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

Inspection report for children’s home: 1234244 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 provider. It is registered to provide care for up to three children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Three children were living in the home at the time of the inspection. Two children were spoken with.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since October 2024.

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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: 1234244 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/06/2025 Full Good 19/11/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 12/08/2024 Full Inadequate 20/02/2024 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1234244 3

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Summary of findings

The home is led by a dedicated manager and committed team of staff who place children at the centre of their practice. Children experience warm and trusting relationships with staff and feel valued. Staff promote children’s safety, education and relationships with those important to them. Safeguarding practice, effective monitoring and strong advocacy ensure children’s needs are met. Staff are provided with training and opportunities to reflect on practice. Safeguarding is not routinely discussed or reflected upon during staff supervision sessions, limiting opportunities to critically evaluate staff practice. Leaders and staff demonstrate a commitment to improving outcomes for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have warm and trusting relationships with staff. Children confidently identify the manager as someone they would approach if they needed support. One child described the manager as ‘the best’, reflecting the nurturing relationships that have been established.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff consistently seek children’s wishes and feelings through daily conversations and regular opportunities for children to express any worries or concerns. Staff listen attentively and take appropriate action in response to children’s views. As a result, children feel listened to and valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff place strong emphasis on the value of education and have high aspirations for children. All children have recently completed their examinations and are considering higher education opportunities. Staff provide encouragement and guidance, helping children to make informed decisions about their future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to spend time with people who are important to them. This helps children to maintain relationships with those who matter most to them. Family members speak highly of the care provided. One family member shared that staff ‘really care’ about their child, while another said they have ‘nothing but praise’ for staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Before children move into the home, detailed assessments are completed to ensure staff can meet their individual needs and that those needs are compatible with the needs of the children already in the home. Where possible, children are given the opportunity to visit the home before moving in to help them become familiar with their environment. When children leave the home, managers and staff reflect on children’s experiences and complete a review to identify any learning to further improve practice.

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

Inspection report for children’s home: 1234244 4 Incidents relating to safeguarding have reduced. When concerns do arise, staff respond promptly and take appropriate action to ensure children remain safe. Staff provide reassuring support to help children regulate their emotions and settle following incidents. Children are given space to reflect on what has happened, with staff sensitively exploring their thoughts.

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

Staff provide children with the knowledge and skills to help them keep themselves safe. Staff reinforce important safety messages through ongoing conversations that are tailored to children’s individual needs and understanding. As a result, children are better equipped to recognise risks and take appropriate steps to protect themselves.

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

Incidents requiring physical intervention are rare. When they do occur, it is for the shortest time and is proportionate to the level of risk. Following these incidents, children are spoken to sensitively to explore their views and are informed of their right to make a complaint. Incidents involving the manager are reviewed by the responsible individual. This oversight is further strengthened through reflective discussion with the trainer to consider if interventions were appropriate.

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

When children raise concerns or worries about staff, immediate action is taken to ensure their safety and wellbeing. Relevant professionals and those involved in children’s care are informed. This helps to ensure that concerns are managed effectively and that children receive the support they need.

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

Staff have a clear understanding of children’s individual risks and actions they need to take should safeguarding concerns arise. Effective measures are implemented to support children in line with their current level of risk. Staff are responsive to children’s changing needs and regularly review their approach to ensure they continue to provide appropriate support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is led by a dedicated and committed manager, who provides leadership and support to staff. Staff feel confident approaching the manager for guidance and support when needed. The manager and staff place children at the centre of their practice, ensuring that decisions are focused on promoting children’s safety and positive outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has effective oversight of the home through the use of auditing and monitoring systems. This is further strengthened by the independent monitoring by the responsible individual. These processes ensure that areas for improvement are identified promptly. Appropriate action is taken swiftly to drive continuous improvement to the quality of care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have regular opportunities to come together and reflect on their practice through team meetings. These discussions support staff to consider how they can further meet the children’s individual needs and improve the support they provide. However, reflective Inspection report for children’s home: 1234244 5 discussions relating to safeguarding and children’s needs are not consistently embedded within all supervision sessions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are provided with a range of learning and development opportunities to enhance their knowledge and skills. They are up to date with mandatory training and receive additional support tailored to meet the individual needs of the children. This ensures that staff have the confidence and skills required to provide effective care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff are strong advocates for children. When decisions are not made in children’s best interests, they appropriately challenge these to ensure that children’s views are heard and remain central to decision-making. This demonstrates the team’s commitment in promoting children’s rights and outcomes. Inspection report for children’s home: 1234244 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person must have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)

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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: 1234244 7

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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

Jess Baines, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1234244 8 regulates and inspects 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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