Children's home run by Horizon Care and Education Group Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2532036 1 Registered provider: Horizon Care and Education Group Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is owned by a private provider. It offers care for up to three children who may experience social and emotional difficulties or have learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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Outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected Outstanding

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Outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers Outstanding

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Outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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Outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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Outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2532036 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/06/2024 Full Good 02/08/2023 Full Good 26/07/2022 Full Good 29/09/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2532036 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The inspector spoke with all three children as part of the inspection.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children thrive in the home, consistently reporting highly positive experiences. Children form strong, trusting relationships with managers and staff, which serve as a foundation for meaningful and sustained progress across all areas of their development. The children speak warmly of the exceptional care they receive from the dedicated team. Children described feeling ‘safe’ and said that it feels like home. One child said, ‘This is the best place I have ever lived.’ They continued, ‘Everyone is so loving and so supportive.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The home offers children a warm and nurturing environment where they feel safe, valued and at ease. Photos displayed throughout the home celebrate children’s experiences and achievements, reinforcing a sense of pride and identity. Children are actively involved in decisions about their daily care and consistently feel heard and respected. Children are encouraged to personalise their bedrooms, which fosters a strong sense of ownership and belonging. Together, these elements contribute to a homely, family-like atmosphere.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The dedicated staff team meets children’s needs to an exceptional standard. Clear structures and consistent routines provide a stable foundation for their daily lives. Each child benefits from detailed, individualised plans. Achievements are recognised and celebrated through praise and rewards, which builds children’s self-esteem. Children are actively involved in decisions about significant aspects of their lives. This approach fosters resilience and empowers them to navigate difficulties with confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff are proactive in meeting children’s physical health needs, ensuring that they receive appropriate care and support. Children are helped to understand their health conditions and the effect of prescribed medication. Emotional well-being is prioritised, with staff offering guidance on recognising and managing emotions in positive ways. A clinical therapist works closely with staff and children, providing expert advice and tailored strategies to enhance emotional resilience and overall mental well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children engage in education in line with their needs and plans. One child, who had not attended school consistently for a significant time, is now engaging full time. An education professional said, ‘Since she moved into the home, she is like a different child.’ They continued, ‘She has done better than we could have expected in such a short space of time.’ Another child is attending college and doing voluntary work on weekends. Staff have supported children in exploring career paths to ensure that they understand what options are available to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are encouraged to carry out age-appropriate independence tasks, including food shopping, cooking, budgeting and cleaning, in preparation for their future. This improves Inspection report for children’s home: 2532036 4 children’s self-esteem and confidence. Children have detailed key-work sessions to support their learning on a range of topics, including health, hygiene, positive relationships and managing emotions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are encouraged and supported to try new activities and hobbies. One child spoke highly of a recent holiday abroad and said, ‘We were just like a proper family.’ One child enjoys rollerblading, and staff supported the child in attending and competing at the world’s largest skating competition abroad. The child described this experience as ‘amazing’ and said, ‘It is the best thing I have ever done.’ Children have also visited a theme park and a Christmas event in London. The staff and children helped to arrange a pumpkin carving competition to raise money for a children’s charity.

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

Safeguarding practices in the home are of an exceptionally high standard. Managers and staff demonstrate a deep understanding of each child’s individual needs and associated risks, underpinned by strong, trusting relationships. Comprehensive and personalised risk management plans are in place. They are regularly reviewed and provide staff with clear, effective strategies to ensure children’s safety. On the rare occasions when children have gone missing from the home, staff have responded swiftly and in accordance with established protocols, successfully locating and returning them without delay. Children consistently report feeling safe and secure in the home, contributing to their overall sense of well-being.

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

Children’s behaviour is managed effectively through strong, trusting relationships with staff and the consistent use of behaviour support plans. Staff engage with children openly and honestly, fostering a culture of mutual respect and helping each child feel valued. Staff talk to children about concerns in a calm, constructive manner to empower them to resolve issues. As a result, there have been no serious incidents in the home, and the level of risk for children has significantly decreased.

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

Staff deliver exceptional support through targeted key-work sessions that help children develop a clear understanding of various risks, including online safety, healthy relationships and personal safety in the community. Managers use the latest research to provide staff with the most up-to-date training on emerging issues, such as trends in substance misuse and the evolving use of emojis in online communication. This proactive and informed approach enables staff to identify potential concerns at an early stage, ensuring timely intervention to safeguard children and prevent harm.

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

Leaders and managers employ staff using safer recruitment processes that ensure that only suitable people work in the home. There has been an allegation made against a staff member. Managers acted promptly and appropriately, following established protocols to safeguard children.

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

Children are well informed about how to raise concerns and feel confident in doing so. They can speak directly to staff or use a dedicated QR code to submit complaints online, Inspection report for children’s home: 2532036 5 which are sent directly to the manager. One complaint has been made by a child, and it was addressed promptly and resolved effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is ambitious and committed to the children in her care. The manager knows the children exceptionally well and shares strong relationships. She wants the children to have new opportunities and reach their full potential. The manager is supported by a deputy manager and a committed responsible individual who is visible in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers ensure that the home is managed in a competent, effective and professional manner. Recording is clear, accessible and organised. There are detailed records in place, which highlight children’s experiences and progress. Each child has a bespoke memory book that captures their successes and experiences of living in the home and includes personal photos.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers adopt creative and forward-thinking strategies to continually enhance the quality of care provided to children. The manager promotes a culture of research-informed practice by regularly introducing new findings in team meetings and exploring how these can be embedded into daily care routines. Staff deliver support through a well-established therapeutic model, ensuring that children receive tailored support that meets their individual needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Children benefit from the care and support of an experienced and well-established staff team. Recent changes in the team have been managed effectively, ensuring continuity of care. Staff receive regular, high-quality supervision and participate in team meetings that promote reflective practice and consistency across the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The members of the staff team feel valued and heard. They speak highly of the manager and say that working relationships are based on respect and effective teamwork. One staff member said, ‘This is the happiest I have been working in a home.’ Another staff member stated, ‘I see them as a second family, as that’s how we treat each other.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Professionals speak highly of the manager, the staff, and the care provided to children. One social worker said, ‘It is one of the best homes I have worked with, and they really care about the young people.’ Another professional said, ‘Everyone has always been amazing, and staff are supportive of the young people.’ They continued, ‘All young people feel like it is their home, and they do things that a family would do.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive a range of training in line with children’s needs. A high number of staff are qualified, and newer staff are enrolled on an appropriate qualification in relation to working in residential childcare.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has effective monitoring and review systems in place to ensure that she has full oversight of all aspects of the home. The manager benefits from regular quality Inspection report for children’s home: 2532036 6 assurance visits carried out by the responsible individual. The independent visitor carries out monthly visits to the home and produces detailed reports. Inspection report for children’s home: 2532036 7

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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: 2532036 8

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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: DWF Company Secretarial Services Limited, 1 Scott Place 2 Hardman Street, Manchester M3 3AA

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Gemma Waddington

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Inspector

Suzanne Birchall, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2532036 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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