Children's Home run by Hexagon Care Services Limited in Lancashire

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC480671 1 SC480671 Registered provider: Hexagon Care Services Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a private company. It is registered to provide care for up to 8 children with social and emotional needs.

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Information about this children’s home

There were 3 children living at the home at the time of the visit.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since February 2022.

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This monitoring visit

The home was judged ‘inadequate’ following a full inspection on 9 and 10 March 2026. Inspectors identified significant shortfalls in the care and protection of children and the leadership and management of the home. As a result, compliance notices were issued under Section 22A of the Care Standards Act 2000, relating to regulation 11, the positive relationships standard, regulation 12, the protection of children standard, and regulation 13, the leadership and management standard.

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This monitoring visit

The manager, staff and senior leaders have taken steps to address the identified shortfalls and compliance notices have been met.

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This monitoring visit

Since the full inspection, incidents have been managed well. Risk assessments have been updated to reflect known risks and health needs of children and staff follow these consistently.

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This monitoring visit

Managers have revisited professional boundaries and positive role model training with staff. This helps reinforce clear expectations and supports staff to maintain appropriate professional relationships.

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This monitoring visit

The manager has introduced additional safeguarding measures that consider patterns of concern linked to staff practice, the experiences of children and the care Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC480671 2 they receive. This approach improves oversight and helps identify and respond to repeated concerns more effectively.

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This monitoring visit

The staff have completed additional safeguarding training, and the manager uses individual supervision to discuss potential risks. This helps staff to reflect on their practice and recognise emerging risks.

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This monitoring visit

There is an increased presence of senior leaders in the home, at the request of the manager, to work collaboratively on audits and the implementation of additional safeguarding processes. This provides an added layer of oversight and challenge, particularly in relation to staff performance and any identified concerns.

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This monitoring visit

Staff have responded to incidents without delay. Staff receive debriefs and supervision to reflect on their involvement and how incidents were managed. This supports learning and helps improve future practice.

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This monitoring visit

Consultation with children includes a range of opportunities for them to share their views, experiences and wishes. This ensures their voices are heard and supports them to feel involved in decisions about their care.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/03/2026 Full Inadequate 08/10/2024 Full Outstanding 07/09/2023 Full Good 14/06/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC480671 3

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Statutory requirements

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

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the emerging risks must be updated in children’s plans. Specifically, mobile device use and known risk of use. 10 June 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC480671 4 This requirement was made at the last inspection and is reinstated. 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

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(f)(g)(ii)(h) 10 June 2026

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and 10 June 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC480671 5 positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour; conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix))

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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— 10 June 2026 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC480671 6 ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

protect and promote each child’s welfare

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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

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(ii)(vi)(c)(i))

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that there is a system in place so that all serious events are notified, within 24 hours, to the appropriate people. The system should cover the action that should be followed if the event arises at the weekend or on a public holiday. Notification must include details of the action taken by the home’s staff in response to the event. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 63, paragraph 14.13)  The registered person should ensure that they have written policy for any use of CCTV or other monitoring equipment, describing how this will support the safeguarding and wellbeing of those living and working in the home, in accordance with regulation 24. Homes must gain consent to any monitoring or surveillance by the placing authority in writing at the time of placement. In particular, the use of surveillance must be subject to regular review and used only

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Recommendations

when necessary. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.16)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC480671 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: First Floor, Harbour House, Portway, Preston, Lancashire PR2 2DW

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Inspectors

Paul McKay-Smith, Social Care Inspector Joe Matkar-Cox, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC480671 8 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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