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

Unique reference number SC398386 Inspector Julian Mason Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Young Options College Limited Registered person address Turnpike Gate House Alcester Heath Alcester Warwickshire B49 5JG Responsible individual Graham Baker Registered manager Nichola Conlin Date of last inspection 31/03/2014 2 of 9 Inspection date 20/06/2014

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Previous inspection satisfactory progress Enforcement action since last inspection Following a number of concerns raised with Ofsted on the 06 May 2014, a monitoring visit was conducted to the home on the 08 May by a social care regulatory inspector (SCRI). As a result of this visit, shortfalls were found that related to the promotion of young people’s safety. On the 16 May, one statutory compliance notice was issued that required the provider to address the identified shortfall by the 13 June. The shortfall was in relation to Children’s Homes Regulation 26 – fitness of workers. On the 17 June, a SCRI visited the home to determine if the provider had achieved compliance with the notice. The monitoring visit was completed prior to the home’s full inspection, which was conducted on the same and subsequent day. The SCRI found the registered provider had taken sufficient action to meet the regulatory shortfall.

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Overall effectiveness adequate

Outcomes for children and young people adequate Quality of care good Keeping children and young people safe adequate Leadership and management good

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Overall effectiveness

Current young people are safe in the home and with the staff who look after them. They are fully consulted about their daily routines and support arrangements. Staff are always available and approachable, young people are encouraged to express their views and wishes so they can influence the way in which they are looked after. Young people also benefit from having regular one-to-one time with individual staff members so they can talk about important matters that are personal to them. The staff team are knowledgeable and aware of their role and responsibilities in terms of promoting young people’s safety. Where young people behave in ways that are risky, staff always try to lessen the impact of these circumstances by practices that encourage each individual to engage and find alternative ways to behave.

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Overall effectiveness

Some young people are making exceptional progress in many aspects of their lives while others have not been able to consistently overcome some their longstanding difficulties. Progress for some young people in relation to their risk taking behaviours continued up to the point where the home assessed that they could no longer keep them safe. Despite good quality care and support, staff were unable to help young people sustain changes to their behaviours which on occasions presented high risks to themselves and others. Some young people’s placements were ended because of these circumstances.

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Overall effectiveness

One compliance investigation visit has been conducted since the last inspection and this was in response to concerns raised about the suitability and fitness of agency workers used in the home. One compliance notice was issued and at a subsequent monitoring visit, it was found that the provider had taken the necessary action to address the shortfall. 4 of 9

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Information about this children’s home

This home is part of a range of children's services within a private care organisation. It is registered to accommodate three young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

31/03/2014 Interim satisfactory progress 04/06/2013 Full good 13/09/2012 Interim good progress 18/06/2012 Full outstanding 5 of 9

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people receive care from a committed group of staff who consistently support and prioritise each individual’s safety and welfare. Young people are encouraged to move forward in their lives although progress is not always achieved or sustained for everyone. Young people have sometimes been reluctant to take advice and guidance from staff and this has had an impact on what can be achieved in terms of sustaining positive progress. For example, episodes of missing from care and substance misuse continued to impact on the health and safety of some young people. The influence staff had to reduce the impact of risks associated with these behaviours was sometimes minimal.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Currently, young people are enabled and supported to build on their emotional resilience, confidence and self-esteem. They are encouraged to talk about their life experiences and backgrounds to help them understand their current circumstances and why they are living in residential care. Young people’s physical, emotional and social development needs are promoted well. They are educated and encouraged to have healthy diets and lead healthy lifestyles, they receive timely and responsive help if they are unwell. Young people’s health is closely monitored and they access a variety of health services and professionals to ensure their good health and well- being continues.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people’s attendance and attainment in education is currently exceptional given their previous difficulties and circumstances. Young people’s educational arrangements mirror their academic potential and the necessary support needed for them to succeed. There is a strong culture of school attendance and engagement; expectations are high in terms of what can be achieved. Support is consistent in terms of completing homework and revising for exams. Currently, young people are on track to achieve numerous GCSE passes in a range of subjects. Young people are confidently planning ahead in relation to their next steps for further education and potential career paths.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people are supported to develop their own friendships and place in the community. Staff promote the use of independent time away from the home as a way of increasing personal responsibility and independence. Young people are developing a good range of practical skills for independent living because staff are focused on helping to build personal skills and confidence. Young people receive individualised support when they have family contact, which includes helping them to manage their emotions around these times.

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Quality of care good

6 of 9 Young people experience constructive and nurturing relationships with staff who are focused on all aspects of their welfare. Young people feel comfortable in their surroundings, which is reflected in the homely and relaxed atmosphere. Listening to and letting young people express themselves is rooted in the ethos of the service. Consultation with young people through group discussions and individual work ensures that each individual can easily contribute to how the home is managed. Young people are fully involved in their reviews and care planning, which further supports the home’s inclusive approach to providing individualised care. Young people know how to make a complaint and information is readily available about various ways of doing this if needed. Young people feel listened to and fully involved in how they are looked after.

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Quality of care good

Staff are very focused on planning and coordinating young people's support to ensure it is tailored to their needs. Detailed individual placement plans are devised in partnership with placing authority social workers. Care provided in practice is consistent with the stated aims and objectives of written plans. Risks are assessed regularly and are reflected in written information that staff use to guide the way they work each day. This means that staff can adapt and change their practices in an informed way to address changing needs and new circumstances.

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Quality of care good

A particular strength of the home is the effective key worker system and resulting one-to-one time young people spend with staff. This system of support helps to focus exactly on each young person's needs. Young people value the relationships they have with the team and identify that staff are very accessible and supportive. Young people receive consistent messages about their behaviour and how to develop new skills and strategies to reduce the harm or risks to themselves or others.

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Quality of care good

Young people benefit from living in a well-furnished and comfortable home that is kept safe, clean and well maintained. Young people are able to personalise their bedrooms and can arranged their own space to suit their individual choices and tastes. The home’s communal areas are decorated to a good standard and provide enough space for young people to spend time together or on their own. The home sits in a large garden and this space is also unitised in a way that encourages young people to enjoy their leisure time.

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Quality of care good

Young people’s personal development benefits from an enabling approach to learning new skills, forming new relationships and expanding leisure and social activities. Young people enjoy active involvement in the community. For example, by attending local clubs and following their individual interests, such as horse riding, trampolining and rugby.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

7 of 9 Overall, young people are safe and feel safe in the home because the Registered Manager and staff team have a clear focus on potential and actual risks facing each individual. Staff are able to adjust and adapt their practices to ensure risks are managed and young people's welfare promoted. Staff know what to do if they are concerned about a young person. This is because they are trained in child protection procedures and have access to safeguarding policies that support their role and responsibilities.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

Staff know what to do if a young person is away from the home without permission or missing from care; they use individual risk assessments to inform their practice and reporting procedures. Some young people who have significant histories of being missing from care have continued with this risky behaviour. When these circumstances occur, the Registered Manager and staff team work with social workers and other agencies to plan and coordinate safeguarding responses. The Registered Manager attends multiagency meetings to ensure appropriate information is shared and to work in partnership with other professionals. Where the home is unable to keep young people safe, placements are reviewed and where necessary alternative provision found.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

The home has effective systems in place to monitor and maintain good standards of health and safety. This includes ensuring equipment and utilities are checked and serviced regularly, that fire prevention systems are in good working order and the home's environment is free from unnecessary hazards or risks. Young people live in a home where their health and safety is fully protected.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

Staff consistently focus on promoting positive and improving behaviours and young people frequently receive praise and rewards as a result of this approach. Staff do not currently use negative measures of control or physical interventions. Young people are stable in their relationships with staff because the team are experienced at helping them maintain safe boundaries and socially acceptable behaviours. Where young people's behaviours falls below expected standards, staff engage with them patiently, communicating in a way that matches each young person’s understanding and circumstances. Young people state that staff are very fair. Young people have comprehensive plans that include agreed strategies about the management of their behaviour. This arrangement helps guide staff in their practice and supports managers in their assessment of how well young people are doing.

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Leadership and management good

The experienced, qualified and longstanding Registered Manager provides effective leadership and guidance to the staff team who are well supported, supervised and managed. The manager is actively involved in the day-to-day operation of the home and is always available and approachable to the team and young people. Open discussions about care practice is encouraged which helps the qualified team to reflect on the quality of their work with young people. 8 of 9 Sufficient and consistent staffing levels are achieved to ensure young people experience the necessary levels of supervision and support. This means that diary appointments are not missed such as meetings with professionals, medical appointments, family contact visits and leisure pursuits. Staffing of the home is very flexible and responsive. Each young person is able to make choices about their own routines because staff are consistency managed in a way that focuses on individual

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Leadership and management good

Young people are cared for by an enthusiastic team of staff who are positive about their roles and each individual they work with. Staff meetings and handovers between shifts ensure sharing of detailed information about young people supports consistent practices. This work is underpinned by a range of training, appraisal and one-to-one supervision that provides the basis for the good quality care provided. The Registered Manager actively seeks the views of young people and other stakeholders via face-to-face discussion and questionnaires as part of the home’s wider quality assurance systems. Information is clearly gathered from a range of sources to help inform written plans for the home’s future development and improvement.

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Leadership and management good

The home fosters a beneficial multidisciplinary approach to improve outcomes for young people. The team actively work with a wide range of internal and external professionals to ensure young people receive the right help when they need it. Young people’s case records are detailed, clear and concise. The records provide both staff and young people with strong evidence of their experiences and progress during their stay at the home.

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Leadership and management good

Action has been taken to address the one requirement and two recommendations made at the last inspection. Arrangements to record the necessary information about the use of any measures of control has been strengthened to include the duration of the event and consultation with young people. Staff are now aware of current legislation and guidance on the measures they can take to prevent a young person leaving without permission and do not exceed these. Monitoring of key records has improved to ensure they are up-to-date and accurate. In addition, the shortfall identified in the recent compliance notice has been addressed because systems are in place to ensure any agency staff used by the home are checked and vetted before they work directly with young people. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Leadership and management good

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Judgement Description

Outstanding A service of exceptional quality that significantly exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Good A service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Adequate A service that only meets minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Inadequate A service that does not meet minimum requirements.

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Information 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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Information 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 framework of inspection for children's homes.

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