Children's home run by Hexagon Care Services Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2735269 1 Registered provider: Hexagon Care Services Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and managed by a private company. It provides care for up to two children who may experience social and emotional difficulties or have physical disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Information about this children’s home

A newly appointed manager has applied to register 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2735269 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/08/2024 Full Good 27/02/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2735269 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is bright and colourful. There are photos of the children on the walls, and there is a warm and friendly atmosphere. Children have a say in the home’s appearance, and their bedrooms are personalised. Children are happy living in the home, and they have developed a sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making good progress in all aspects of their lives. Staff support enables them to maintain their independence and health, regardless of their disabilities or needs. Staff have helped children to improve their health and manage lifelong conditions. The manager escalated concerns when a child’s health plan was not being implemented effectively. This child now has access to an alternative plan that will improve his health further.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have trusting and established relationships with staff because the staff take their time to get to know them. Newer staff follow the advice from more experienced staff and professionals about how to best build relationships with the children. Professionals say that staff know the children well. One professional said, ‘Every single staff member I have met knows [name of child]’s quirks.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have access to a wide range of experiences. They are involved in regular activities, such as swimming, going for walks and visiting the skate park. Children are able to enjoy activities on their own as well as together. One child was able to go on a trip with a local football club. In addition, memories created from these experiences are captured in memory books so children can look back and remember the times they shared. These opportunities enhance children’s experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress with their education and attend school regularly. Communication between staff and education providers is good. One child has a communication book that school staff and staff at the home write in daily. This has helped to improve communication and enhances consistency for the child both at home and at school. Children have access to a room in the home where they can do their homework without distraction. This helps to show children that their education is important.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have worked hard to help children be kinder to one another. One professional said, ‘They are now friends, and he calls him his brother.’ Because of good support, children have been able to learn about themselves and others, and they are now experiencing better social and emotional development.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children spend meaningful time with loved ones. With staff support, children enjoy the time with those who are most important to them. One child is now having unsupervised family time. Maintaining these relationships helps children to remain connected to their families. Inspection report for children’s home: 2735269 4

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

Children’s risk assessments and plans are individualised and clear. As a result, staff know and understand children’s risks and implement strategies to minimise or reduce them. Staff know their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safer because leaders and managers ensure that they are equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills.

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

Staff respond sensitively when children are upset and make threats to harm themselves. Sensory-led strategies are available for children to help them calm during times of distress. Staff comfort children when they are upset, which shows them that staff care about them.

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

Children are encouraged to express their views in reflective discussions following incidents involving physical intervention. This enables them to understand why staff needed to intervene, and it supports staff and children in rebuilding relationships. The manager reviews and evaluates incidents, ensuring that staff and children are aware of triggers for behaviour. This insight helps prevent such incidents from happening again.

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

Consequences, praise and rewards are used to help children understand how their behaviour affects themselves and other people. Consequences are minimal and restorative in nature, and they help children understand how their behaviour can affect others. As a result, children’s behaviour is improving.

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

A clinical psychologist provides regular support to help improve children’s emotional well- being. Children talk to staff about how they feel, which helps them understand their feelings better. One professional said about staff, ‘It’s their warmth and understanding that is helping [name of child] to understand himself.’ Children are in better emotional health because of the support they receive.

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

The manager ensures that safer recruitment checks take place before staff work at the home. The manager carries out relevant checks, explores gaps in employment and obtains references. This helps prevent harm and keeps children safer.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff stability is improving. There is now a full team of staff, and they are already working well together. The manager understands that children may feel loss and rejection due to staff changes or when staff members go on holiday. She prepares the children for when she goes on holiday by writing them a card to say she is thinking of them and will be back soon. This shows that she recognises that children may worry whether or not staff are coming back when they go on holiday.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Clear plans are in place to support staff development. Staff attend training, and leaders and managers have also coached staff on their individual responsibilities, which has helped them understand their roles better. Staff are enjoying learning and recognise that Inspection report for children’s home: 2735269 5 leaders and managers are committed to their development and that, in turn, this benefits children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers carry out audits to help evaluate progress. They result in actions that prevent shortfalls in the future. An area identified for improvement is gathering feedback from children and others to inform the home’s future development plans.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that the children are at the centre of her practice; she is actively involved in their care. She attends the children’s meetings and encourages all staff to engage in these to ensure that there is a broader view of the children’s needs and care. This shows cohesive care planning. One professional said, ‘[Name of manager] and the team are more inclusive, and they are pulling things together.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say they feel listened to and supported by leaders and managers. The manager is present and available to staff. Staff have access to forums such as team meetings and an end-of-day discussion. These forums are reflective in nature and identify areas for improvement. They are seen as an opportunity for staff to contribute towards a learning culture, which the organisation has embraced.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Although staff feel well supported, there are some gaps in supervision and the induction of new staff. Leaders and managers have not consistently followed the organisation’s supervision policy. This presents some missed opportunities for staff to discuss the care that they provide to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Some children’s records are not written in a way that is helpful to them should they ever wish to access them. The manager recognises this, and she has plans to address this with staff to make written information more child friendly. Inspection report for children’s home: 2735269 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

ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that each permanent appointment of an employee is subject to the satisfactory completion of a period of probation.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (1)(a)(b) (4)(b)) 1 September 2025

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Recommendations

 The registered person should have a system in place which allows them to monitor the matters set out in the regulation at least once every six months. This includes seeking and using the views of others to inform the future development of the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.2)  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. Staff should record information about individual children in a non- stigmatising way that is helpful to 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: 2735269 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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Inspector

Laura Roberts, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2735269 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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