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

Unique reference number SC398377 Inspection date 04/03/2014 Inspector Natalie Burton Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 02/12/2013 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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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

Good progress The children’s home has demonstrated continued improvement in quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the large majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Satisfactory progress The children’s home has maintained quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Inadequate progress The children’s home has failed to address one or more requirements and/or has not met the majority of recommendations and/or the quality of care and outcomes for children and young people have declined since the last full inspection.

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Progress

Since their previous inspection the service is judged to be making satisfactory progress .

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Progress

This home was judged as adequate at the last inspection in December 2013. Since that time the manager has addressed the seven requirements and the one recommendation that were raised. The home has continued to make positive progress, which has led to adequate outcomes for young people.

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Progress

The manager has updated the home’s Statement of Purpose and this has been received by Ofsted. As a result, placing authorities and other interested parties are aware of the services the home can offer to young people.

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Progress

Young people are cared for by a sufficient number of experienced staff who have a good understanding their needs. The manager continually reviews the risk assessments and needs of the young people and adapts staffing levels to ensure the young people are appropriately cared for. For example, staffing is reduced when young people’s challenging behaviour decreases. As a result, young people are cared for with regard to their individual needs.

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Progress

All staff have received some training in self-harming behaviour, ensuring that they have a basic understanding. However, this requirement is only partially met, due to time constraints. The service is committed to further develop staff understanding by providing further training as part of an on-going training programme. As a result, young people are cared for by a staff team that have a basic understanding of self- harming behaviour.

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Progress

Managers have ensured all staff are trained in physical intervention. As a result, young people are cared for by a staff team who have a good understanding of the techniques to be implemented to protect young people from serious harm. In addition, this ensures that staff and young people are not injured through the techniques used.

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Progress

The service has ensured that all young people living at the home are provided with an educational facility. For some young people, they have made significant progress in their educational attendance in comparison to their previous placements. However, the home’s daily routine is lacking in a consistently robust routine to actively encourage all young people to attend. This is because, young people are not consistently woken at an appropriate time, or provided with educational resources to support and promote their learning. As a result, some young people are not fully supported to attend their educational facility.

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Progress

The organisation has not admitted any young people since the last inspection. However, the service is committed to ensuring that future placements are in line with the homes Statement of Purpose and admission procedure which states that new admissions to the home will consider the needs of young people currently placed and will involve all key people in discussions before a placement is agreed. In addition, young people currently in placement have developed positive relationships with each other and previous disruption to the stability of young people placed has significantly decreased.

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Progress

The manager has made further progress with regard to the recommendation made. The manager has made changes to the submitting to Ofsted the external visit report of the home to ensure that they will be received by Ofsted within the required timescale.

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Progress

During this inspection it was noted that some recording of episodes when young people are missing from the home lack detail of the full action taken by the staff to locate the young people. For example, records do not include telephone calls made or searches by staff to encourage young people home. In addition, staff lack an in depth knowledge of child sexual exploitation. This is because they have not been provided with the training to inform their practice. As a result, while staff implement the home procedures and the joint working protocol for when children are missing, there is a lack of robust recording and in depth understanding of all potential risks to fully ensure that young people are protected as far as possible.

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Progress

Since the last inspection there has been a significant decrease in challenging and high risk taking behaviours, such as self-harm, by young people. This is because staff provide young people with clear boundaries, are aware of potential triggers and implement the young people’s risk assessments and plans. Young people reported they feel safe and happy at the home, and some are able to recognise the progress they have made. This is supported by a social worker who said that a young person is ‘making great progress’. Another social worker reported ‘in terms of safety, they are good at keeping the young person safe’. Young people have formed positive and respectful relationships with staff and each other. During the inspection, it was noted that these strong relationships with staff have enabled young people to develop their confidence and self-esteem.

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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 the educational achievement of children accommodated in a children's home, in particular by ensuing that the routine of the home is organised so as to further children's participation in education, including regular attendance at school and participation in school activities of children of compulsory school age, regular attendance at college where applicable (Regulation 18 (1)(b)) 25/04/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that all persons employed by him receive appropriate training. In particular with regard to self harm behaviour and child sexual exploitation. (Regulation 27(4)(a)) 02/05/2014

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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 written records kept by the home when a child goes missing detail action taken by staff, the circumstances of the child's return, any reasons for the child for running away from the home, and any action taken in the light of those reasons (NMS 5.10)

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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 progress made by the provider since the last full inspection, identifies any further strengths, any areas for improvement and makes judgements as outlined in the Inspection of children’s homes – framework for inspection.

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