Children's Home run by Horizon Care and Education Group Limited in Bradford

Inspection report for children’s home: 1245572 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 and managed by a private provider. It offers care for up to 4 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 3 children were living at the home. The inspector spoke with 2 children.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in October 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 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: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1245572 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/04/2025 Full Requires improvement to be good 21/05/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/04/2023 Full Good 14/06/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1245572 3

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Summary of findings

The manager has worked hard to make positive changes in the home, including stabilising the staff team to ensure that children receive good-quality care. She is ambitious and creative, demonstrating clear aspirations for children’s futures. Staff speak highly of leaders and managers and report feeling supported in their roles.

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Summary of findings

Children have formed positive relationships with staff, who know them well. They are provided with a wide range of opportunities that reflect their interests and hobbies. Children have a strong sense of identity and experience stability, with staff supporting them to maintain relationships with those who are important to them.

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Summary of findings

Children’s health and education are prioritised by the manager and staff, who act as effective advocates to ensure that children receive care and education tailored to their individual needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children living in the home are treated as individuals. Staff know the children well and understand their differing needs. Children are making consistent progress from their individual starting points.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All the children now access an appropriate form of education, achieved through the manager’s proactive advocacy. Children now have suitable timetables, ensuring that they each receive an educational offer that meets their needs. The manager keeps these arrangements under continual review. Children who are studying for their GCSEs receive strong, targeted support, enabling them to be well prepared and achieve their potential.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide consistent and proactive support to help children manage their health needs. As a result, children have made significant progress and, for some, this has led to increased confidence in arranging and attending appointments independently. Staff have access to an in-house psychotherapist, who provides support and guidance. This is effective in enabling staff to adopt a more therapeutic approach to care, which children respond to positively.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff build positive, trusting relationships with children, which often continue after they leave the home. Although endings are not always planned or gradual, staff continue to offer consistent and compassionate support. This includes spending time with children to help them prepare for their next steps, providing thoughtful leaving gifts, and ensuring that the children feel valued and cared for during their transition.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to maintain relationships with those who are important to them, encouraging contact both inside and outside the home. Staff adopt a creative approach Inspection report for children’s home: 1245572 4 to ensure that children are safe and have positive experiences with their family and friends.

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

Children are kept safe by staff who follow clear and detailed guidance set out in risk assessments. These documents outline the specific steps staff should take to manage and reduce risks effectively. Risk assessments are regularly reviewed and updated to ensure that they remain accurate, responsive, and aligned with the children’s changing needs.

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

There have been occasions when children have left the home without permission or gone missing while out with friends. Staff responded promptly by following the missing- from-home protocol. This includes following children to keep them in sight and maintaining oversight of their safety. Through calm and consistent engagement, staff are often able to encourage the children to return home. When this is not successful, the police provide support to ensure the child’s safe return. This helps to reduce the risk of exploitation and ensures that children feel supported.

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

Staff have sometimes needed to use physical restraint to keep a child or others safe. These interventions have been proportionate, necessary and well managed. Staff adopt a calm and consistent approach. Following each incident, staff and the child are given the opportunity to reflect on what happened, discuss feelings and repair relationships. This helps restore trust and supports the child’s emotional understanding.

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

When allegations are made, they are responded to promptly. Investigations are carried out without delay, and children are kept informed throughout the process. The manager has reflected on one occasion when the complaint investigator did not fully clarify key matters. Changes have been implemented to ensure that future investigations are clearer, more robust and fully comprehensive.

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

There have been some occasions when the manager has not promptly notified Ofsted when there has been a serious incident. Improving the consistency and timeliness of these safeguarding notifications will help ensure that all significant events are reported promptly and in line with regulatory expectations.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since taking on the role, the manager has worked with the staff team to re ‑ establish expectations, improve practice, and refocus the team. Children’s needs are now prioritised, and the staff are consistently providing improved quality of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff are supportive of one another and report feeling well supported by the manager. This contributes to a positive working environment in which staff feel confident and valued. Inspection report for children’s home: 1245572 5 Staff receive regular, reflective supervision. This supports their professional development and helps them maintain a thoughtful, child ‑ centred approach to care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Team meetings are held regularly and are consistently reflective and focused on children’s needs. These meetings provide valuable opportunities for staff to engage in collaborative discussions about children’s progress. Staff express their views and consider how they can further enhance the quality care provided.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has clear and effective oversight of the home. She is able to monitor patterns, identify emerging issues, and ensure that records remain accurate and up to date. The manager is also visibly present in the home, maintaining direct oversight of incidents and significant events. This supports timely decision ‑ making and promotes safe, consistent care for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are safely and robustly recruited, with all required checks carried out to ensure that they are suitable to work with children. This helps maintain a safe environment.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There have been some recent staff changes, and the team has been supported by staff from another of the provider’s homes. While this has ensured some continuity of care, it has also led to inconsistencies in routines and approaches for children. Inspection report for children’s home: 1245572 6

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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 registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

a child is involved in or subject to, or is suspected of being involved in or subject to, sexual exploitation;

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Requirement Due date

an incident requiring police involvement occurs in relation to a child which the registered person considers to be serious;

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Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there;

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Requirement Due date

a child protection enquiry involving a child—

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Requirement Due date

concludes (in which case, the notification must include the outcome of the child protection enquiry); or

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(a)(b)(c)(d)(i)(ii)(e)) 16 August 2026

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that staff provide a nurturing, welcoming and supportive environment, with appropriate boundaries in place. Particular attention should be given to implementing good routines. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7) Inspection report for children’s home: 1245572 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: 1245572 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

Angela Ross, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1245572 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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Inspector

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