Children's home run by Hexagon Care Services Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2771122 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

The home is owned and managed by a private provider. It is registered to provide care for up to four children who may have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The home and manager registered with Ofsted in February 2024.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspector spoke to the three children who were living in the home at the time of the inspection.

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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

Date of last inspection: 23 September 2024

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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: 2771122 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/09/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2771122 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy positive relationships with staff, and staff understand how to support them. Staff actively seek the children’s wishes and feelings to improve practice. Positive interactions between the staff and the children were observed during this inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have been supported to develop their independence skills. Staff have considered the children’s preferred communication methods, and they share information in a way that is easy to follow. As a result, the children become more confident in carrying out a wide range of tasks, such as meal preparation and shopping.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have good attendance at school. Staff support the children to take part in activities that complement their education. This helps the children to make good progress with their learning.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that the children’s health needs are met to a good standard. Staff are creative in helping the children and young person to understand the importance of having a balanced diet and good dental hygiene. Staff plan carefully and prepare the children well for their health appointments. This approach has helped them to feel relaxed and to engage well in their appointments.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff use illustrated short stories and symbols that describe social situations in order to help the children to understand and prepare for important life events. This has helped the children to understand their goals and what is planned for their future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are sensitive in supporting the children to maintain a positive relationship with the people who are important to them. This helps the children to maintain a connection with their family.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children have developed good relationships with each other. This is notable progress for them, and they play well together. This success is widely recognised and celebrated by the staff, professionals and families.

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

Staff have a good understanding of their responsibilities to keep the children safe. When concerns arise, they take appropriate action and work closely with the wider professional network, such as social workers and child and adolescent mental health services, to make sure that the child gets the support they need. Staff understand what the children’s behaviours mean, how to respond effectively and how to help the children feel more settled.

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

Staff only hold children as a last resort to keep everyone safe. Occasionally, staff have needed to hold children to facilitate essential medical care. Staff engage with the Inspection report for children’s home: 2771122 4 children to help them process and express their feelings. The manager reviews each incident to evaluate its effectiveness and adjust strategies accordingly. This reflective approach enables staff to better understand the children’s needs and contributes to reducing the likelihood of future incidents.

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

There have been no incidents of children going missing from the home since the last inspection. Staff are appropriately trained in safeguarding children with disabilities and demonstrate a clear understanding of the procedures to follow should a child go missing.

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

Staff are knowledgeable and well-equipped to manage the children’s complex health needs. Medication procedures are robust, and staff are provided with clear instructions. This ensures that the children’s health needs are met to a high standard during their stay.

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

Safeguarding concerns are usually responded to quickly and appropriately. However, on one occasion, the manager did not follow the provider’s allegation procedure to manage an incident of allegation. This resulted in a delay in notifying the local authority designated officer (LADO) and Ofsted. This lack of oversight has hindered Ofsted’s ability to review whether significant incidents and potential safeguarding concerns are investigated promptly. As a result, Ofsted cannot be assured that managers and staff have taken effective action to protect children in this instance.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

At the time of the inspection, the registered manager was on planned leave. The responsible individual and the deputy manager have taken on the role of supporting the staff and overseeing the running of the home. This has ensured that the quality of care remains consistent when the manager is not available.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Most of the staff have completed the provider’s mandatory training. The rota is arranged to ensure that suitably trained staff are available to meet the needs of the children. All staff have access to ongoing training opportunities. This includes training which relates to safeguarding, autism and neurodiversity. This helps the staff to better understand the children’s vulnerabilities and risks.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff supervision sessions are held regularly. They are supportive in nature and provide staff with the opportunity to reflect on their practice and the children’s needs. Newly recruited staff members receive more frequent supervision; this supports their understanding of their role and responsibilities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings take place regularly and are well attended. They are informative and there is a clear agenda. The registered manager also uses this time effectively to undertake team learning activities. This allows the registered manager the opportunity to assess the skills and knowledge of the staff and their ability to help and protect the child. The registered manager has a clear plan to develop the home and the staff team. Inspection report for children’s home: 2771122 5 External professionals have provided positive feedback and highlighted communication as a key strength of the home and its staff. Inspection report for children’s home: 2771122 6

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person 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 must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation (40) (4)(c)) 21 November 2025

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Information about this inspection

The inspector has 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: 2771122 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: 1 Tustin Court, Port Way, Ashton-on-Ribble, Preston PR2 2YQ

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Inspector

Cherie Chen, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2771122 8 regulates 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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