missing from home.

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

Children benefit from consistent routines and clear boundaries, which help them understand expectations and respond positively. When children struggle with these boundaries, impacting their sense of security and safety, staff respond sensitively, managing situations in a way that supports the child’s emotional and behavioural needs.

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

Although staff have not needed to use physical intervention, they are trained and equipped with the skills to do so safely and appropriately should a child’s safety or that of others be at risk.

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

Staff promote the use of incentives to help reduce negative behaviours, fostering a sense of independence in children and, where appropriate, allowing them to experience natural consequences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is experienced and provides effective support to staff, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and reflective practice aimed at developing the quality of care delivered to children. Staff feel supported to improve their practice and care of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There has been a recent change in the deputy role; however, staff have responded positively and have raised no concerns regarding the impact of this change on themselves or the children. The manager and the deputy work effectively to maintain consistent leadership presence in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff and managers show a strong understanding of the children’s individual needs and consistently provide care that meets these effectively. This is reflected in positive feedback from both families and professionals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager actively advocates for children’s needs, resulting in improved access to care and support services, including education and other essential provisions. This has led to one child accessing more suitable education, resulting in progress being made.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular training and speak positively about its accessibility and quality, recognising its value in supporting their professional development, along with their confidence in supporting children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from regular, detailed supervision that provides opportunities for reflection, contributions and learning across various aspects of practice in the home. Supervision sessions benefit from the input from an in-house therapist, who will contribute to team meetings and the plans for children. Inspection report for children's home: 1269215 5 Professional relationships are well established, underpinned by consistent and effective communication. This collaborative approach ensures that children benefit from a cohesive network of support around their care. Inspection report for children's home: 1269215 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the quality of key-worker session records are purposeful, evaluative and non-stigmatising, so that they are helpful to a child. This should ensure continuity of quality and ensure that identified areas of need are explored with the child. (‘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: 1269215 7

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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: 1 Tustin Court, Port Way, Ashton-on-Ribble, Preston PR2 2YQ

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Inspector

Paul McKay-Smith, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 1269215 8 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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