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

Inspection report for children’s home: 1256795 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

This home is privately operated. It provides care for up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, two children were living in the home, and they were both spoken with.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in September 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 requires improvement to be 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: 1256795 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/03/2025 Full Good 13/03/2024 Full Good 30/11/2022 Full Good 03/03/2020 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1256795 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have made progress since moving into the home and say they are happy living there. Their positive relationships with staff have enabled them to achieve this. Staff are child centred and provide love, support and affection to the children. The staff’s nurturing and caring approach has created open and honest relationships, where staff understand what is important to each child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make good progress in education. Children continue to have excellent attendance and show commitment to their learning. There are strong working relationships between children’s schools and the staff. Best practice is shared across the teams to promote consistency and better outcomes for children. There have been significant improvements in educational attainment for one child in particular. This is due to staff having high aspirations and routinely stressing the importance of education to the child.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are routinely met. All health appointments are up to date and staff regularly speak to children about their physical and mental well-being. Topics discussed include healthy eating, exercise and personal care. Staff have successfully supported one child who has complex health needs. Staff are dedicated to ensuring that the child is safe and healthy while encouraging them to have the same experiences as any child their age. Staff have worked tirelessly with the relevant health professionals, and the child’s condition is now the best it has been since it was first diagnosed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff actively encourage children to engage in activities outside the home. Children are involved in activity clubs such as martial arts, swimming and football. This is creating social interactions for children outside the home, keeping them healthy and creating lasting memories that they will cherish in years to come.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves from the home are well supported and nurtured by staff. Leading up to the move, staff collaborate with social workers and families to ensure that children are well prepared. Staff put plans in place before the child leaves, ensuring that the voice of the child is central to these plans. When the child has moved, they encourage them to stay in touch.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have imposed restrictions to the access of food due to one child’s behaviours and complex health needs. This restriction has had a significant impact on the other child’s choice and free access to food. The care provided in this circumstance is not individual to each child. Inspection report for children’s home: 1256795 4

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improvement to be good

The levels of staffing in the home to support the safety of children, when needed, have been unsafe. Staff do not always go out looking for children when they go missing from the home, and staff have struggled to support children with their unsafe behaviours in the home because of insufficient staffing. There has been a heavy reliance on police call-outs to manage children’s behaviours. Leaders and managers have recently put temporary measures in place. However, the unsafe staffing levels were present for an extended period that impacted on everybody’s safety.

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improvement to be good

Consequences given to children do not always meet regulatory requirements. Financial penalties have been imposed that are separate from financial reparation. This measure is disproportionate and not effective behaviour management.

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improvement to be good

Staff know the children well. They understand the children and how their complex health needs can impact on their presenting or escalating behaviours. Staff adjust their responses to support the level of the individual child’s understanding when they are in crisis.

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improvement to be good

Staff do not shy away from difficult conversations. They regularly talk to the children about how they can keep themselves safer. They have supported children with their understanding of effective coping strategies. This has included how to be safe in the community, positive relationships with peers and the dangers of fire. The children look to staff for guidance and engage positively in these conversations.

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improvement to be good

Staff are recruited in line with safer recruitment policies and practices. This ensures that staff are suitable to work with children. Staff receive an effective induction including relevant training to equip them with the necessary skills to work with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is a patient and positive presence in the home. They have high expectations for the children and have taken the time to understand their individual needs and what is required to support their progress. Since they started their role, they have prioritised getting to know the children and actively spending time with them, which makes the children feel valued.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff morale in the home is high. Staff feel supported by the manager and appreciate how he encourages their opinions and input regarding the care for the children. One member of staff said, ‘He is great, and we couldn’t ask for a better manager.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision sessions, annual appraisals and team meetings are effective. They are well attended, reflective and child centred. Staff confidently share any concerns or issues while prioritising the needs of the children. Staff training is up to date and is in line with the organisation’s requirements. When necessary, additional training is identified, based Inspection report for children’s home: 1256795 5 on the specific needs of the children. This supports staff with the knowledge and skills they need to carry out their roles effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager takes all allegations and complaints seriously. Children are encouraged to speak up and tell staff when they have not felt safe or when there have been issues that they feel need addressing. All allegations and complaints are fully investigated, with children and relevant professionals routinely updated. Complaint investigations are only closed when children are happy with the outcomes. This encourages children to confidently express their wishes and feelings and makes them feel heard.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have a clear understanding of the strengths of the home and the areas that can be improved. They have plans in place to better meet the needs of the children currently living in the home to ensure positive progress for all. Inspection report for children’s home: 1256795 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 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

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that there are sufficient staff to meet the children’s safety and well-being needs. 6 February 2026

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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

treat each child with dignity and respect; 6 February 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: 1256795 7 provide personalised care that meets each child’s needs, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans, taking account of the child’s background;

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably;

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Requirement Due date

make decisions about the day-to-day arrangements for each child, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans, which give the child an appropriate degree of freedom and choice. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(iii)(iv)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children have free access to food while taking into consideration their individual health needs.

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Requirement Due date

No measure of control or discipline which is excessive, unreasonable or contrary to paragraph (2) may be used in relation to any child.

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Requirement Due date

The following measures may not be used to discipline any child—

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Requirement Due date

imposing a financial penalty, other than a requirement for the payment of a reasonable sum (which may be by instalments) by way of reparation. (Regulation 19 (1) (2)(f)) 6 February 2026

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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: 1256795 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: C/O DWF Company Secretarial Services Limited, 1 Scott Place, 2 Hardman Street, Manchester M3 3AA

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Inspector

Deirdre Silkstone, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1256795 9 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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