Children's home run by Hexagon Care Services Limited in Preston

Inspection report children's home: 1212094 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 by a private provider and offers care for up to 3 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, 3 children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2024.

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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: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: 1212094 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/01/2025 Full Outstanding 11/10/2023 Full Outstanding 25/01/2023 Full Outstanding 08/03/2022 Full Good Inspection report children's home: 1212094 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children receive consistent child focused, nurturing care from an established staff team. They benefit from a variety of child-centred experiences and make exceptional progress from their starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are exceptionally well supported when preparing to leave the home. Staff work closely with local services and education providers to ensure that planning is thorough and well-coordinated. Since the last inspection, one child has successfully returned to their family home and another child moved into a more independent setting. Children continue to receive support from staff after they move on and know that they are always welcome to return and visit.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff have an excellent understanding of children’s past experiences, and they respond with warmth and empathy. Children recognise the strength of these relationships, one child said ‘We are like a family here, staff are amazing, they really have saved me. I’m not judged here. I can be myself and I know they will keep me safe’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are making progress in education. These improvements include regular attendance, achieving GCSE’s and accessing an apprenticeship. Education providers speak positively about staff support and children’s progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Leaders and managers understand the importance of family relationships to children and work hard to maintain these connections. Children are supported to spend time with people who are important to them, and families are involved in their children’s care. This support is highly valued by families, one parent said ‘The team have been nothing short of fantastic; they have supported me, we have co-parented and they have given me my daughter back. I will be lost without them’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are encouraged to develop skills to support them in adulthood by completing a structured-independence programme. For one child this included child development and parenting education to help prepare them for motherhood whilst another is supported to take driving lessons.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children live in a beautiful and well-maintained home. There are photos of memorable experiences throughout the home and spaces where children can be together or spend time apart. Children’s bedrooms are well appointed and personalised.

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

Risks to children are well understood and support plans provide strategies to help staff keep children safe. Plans for children are personalised, detail their views and show curiosity, reflection and learning. Inspection report children's home: 1212094 4 Behaviour management and support is a strength of the team and there has not been a need to hold children to keep them safe. Staff have a high challenge, high support approach to how they care for children. Positive praise and affirmations are frequent, reinforcing to children that they are worthy of being cared for and loved.

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

The provider’s chosen therapeutic model is embedded across all aspects of the care provided to children. Staff are highly attuned to children’s emotional needs and offer a range of opportunities for them to express their views and wishes. Practice is informed by current research, ensuring that children receive high-quality guidance and support. Direct work is carried out regularly so that any emerging issues can be explored, addressed, and reviewed.

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

Since the last inspection, on occasions children have gone missing from the home. However, staff respond appropriately to support the children’s safe return and meaningful discussions take place once they are safely at home. Consequently, incidents of children going missing have reduced.

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

There has been one complaint since the last inspection. Staff took prompt action to address the issue and made sure the child’s views were fully heard. This approach helps children feel listened to and reassured that they can raise concerns with confidence.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is supported by an experienced deputy manager. They are both inspirational and committed to maintaining excellent outcomes for children. Leaders and managers speak positively and enthusiastically about the children in their care. They know the children well and the progress they have made.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Professionals are highly complementary about the quality of care provided to the children. They praise the excellent communication they receive from staff. Children’s social workers are kept informed about the progress children make and speak highly of the manager and staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Leaders and managers are excellent advocates for children. They demonstrate tenacity in ensuring that children’s voices are heard and rights are promoted. For example, leaders and managers challenged a local authority about a child’s transport to school following their return to the family home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff training and development are a strength at the home. Leaders and managers are committed to staff development and consistently identify additional training for them to do. Most staff are qualified and newer staff are in the process of completing the relevant qualification for children’s residential care. Staff are fully trained in the therapeutic approach used at the home and a mentor supports them to ensure it is fully embedded in the day-to-day care of children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

There is a commitment to the continual improvement of the quality of care provided to children. Staff have completed a twelve-month Trauma Informed Care Programme and Inspection report children's home: 1212094 5 are in the process of completing a peer review to gain accreditation. Children are cared for by skilled and knowledgeable staff who have a good understanding of their early life experiences and how to support them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive regular high-quality supervision. Supervisions are child focused and staff are provided with opportunities to reflect on their practice and make positive changes. Similarly, in regular team meetings staff are supported to enhance their knowledge and skills to meet the children’s individual needs. The in-house therapist provides input at the meetings about the latest research linked to the organisation’s therapeutic parenting model. Staff also share their own learning and research of various topics at the team meetings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Management oversight of children’s progress and staff practice is exceptionally strong. All incidents and changes in children’s lives are recorded in detail, and the manager provides high-quality analytical evaluation. This enables staff to reflect on their work and continue to develop and strengthen their practice. Inspection report children's home: 1212094 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 children's home: 1212094 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: Unit 1 Tustin Court, Riversway, Preston, Lancashire PR2 2YQ

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Inspector

Kelly McCurdy, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report children's home: 1212094 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 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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