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

Unique reference number SC398377 Inspection date 24/10/2012 Inspector Denise Perry Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 01/02/2012 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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Brief description of the service

This private home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding : a service of exceptional quality that significantly exceeds minimum requirements Good : a service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements Adequate : a service that only meets minimum requirements Inadequate : a service that does not meet minimum requirements

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Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be good .

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Overall effectiveness

Young people make very good progress in various aspects of their lives. The Registered Manager and his motivated staff team continually strive to promote improved outcomes for the young people in their care. This has led to young people attending and achieving at school and securing college placements. As a result, young people gain confidence in their own abilities and develop a positive self-view.

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Overall effectiveness

The staff team are well trained and have the experience to meet the diverse and complex needs of individual young people. They actively involve young people in their placement plans and ensure they are fully involved about any decisions that may affect them. Consequently, young people are confident in sharing their views and opinions. They feel listened to and highly valued.

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Overall effectiveness

On one occasion there has been a shortfall in notifying Ofsted about an allegation of suspected harm. This has no direct negative impact on young people’s welfare, as all other parties were notified appropriately. However, the regulator was not fully able to monitor the home. The home is adequately maintained. However, areas of improvement relating to young people’s bathrooms have been identified at this inspection. This impacts on young people’s overall living experience.

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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 person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure, if any of the events in column 1 of the table in Schedule 5 take place, the registered person shall without delay notify the persons indicated in respect of the event in column 2 of the table. (Regulation 30 (1)) 07/12/2012

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Recommendations

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

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Recommendations

 ensure the home provides a comfortable and homely environment and is well maintained and decorated. (NMS 10.3)

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Outcomes for children and young people

Outcomes for children and young people are good .

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people have made and sustained meaningful attachments with the people who care for them. As a result, trusting relationships develop and young people grow in confidence and make good progress in various aspects of their lives. Young people have also developed appropriate friendships with other young people in the local community. This promotes young people’s emotional well-being and expands their social horizons. A social worker said, ‘young people have developed a network of friends outside of care, which is amazing’.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are very confident to voice their wishes, opinions and feelings to staff. Staff respond quickly to any anxieties raised and provide consistent reassurance and guidance to young people. This shows young people that they are cared for and highly valued. Given their starting points, young people have made and continue to make extensive progress in education. They have excellent attendance at the company school and at college. A headteacher said, ‘young people have come on tremendously in all areas of their lives, emotionally, behaviourally and socially. They are now able to sit exams, achieve their goals and for some young people, make the transition to mainstream college’. This enables young people to achieve educationally and develop in confidence and abilities.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people who have left the company school, plan for their imminent move to semi-independence with a complete package of care from the placing authority. They are largely able to manage their own finances, go food shopping and cook for themselves. They have developed the necessary skills to take care of themselves in preparation for adult life. Staff accept young people for who they are and are non- judgemental in their practice. This acceptance promotes an understanding of individual heritage, culture and identity. Where appropriate, young people maintain contact with their families. Some young people have sustained and strengthened their relationships with people who are important to them. This has supported young people’s emotional health and ensured strong family links are maintained.

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Quality of care

Staff and young people share positive and constructive relationships with each other. They use individualised positive behaviour strategies to support young people in developing skills in managing conflict. Staff act swiftly and effectively to provide support to young people when their emotions become heightened. As a result, potential conflicting situations are de-escalated and young people learn to better manage their behaviour. Further, young people feel that staff care for them and this develops and strengthens relationships.

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Quality of care

Young people say that they know how to make a complaint. However, there are low levels of complaints as staff and young people successfully address and resolve most issues informally. Staff regularly seek young people’s views through daily discussions, young people’s meetings and key working sessions. Key working records are extremely detailed and clearly show important and sensitive topics are discussed with young people. Some topics include: staying safe; personal hygiene; identity and family relationships. Consequently, young people develop knowledge and understanding about matters important to them.

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Quality of care

The Registered Manager ensures that highly individualised placement plans are in place for each young person. These plans outline young people’s specific needs and focus on clear measurable outcomes. Staff and young people regularly review these plans to reflect the development and progress made. A social worker said, ’communication from staff is exceptionally good and they always keep me informed.’ Staff produce concise and informative monthly review reports. These reports cover all aspects of young people’s development and include photographic evidence of young people’s activities over the course of the month. They are a good record when young people access their files now, or in the future.

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Quality of care

The Registered Manager and key staff view young people’s education as a priority. They attend and contribute to young people’s educational reviews and are proactive and consistent in supporting young people’s attendance and achievement. Staff provide direct support to young people in their school settings, resulting in improved outcomes. They also work closely and effectively with other professionals such as psychotherapists, who also attend team meetings. In this arena, staff share and explore young people’s specific needs and receive advice and guidance on how best to support them. This contributes to the provision of highly personalised care and support to young people. As a result, young people’s psychological, emotional and social development is promoted.

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Quality of care

Staff are non-judgemental and effectively address equality and diversity, providing young people with positive male and female staff role models. This aids young people’s understanding and acceptance of individual differences. Staff positively address the needs relating to young people’s cultural background and personal identity, in both daily living and care planning. They carefully plan young people’s holidays to reflect their heritage and identity. Young people benefit from visiting places of personal interest and exploring their cultural background. Further, holiday trips to Spain increase young people’s understanding about different cultures, languages and ethnicity.

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Quality of care

The home is appropriately located to meet the individual safety needs of young people. There have been some improvements made to the home environment since the last inspection. For example, new staff beds, carpets, new fridge freezer, and one of the bathrooms has been decorated and repaired. However, this bathroom requires further attention, as does the second bathroom, to improve the décor and overall appearance. This currently detracts from young people’s overall experience.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The service is good at keeping children and young people safe and feeling safe.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The Registered Manager and staff team successfully identify triggers associated with young people’s behaviour. As a result, the frequency of young people going missing from care has reduced over time. This secures young people’s safety and sense of well-being. Staff consistently implement firm and fair boundaries in a structured environment. Young people say that they feel safe living in the home and could talk to staff if they felt their safety was at risk. Staff follow comprehensive individual risk assessments to ensure young people’s safety, both in the home and in the wider community. These plans clearly identify risk and protective factors which enable young people to take proportionate risks, as part of their growth and development. Physical restraint is used only as a last resort to prevent injury to people or serious damage to property. Staff maintain accurate records and sensitively support young

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Safeguarding children and young people

people to reflect on any incidents of restraint. Consequently, young people develop an understanding of acceptable behaviour, and over time learn to self-regulate their emotions.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The Registered Manager and staff team place a strong focus on keeping young people safe. Since the last inspection there has been one safeguarding concern. The police, placing authority and local safeguarding team were appropriately notified. This ensured robust inter-agency work to provide effective protection of young people. However, a shortfall in administrative procedures meant that the registered person did not notify Ofsted of this event. There was no adverse impact on young people’s safety. Staff recruitment and vetting procedures are robust, which helps to prevent unsuitable people being employed. The home has extensive health and safety procedures, including regular inspections of fire equipment, records and staff training. Any identified shortfalls are promptly addressed to ensure the environment is safe.

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Leadership and management

The leadership and management of the children's home are good .

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Leadership and management

There were no requirements or recommendations made at the last inspection. The Registered Manager and his deputy effectively and efficiently manage this home. They routinely make good use of rigorous monitoring systems relating to quality of care and outcomes for young people. This includes independent people visiting the home to inspect and report on its conduct. The Registered Manager welcomes feedback from the visitor and addresses identified areas of improvement. This demonstrates the home’s capacity for continuous improvement.

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Leadership and management

The home’s notification procedures relating to significant events was not followed on one occasion, as Ofsted was not notified. However all other parties, such as the local authority, were appropriately notified, ensuring young people's welfare was not compromised. The home is well maintained and adequately resourced to meet the needs of young people. However, there is an identified area of improvement made from this inspection relating to children’s bathrooms.

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Leadership and management

The staff team’s performance continually improves with well-planned team meetings, regular supervisions and good quality annual appraisals. The Registered Manager empowers staff to take ownership and be actively involved in the development of the home. For example, senior staff complete specific monitoring tasks which the manager oversees. This promotes staff development, increases their knowledge and benefits their overall professional practice. All staff complete mandatory training and refresher courses and have, or are working towards, the required qualification. Team leaders are also able to undertake additional recognised qualifications, which exceed the required standard. This directly benefits young people because staff are well supported and equipped to provide them with high quality care.

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Leadership and management

The Registered Manager maintains and regularly reviews the home’s detailed development plan. This clearly evidences he sets realistic aims and objectives to drive the service forward. The Registered Manager clearly demonstrates the impact and value that living in the home has had on some young people’s lives and how their life chances have improved over time. For example, this includes young people successfully gaining college placements and developing a wider social network away from the home. As a result, young people grow in confidence and their future independence is optimised. Staff maintain detailed and informative case records that are securely stored. They regularly review and update these records and this contributes to a full understanding of young people’s backgrounds, experiences, progress and plans.

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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 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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About this inspection

The report details the main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation, and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the Inspections of children’s homes – framework for inspection (March 2011) and the evaluation schedule for children's homes.

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