Children's Home run by Horizon Care and Education Group Limited in Telford and Wrekin

Inspection report for children’s home: 2702209 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

The home is operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care for three children who may have lived through adverse childhood experiences.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is managed by a suitably qualified manager who was registered with Ofsted in July 2025.

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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: 2702209 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/07/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 20/11/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2702209 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

One child lives in the home, and no children have moved out. There is evidence that the child has made measurable progress since the last inspection. The child told the inspector that they are happy living in the home and that there is nothing they would want to change.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Understanding the child’s preferred methods of communication has helped staff to form significant relationships with them. This approach has strengthened the child’s confidence in the staff, and they now trust the staff’s ability to keep them safe. As a result, the child has become more open and comfortable in expressing their feelings.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child’s health needs by ensuring that they are registered with relevant agencies and attend appointments to maintain good health. To encourage the child to develop healthier eating habits, the manager engaged an external service that offers nutrition advice through a 12-week intervention plan. Alongside this, staff introduced interactive incentives in the home, all of which have contributed to the child enjoying a more balanced diet.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are enthusiastic and committed to supporting the child’s learning in formal education, helping them to make consistent progress and prepare for a change in provision. The child has achieved 100% attendance and developed a keenness to learn, regardless of their starting point. Staff regularly celebrate the child’s achievements, which has increased the child’s confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child enjoys participating in activities within the local community, which helps them to develop social skills and form friendships with peers of a similar age. Greetings cards are exchanged between the child and neighbours to mark special occasions. The child also regularly attends youth clubs and sporting activities, benefiting from increased social inclusion.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The environment reflects that this is the child’s home, with their photographs and achievements displayed throughout. This contributes to the child’s self-esteem and sense of pride in where they live. The child’s wishes have influenced the decoration of their bedroom, which features graffiti wall art created by an external artist sourced by staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff make efforts to build positive relationships with those who are important to the child, including them in celebrations at the home. The child creates happy memories with their family on occasions that are meaningful to them, helping to maintain a sense of identity. All memorable moments are captured in photographs and compiled into memory books for the child to take with them when they leave. Inspection report for children’s home: 2702209 4

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

Staff help the child through direct work to learn how to keep themselves safe, using a range of creative tools to engage with sensitive topics such as body safety, healthy boundaries and understanding emotions. Staff initiate discussions frequently, but in a casual and relaxed manner, to help the child feel at ease. There is evidence that risks to the child have reduced and are being managed effectively.

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

Staff respond therapeutically and successfully use playfulness to prevent situations from escalating. Consistent guidance and clear boundaries help the child to feel safe and build trust in the staff who care for them. During times of worry, the child benefits from the reassurance provided by staff, which helps them to feel secure. As a result, there has been no use of physical intervention since the last inspection.

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

Staff devise ways to support the child indirectly when they are upset and need space to reflect. The child relayed that they recognise changes in how they now respond when they become upset, and they calm more quickly and accept reconciliation with staff. Staff utilise the company’s clinical therapy team, which they regularly contact for advice, implementing new strategies to improve responses to the child. This has contributed to a noticeable reduction in incidents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a committed leader, who often leads by example and implements changes to improve the quality of care the child receives. The manager is firm and confidently challenges staff to ensure that a child-focused ethos remains central to their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is a strong advocate for the child and has worked creatively to ensure that the child’s voice is reflected in the daily running of the home. The manager appreciates the child’s individual needs, both celebrating these and encouraging new experiences to promote equality and diversity. As a result, both the child and staff feel valued.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is insightful and understands both the strengths and areas for development within the home. They regularly generate ideas to strengthen staff practice, preventing staff from becoming deskilled or complacent. Staff receive regular supervision that includes safeguarding scenarios, enabling them to identify potential risks that may arise in the future. This promotes reflective discussion and creates opportunities to develop practice. Monthly team meetings are interactive, and the manager actively introduces literature that is relevant to the child’s needs. Collectively, staff feel supported by the manager, describing them as knowledgeable and a good listener.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and senior leader maintain close oversight of the home through auditing systems that identify any shortfalls. These are addressed in a timely manner to ensure that improvements are continuous, and a good standard of care is maintained. Inspection report for children’s home: 2702209 5 Feedback from family and professionals is all positive and complimentary of the manager and staff. This includes mention of the unquestionable progress made by the child because of effective staff practice and sincere care. Inspection report for children’s home: 2702209 6

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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: 2702209 7

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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: 17 Wolverhampton Road, Cannock, Staffordshire WS11 1AP

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Inspector

Latoya Morgan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2702209 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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