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

Inspection report for children's home: 2573144 1 Registered provider: Horizon Care and Education Group Limited

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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 company and is registered to provide care for up to 2 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has submitted her application to register with Ofsted. She is suitably qualified.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, there was one child living in the home. The child briefly spoke to the inspector.

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2573144 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/06/2025 Full Good 08/07/2024 Full Good 15/11/2023 Full Good 01/02/2023 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 2573144 3

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Summary of findings

Staff work hard to develop positive relationships with the child. They support the child to engage in education and take part in a range of positive activities, promoting their development and wellbeing.

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Summary of findings

The child’s risks and vulnerabilities are well understood, and staff demonstrate a clear understanding of how to provide safe and appropriate care that meets the child’s needs. Staff implement consistent routines and boundaries, helping to provide stability for the child.

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Summary of findings

The manager has a good understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development. The staff team has stabilised, and staff are supported to develop their skills and practice, which contributes to improving the quality of care provided.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves in and out of the home are well managed, with careful consideration given to their individual needs. Since the last inspection, one child has moved into the home and one child has moved on. The child who has left continues to maintain relationships with staff, demonstrating the strength of these relationships and the lasting positive impact of the care and support they received.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is warm, welcoming and well maintained. Recent redecoration throughout creates a comfortable and refreshed atmosphere. The home benefits from spacious communal and outdoor areas, which provide opportunities to relax. The child’s bedroom is well furnished and personalised, helping them to feel comfortable and have a sense of belonging in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff provide effective support and encouragement for education. Before moving into the home, the child was not accessing formal education. The child has begun attending education and recently progressed to full-time attendance. This demonstrates that staff support has been instrumental in helping the child to re-engage with learning and make progress from their starting point.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child takes part in activities they enjoy, and their hobbies and interests are well supported. They have regular singing lessons and enjoy roller skating and going on walks with staff. Staff actively encourage and facilitate these opportunities, helping the child to develop confidence, build skills and experience a sense of achievement.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the child to attend church when they express a desire to do so, ensuring that their individual needs and preferences are respected. This contributes positively to the child’s sense of identity and reflects a child-centred and personalised approach to care. Inspection report for children's home: 2573144 4 Staff support the child to maintain relationships with people who are important to them. They facilitate regular time with family members, including driving the child to visits for overnight stays. Family members speak positively about this support and express appreciation, reflecting the home’s commitment to promoting meaningful relationships and supporting the child’s sense of identity and belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child is provided with opportunities to express their wishes and feelings through informal discussions and regular conversations with staff. However, on one occasion, the child clearly said they did not want photos taken or displayed in the home. Despite this, staff requested photos from family members, which caused the child distress. This does not demonstrate that the child’s views are consistently respected or that their wishes are taken seriously.

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

The child’s risks and vulnerabilities are understood, and staff know how to provide safe care. The child’s plan clearly details the measures in place to safeguard them. Plans are reviewed regularly to incorporate new information and reflect the child’s individual needs. Staff understand their roles and responsibilities to keep the child safe.

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

Staff have implemented clear routines and boundaries for the child. While there was some initial resistance, the consistent approach and reassurance provided by staff have helped to bring stability. Consequently, there has been a reduction in incidents in the home, demonstrating the positive impact of constant and structured care.

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

The child is listened to when they make complaints, and their concerns are taken seriously. Complaints are investigated thoroughly, and the child is informed of the outcomes. This approach empowers children and reinforces the value placed on their views.

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

Staff benefit from regular clinical support and guidance, which strengthens their practice and deepens their understanding of the child’s behaviours and the underlying factors influencing them. This enables staff to respond more effectively to the child’s needs and promotes a more consistent and informed approach to care.

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

Staff respond appropriately to missing-from-home incidents and are proactive in searching for the child, continuing their efforts until the child is safely returned. However, on one occasion, a punitive response to a previous missing incident contributed to the child going missing again. This highlights a shortfall in practice and the need for a more child-centred approach, ensuring that responses help the child to understand that decisions are made in their best interests to promote their safety.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is new to the role. She has a good understanding of the home’s strengths and areas for development. There is evidence of improvement and progress since the Inspection report for children's home: 2573144 5 last inspection. She is child focused and her commitment and enthusiasm are evident in her approach to leading the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff report that they feel supported by the manager; they receive regular and effective supervision. Team meetings are used as a time for reflection and to inform good practice, which encourages staff development and promotes improved outcomes for the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are appropriately trained to meet the needs of the child. The manager is proactive in ensuring that training is up to date and, where needed, additional training is provided to support staff development. This helps to ensure that staff have the necessary skills and knowledge to respond effectively to the child’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager uses a range of monitoring tools to maintain oversight of the home and monitor progress. The responsible individual has effective oversight of the home and provides a strong and supportive presence for the manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager communicates effectively with the local authority and proactively escalates any concerns relating to the child’s care when necessary. However, relationships with family members need to be strengthened to promote greater consistency and ensure that the child receives coordinated and supportive care. Inspection report for children's home: 2573144 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 children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due Date

develop positive relationships with them;

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Requirement Due Date

take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives. (Regulation 7 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due Date

This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that staff respect children’s wishes regarding photos being taken and displayed in the home, considering their dignity, privacy and individual preferences. 14 July 2026

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that decisions made about the child are explained fully to them to help them understand that decisions are made to ensure their safety. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.9)  The registered person should ensure that relationships with the child’s family are promoted and strengthened, so that child receives consistent, well-coordinated care and their welfare remains central to all planning and decision making. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.23)

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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 Inspection report for children's home: 2573144 7 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: 2573144 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

Julia Tompson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2573144 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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