Children's home run by Esland North Limited in Preston

Inspection report for children’s home: SC480161 1 SC480161 Registered provider: Hexagon Care Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a private organisation. It provides care for up to 6 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in April 2022.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, 6 children were living in the home. Five children spoke with the inspector about their experiences of living in 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

Date of last inspection: 3 September 2024

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC480161 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

03/09/2024 Full Outstanding 16/10/2023 Full Outstanding 06/03/2023 Full Outstanding 14/12/2021 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC480161 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children feel happy, safe and secure. They receive exceptional care that enables them to make significant and sustained progress in all areas of their lives. Children living at the home are settled. Two children moved into the home recently, and 4 have lived at the home for some time. Children enjoy living at the home. One child said it is ‘great’ and staff are ‘really nice’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The quality of relationships between children and staff is excellent. Staff know the children exceptionally well and they meet the children’s needs to a high standard. Children say they feel comfortable talking to staff and they feel listened to. Staff use different and creative ways to seek the children’s wishes and views. Staff are keen for the children to excel and provide them with every opportunity to do so.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children have 100% attendance in education and are thriving in their studies. Children who did not previously attend school regularly are now exceeding expectations. Staff are highly ambitious for children. Two older children successfully completed their GCSEs and now attend college courses of their choice which they are thoroughly enjoying.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s health and emotional well-being are actively promoted. Staff understand children’s healthcare needs and support them to attend health appointments. They promote healthy eating and encourage children to take an interest in cooking. Children are involved in shopping and choosing food for the menus each week. Older children are supported to prepare and cook some of their own meals. Staff and children eat most of their meals together at the dining room table.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children benefit from access to a wide variety of new opportunities and fun activities. Their interests are nurtured, and they are encouraged to try new things. Children’s interests are acted on, for example attending a creative gaming hub, going on regular bikes rides and go-karting. Each child has a personalised book full of photos of activities and memorable times.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff are reported to have gone above and beyond to nurture the children’s relationships with each other and with people who are important to them. Staff proactively build positive relationships with family members.One family member said, ‘Staff are brilliant. The home is amazing. It’s absolutely the right place for (name of child). They’ve come on so much and that’s down to the staff.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children live in a large and homely house. They have ample space to relax, play and study. The environment is loving, fun and nurturing. Children’s bedrooms are personalised and they have access to a well-equipped games room and large garden. The home is well furnished throughout, however there are some areas of wear and tear. The manager had identified this before the inspection and has plans to rectify this. Inspection report for children’s home: SC480161 4

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

There is an incredibly strong safeguarding culture in the home. Staff understand the children’s risks and vulnerabilities exceptionally well. Risk and behaviour support plans are personalised to each child, and they provide clear and relevant information for staff. Children contribute to their plans and are helped to understand and manage their emotions and behaviours safely. Assessments to help manage risks are reviewed and amended regularly to reflect the children’s current and emerging risks.

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

Staff consistently provide nurturing, empathetic and loving care to ensure that children’s emotional needs are met. They are trained in a therapeutic parenting approach that is embedded in their day-to-day practice for the benefit of the children. There are age- appropriate routines and boundaries in place, which children respond well to. Consequently, children rarely go missing from the home and they do not need to be held to keep them safe.

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

Children and staff are supported by an excellent in-house therapeutic team. Children receive individual weekly input from a therapist. This helps them to understand and manage their feelings and behaviours safely. Staff supplement this learning by providing regular opportunities for children to explore relevant issues.

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

Weekly multidisciplinary meetings take place to ensure that staff maintain an excellent understanding of each child’s needs and the best strategies to use to help keep them safe and secure.

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

Children receive consistent praise and recognition for the smallest of achievements. Personalised incentive charts provide children with a positive reminder of the progress they make. Rewards are frequent and children help to choose the reward they will receive.

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

Children are actively supported to safely develop their independence in line with their age and understanding. Meticulous work is being carried out to help the older children prepare to leave the home to live successfully independently. The two children who have moved out of the home since the last inspection, experienced an extremely well planned, positive and individualised transition.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The deputy has recently stepped up into the managers role to cover the registered managers’ maternity leave. She has worked at the home for nearly twenty-five years and is highly experienced, child centred and committed to the home. The manager knows the children and the staff extremely well and is a strong advocate for them. She instils a culture of high expectation and continual improvement and development. The manager is held in high regard by the children, staff and other professionals. Staff described her as supportive, knowledgeable and available. Inspection report for children’s home: SC480161 5 Staff receive regular supervisions and have access to structured team meetings, which provide them with the opportunities to reflect on their practice. Discussions are detailed, child focused and linked to research, to continually improve and develop practice. Staff complete a comprehensive training programme, which includes specialist training to

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

ensure that they have the skills and knowledge to meet the children’s current and emerging needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff enjoy working in the home and are proud and enthusiastic about the care they provide and the progress children make. The staff team is diverse, and some team members have worked in the home for many years. They work exceptionally well together and provide consistently high levels of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has positive and highly effective working relationships with partner agencies. External professionals are highly complimentary about the quality of care provided to the children and the communication they receive from the manager and the staff. One professional said, ‘The collaborative working is excellent and staff exceed expectations.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Management oversight of the home is excellent. The manager is highly organised and has efficient systems in place to ensure that she is fully aware of the home’s strengths and areas of challenge. She is committed to continually improving the home and the outcomes for the children. Inspection report for children’s home: SC480161 6

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Recommendation

 The registered manager should ensure that all areas of the home are well maintained. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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: SC480161 7

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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: Unit 1 Tustin Court, Riversway, Preston, Lancashire PR2 2YQ

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Inspector

Zillah Brooks, Social Care Regulatory Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC480161 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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