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

Inspection report for the children’s home: SC480678 1 SC480678 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

The home is one of several homes owned by a private provider. It provides care for up to five children who may have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There were five children living in the home at the time of this inspection. The inspector spoke with five children during the inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager post is vacant. A new manager started working in the home in October 2025 and he 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 the children’s home: SC480678 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/03/2025 Full Good 06/02/2024 Full Good 04/01/2023 Full Good 30/11/2021 Full Good Inspection report for the children’s home: SC480678 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most of the children say they enjoy living at the home. One child said, ‘it was great from the start, life-changing for me, the staff were amazing’. Children make positive progress at the home while also creating meaningful memories of their time there.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to explore their individual interests. One child was extremely anxious about going out of the home when they first arrived. The child now takes part in activities outside of the home, including cadets. The child’s social worker said that this was completely unexpected and due to the support and encouragement from staff. Another child has a drum kit and attends music lessons. Staff support children to build their self-esteem and sense of identity, and they celebrate their achievements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff prioritise education for children. They work closely with education professionals to ensure that children access education or training. All the children regularly attend school or college, where they develop essential skills for their future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff establish clear routines for the children which helps them to feel settled and supports their well-being. However, some of the expectations in the home do not have a clear rationale or have not been clearly explained to children. For example, children are told not to wear hats or have their hoods up in the home. This leads to some children feeling frustrated on occasions.

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

Moves into the home are well planned. Managers evaluate children’s individual risks thoroughly and consider staff skills when a child moves into the home. The needs of children already living in the home are considered to ensure compatibility and help maintain stability.

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

The use of restraint by staff with children is minimal. When children have been restrained, managers ensure that children and staff are provided with the opportunity to debrief with someone not involved in the incident. This ensures that there is internal and external scrutiny of staff practice when children are held.

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

Staff attend training specific to children’s individual risks. When children move into the home and/or children’s needs change, managers review and implement the relevant training for staff. This ensures that staff continue to meet the children’s needs.

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

Children have individual risk plans in place that provide staff with safeguarding strategies to follow. However, the plans do not always reflect the current level of risk for children. This means that staff do not always take the necessary action when children may be at risk of harm. The new manager has already identified this as an area for improvement, Inspection report for the children’s home: SC480678 4 and there has been some recent improvement, but the changes are yet to be fully embedded.

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

Staff build positive relationships with children. Children say they can talk to staff about their feelings and go to them if they are upset. However, staff do not consistently talk to children about their risks. This is a missed opportunity for children to learn strategies to keep themselves safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Following a full investigation, there have been significant changes to the leadership of the home. The new manager and area manager are working together to identify the strengths and areas of development for the home. This ensure that the care of children is continuously improving.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings and supervision take place regularly with staff. Staff say that they feel supported by managers and have opportunities to reflect on their practice. This ensures that staff can develop their practice and identify strategies to better support children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers ensure that children are cared for by a consistent staff team. Most staff have worked at the home for several years meaning that children know them well. When new staff start working at the home, the necessary checks are completed. This ensures that children are cared for by adults who are safe to be around.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers are visible in the home and involved in the children’s day-to-day care. However, management oversight of staff practice is not consistently effective. Incidents are not routinely reviewed by managers, meaning that shortfalls in staff practice are not always identified and addressed quickly.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers work hard to ensure that children’s moves out of the home are well planned. Most children successfully move into semi-independence or return home to live with their family. However, one child moved out of the home sooner than planned which was not a positive experience for them. The child now reflects negatively on their experience of living in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The previous management of the home did not always provide leadership that reflected the ethos set out in the home’s statement of purpose. For example, on one occasion, the responses of some of the managers and staff to a child in distress were not trauma informed. This was investigated by senior leaders who took steps to address the issue, and they continue to monitor staff practice to ensure that there is not a recurrence. Inspection report for the children’s home: SC480678 5

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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

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that the home is managed in line with the ethos set out in the statement of purpose, and the care of children is trauma informed and focused on their well-being.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that there are robust systems of monitoring in place to review staff practice in identifying and responding to incidents where children may be at risk. Any shortfalls in staff practice must be addressed quickly and effectively. 28 November 2025

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. 28 November 2025 Inspection report for the children’s home: SC480678 6 The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff—

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(c) (2)(a)(viii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that behaviour management strategies used by staff have a clear rationale for their use and children are provided with a clear explanation and their understanding is explored.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— that staff—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare;

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies; 28 November 2025 Inspection report for the children’s home: SC480678 7 that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that staff are provided with clear guidance to reduce children’s individual risks. This includes clarity on when staff need to consult with the relevant external professionals where their expertise is required.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that children’s moves out of the home are consistently positive. Where a child is struggling with the move out of the home, the registered person should ensure that managers and staff provide additional support to the child. (‘Guide to The Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 57, paragraph 11.1).

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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 the children’s home: SC480678 8

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

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Inspector

Sarah Gilbert, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for the children’s home: SC480678 9 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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