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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC479649 1 ‘

p.1

SC479649 Registered provider: Hexagon Care Services Limited

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home registered with Ofsted in November 2014 and is operated by a private company. It provides care for up to 6 children who experience social and emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

There were no children living at the home at the time of the visit.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

An acting manager has been in post since March 2026 and has applied to register with Ofsted.

p.1

This monitoring visit

On 23 December 2024, Ofsted served a notice of proposal to vary the conditions of registration under Section 13 of the Care Standards Act 2000. The home was issued with a variation, whereby the provider must inform Ofsted of its intention to accommodate children at the home at least 3 months before they move in.

p.1

This monitoring visit

This visit was carried out to review the suitability of the home following a 3-month condition being in place.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The home has undergone significant refurbishment and decoration. The provider intends to submit a variation request to reduce the maximum number of children the home may provide care for to 3. Risk assessments have been updated, specifically relating to door alarms and the location of the home. Leaders have renewed guides for children and have supported staff to gain first-hand practical experience by working in other homes in the organisation.

p.1

This monitoring visit

The home has a full team of staff, all of whom were recruited after the home closed for refurbishment. The team has completed mandatory training, and both home-development and staff-development plans are in place. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC479649 2 The requirements raised at the previous inspection were not considered as part of this visit. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC479649 3

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/02/2024 Full Good 21/03/2023 Full Good 21/03/2022 Full Good 10/03/2020 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC479649 4

p.3

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 with the given timescales.

p.4

Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

p.4

Requirement Due date

support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study;

p.4

Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

p.4

Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

p.4

Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

p.4

Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

p.4

Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority;

p.4

Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of 25 September Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC479649 5 exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible;

p.4

Requirement Due date

help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment;

p.5

Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

that each child has access to appropriate equipment, facilities and resources to support the child’s learning. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)(b))

p.5

Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children are in routines that aid their learning and development.

p.5

Requirement Due date

Schedule 4 sets out the other information that the registered person must keep in relation to a children’s home.

p.5

Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

p.5

Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date; and

p.5

Requirement Due date

retain the records for at least 15 years from the date of the last entry. (Regulation 37 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c))

p.5

Requirement Due date

This requirement has been restated. 25 September

p.5

Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that children’s risk plans reflect current risks. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5)

p.5

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.

p.5

Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC479649 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hexagon Care Services Limited

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: First Floor, Harbour House, Portway, Preston, Lancashire PR2 2DW

p.6

Inspector

Paul McKay-Smith, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC479649 7 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.

p.6

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7