Children's Home run by Hillcrest Children's Services (2) Limited in Telford and Wrekin

Unique reference number SC398386 Inspection date 10/11/2010 Inspector Andrew Hewston Type of inspection Random

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Date of last inspection 13/05/2010 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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You can obtain copies of The Children Act 2004, Every Child Matters and The National Minimum Standards for Children’s Services from: The Stationery Office (TSO) PO Box 29, St Crispins, Duke Street, Norwich, NR3 1GN. Tel: 0870 600 5522. Online ordering: www.tso.co.uk/bookshop

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About this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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About this inspection

This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004 and the relevant National Minimum Standards for the service.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

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Brief description of the service

The home forms part of a range of children's services within the organisation. It is a three bedded home offering care and accommodation to young people with a range of differing needs including services for young people that experience emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Brief description of the service

The home offers individual bedrooms for young people, a main lounge, smaller lounge, large kitchen and dining area. The home has a large garden including established trees. There are a range of activity facilities nearby and also local shops.

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Summary

This is an overview of what the inspector found during the inspection.

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Summary

This was an unannounced interim inspection of the home to examine the staying safe outcome and the previous actions and recommendations made at the last inspection. No young people were spoken to as part of the inspection, but a range of paperwork was examined and staff discussed the progress of the young people and the home.

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Summary

The staff team continue to offer a good, stable environment to the young people. Systems and procedures within the home are appropriate to meet the needs of the young people and the staff are committed and well trained.

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Improvements since the last inspection

There were two actions and two recommendations made at the last inspection to develop good working practice. Both of the actions have been fully met. Both of the actions have been fully met. These related to the behaviour management planning and the decoration of the home which is now of a good standard.

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Improvements since the last inspection

One of the recommendations has been fully met following the development of a system to develop young people's independence skills. One recommendation has been partly met due to the training in safeguarding for the staff team being brought up to date. There continues to be a need for staff to have completed some training in complaints.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Procedures and an appropriately trained staff ensure that young people are safe within the home.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people's privacy is supported within the home as staff are aware of the need to knock on doors and are aware about young people's need for privacy. Young people have access to a telephone that they can use in private. There is a recording system that ensures if rooms are searched then this is recorded; young people are aware of this system.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The key inspection found that the complaints procedures are robust. Information is available for young people to access different organisations if they are unhappy within the home. No complaints have been made since the last inspection. No staff training has been completed relating to complaints. No incidents of bullying behaviour are reported to have occurred since the last inspection, staff state that the young people generally get on well within the home and that arguments are responded to appropriately.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Young people are kept safe through staff awareness of safeguarding issues and there are appropriate procedures in place to support young people if allegations or disclosures are made. Staff training in safeguarding is updated on a three yearly basis and all of the staff team are up to date with this. No safeguarding concerns have been reported since the last inspection.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Systems are in place to support those young people that absent themselves without permission, such as key worker meetings and access to advocates. Recording procedures are in place if young people leave the building in such a way, although incidents of this nature are very low.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff promote positive behaviour through rewards and praise. All young people have behaviour management plans and when incidents or behaviours requiring restraint occur these well recorded. There have been sanctions imposed that have not been sufficiently recorded within the home's systems. All records relating to behaviour management are checked by the manager and changes are made where necessary.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Health and safety checks are robust and ensure the safety of all staff and young people. Fire checks and drills are also completed on a regular basis in excess of expected timescales. Recruitment checks were examined as part of the last inspection and no concerns were raised regarding the staff employed at the home.

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions, which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children's Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The Registered Provider(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Std. Action Due date

22 ensure all behaviour management records are fully completed (Regulation 17.4) 30/11/2010

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 ensure training in complaints is updated on a regular basis (NMS 17.3)

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