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

Unique reference number SC398377 Inspector Jo Stephenson 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 Nicholas James Collins Date of last inspection 04/03/2014 2 of 11 Inspection date 18/06/2014

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Previous inspection satisfactory progress Enforcement action since last inspection Following an investigation inspection on 08 May 2014, Ofsted issued three compliance notices. These notices related to failures under Regulation 11 to promote the welfare and safety of young people; under Regulation 18 to promote the education of young people; and under Regulation 26 to ensure that necessary information is retained pertaining to staff employed in the home. Compliance with these notices was monitored during this inspection. The registered provider has taken sufficient actions to meet the regulatory shortfalls.

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Overall effectiveness adequate

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

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Overall effectiveness

Young people say that they are happy living in the home and have good relationships with staff. The service delivers care for young people that reflects their individual needs and vulnerabilities. This means that young people are making some progress in their lives. Nevertheless, a number of regulatory shortfalls have been identified. 3 of 11 The safety of young people is compromised because the home has failed to ensure that safeguarding policies and procedures are consistently adhered to. Furthermore, the service has failed to inform Ofsted of a notifiable event under Regulation 30. As a result, Ofsted and the local authority designated officer (LADO) are unable to review the registered provider’s response to safeguarding concerns within appropriate time-scales. This is detrimental to young people’s well-being and safety.

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Overall effectiveness

Additionally, the welfare of young people is compromised because bedroom door alarms are used to restrict the liberty of young people. The custom and practice of using these alarms is not risk assessed in relation to promoting the safety or well- being of young people. As a result, young people’s freedom is circumscribed without due process, assessment or evaluation. This negatively impacts on young people’s development.

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Overall effectiveness

Ofsted has taken compliance action since the last inspection. An investigation visit identified regulatory shortfalls in relation to promoting the welfare and safety of young people, specifically when young people were missing from the home. Furthermore, the service failed to ensure that young people accessed suitable education placements or that staff working in the home were safely recruited. The Registered Manager has taken sufficient actions to address these shortfalls. As a result, the safety and wellbeing of young people has improved.

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Overall effectiveness

The Registered Manager has established a range of internal monitoring tools to review and assess the quality of care in the home. Nevertheless, these systems do not incorporate all aspects of practice in the home. For example, the quality and legibility of records completed by staff is not effectively monitored. As a result, records retained in the home are of poor quality, often illegible and lacking detail. This means that young people do to benefit from a clear account of the progress they make. This is detrimental to young people’s development.

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Overall effectiveness

Systems in place to assess fire precautions in the home have failed to identify repairs required to fire doors. This seriously compromises the safety of young people because fire doors are not fit for purpose. Although this shortfall was addressed during this inspection, a requirement has been made to ensure the continued compliance with this regulation.

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Overall effectiveness

The Registered Manager has failed to evaluate the quality of care provided by the home in line with Regulation 34. Furthermore, monitoring tools used do not incorporate consultation with young people regarding the quality of care in the home. As a result, young people’s views and feelings regarding the home and the care provided are not captured or actioned. This potentially hinders the ability of the home to demonstrate capacity for continued improvement. 4 of 11

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Information about this children’s home

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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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/03/2014 Interim satisfactory progress 02/12/2013 Full adequate 25/02/2013 Interim good progress 24/10/2012 Full good

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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) prepare and implement a written policy which sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect (Regulation 16(1)(b)) 04/08/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that electronic or monitoring devices for the surveillance of children are not used in a children's home except for the purpose of safeguarding (Regulation 22(1)) 04/08/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure, if any of the events listed in column 1 of the table in Schedule 5 takes 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)) 04/08/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

32 shall, after consultation with the fire and rescue 04/08/2014 5 of 11 (2001) authority take adequate precautions against the risk of fire (Regulation 32(1)(a))

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) establish and maintain a system for monitoring the matters set out in Schedule 6 a least once in every 3 months; and improving the quality of care provided in the children's home. The systems referred to shall provide for consultation with children accommodated in the home, their parents and placing authorities. (Regulation 34(1)(a)(b)&(3)) 04/08/2014

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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 all children communicate their views on all aspects of their care and support (NMS 1.3)  ensure staff in the home are trained to recognise and deal with any indication incidents of bullying, to act proactively and intervene positively, engaging with those who bully as well as those who are bullied (NMS 3.12)  ensure there is a system in place to monitor the quality and adequacy of reco keeping and take action when needed (NMS 22.1)  ensure entries in records are legible. (NMS 22.4) 6 of 11

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people say that they are happy living in the home and enjoy spending time with staff. They say they have positive relationships with staff and feel ‘respected and supported’. This means that young people experience improved self-esteem and confidence. This is because young people are able to develop meaningful and appropriate relationships with staff and this promotes their development. Young people participate in one-to-one sessions with staff. They are encouraged to reflect on their background and behaviours. As a result, young people are able to recognise the negative impact that some of their behaviour has on their development. For example, when young people have left the home without permission they work with staff to identify the risks associated with this behaviour. This means that young people are encouraged to consider actions they can take to reduce these risks and promote their safety. Consequently, young people develop improved emotional

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

resilience and this supports their well-being and development.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Routines in the home encourage young people to participate in educational activities and attend their education placements. Young people work with staff to identify their learning styles and educational support needs. This means that young people are encouraged to understand the importance of education and the positive impact that regular school attendance has on their development. Consequently, young people are proud of their educational achievements and are making progress in this area in relation to their starting point.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Young people benefit from easy access to the physical and mental health services they require to support their development. The emotional health of young people is supported by the organisation’s clinical team. Young people participate in regular one- to-one sessions with allocated therapists and have the opportunity to discuss their emotional health. This means that young people are able to recognise the relationship between their behaviour and their physical and emotional health. As a result, young people’s health is promoted because they are able to understand the importance of maintaining a healthy life-style. This further supports young people’s development and welfare.

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Outcomes for children and young people adequate

Regular contact, when appropriate, between young people and their families and friends is encouraged. Young people are supported to arrange meetings and activities with their friends within the local community. These meetings are supported by staff when required, to ensure the continued safety and welfare of young people. This means that young people are not isolated from their families or peer group. As a result, young people are able to develop suitable and sustainable relationships with those who are important to them. This means that young people experience improved self-confidence and self-esteem. 7 of 11 Young people are able to learn basic independent living skills. They are encouraged to participate in cooking and budgeting activities in preparation for their formal transition to adulthood. As a result, young people appreciate the range of skills they require to live independently and are able to identify the actions they need to take to

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Quality of care adequate

Relationships between staff and young people are generally positive. Young people say they ‘feel staff understand’, and say they are able to ‘talk to staff’ when they feel upset. Staff devise internal placement plans for young people that reflect the aims and objectives of the placing authorities. Plans are reviewed each month to monitor the progress young people make. Internal plans are further supported by behaviour plans and individual risk assessments.

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Quality of care adequate

Young people participate in one-to-one sessions with staff to discuss strategies to support them to better manage their own behaviour. However, these sessions with young people are not included in the review of internal plans. This means that the views of young people regarding their progress and their care are absent from internal care planning processes. As a result, young people are not effectively consulted with on all aspects on their care.

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Quality of care adequate

Staff ensure that behaviour management plans are in place to support young people. Plans identify strategies to support young people to consider alternative means of managing their frustrations. For example, staff have worked closely with young people to arrange regular contact with their friends. This has led to a decline in missing from home episodes. As a result, young people’s safety and welfare is better promoted. This is because young people are encouraged to consider the opinions of others. This supports young people to reflect on the negative impact some of their behaviours have on their development.

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Quality of care adequate

Young people say that they are confident that any concerns they have about the home will be addressed. They confirm that they understand the complaints procedure and how to use this. Records in the home demonstrate that complaints made by young people are responded to in a timely manner. Consequently, young people experience improved self-esteem because their concerns are taken seriously.

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Quality of care adequate

Routines in the home are now in place to better support young people’s attendance in school. Staff work with education providers to identify barriers to education that young people face. Furthermore, staff effectively engage young people in educational activities outside of school hours. Previous shortfalls in ensuring that all young people have regular access to their school placements have been addressed. Young people are making progress in school, taking account of their starting point. This means that young people are able to recognise the positive impact education has on their personal development and future career options. 8 of 11 Young people’s health needs are addressed in the home. They access all primary health services when required and attend therapy sessions with the support of staff. Staff undertake one-to-one sessions with young people regarding their individual health needs. These sessions include discussions regarding lifestyle choices that may

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Quality of care adequate

have a negative impact on young people’s development and emotional well-being. As a result, young people are able to understand the detrimental impact some of their choices may have on their behaviour and development.

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Quality of care adequate

The home is located in a semi-rural community. Staff support young people to access local facilities in the community. This means that young people are not isolated from the community. The home is being refurbished and young people confirm they are involved in decisions regarding the decoration of the home. This gives young people a sense of belonging and promotes their self-esteem.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

Young people say they are safe and feel safe in the home. One young person said: ‘I’m safe because staff care about me and I can talk to them.’ Since the last inspection, incidents of young people missing from the home have significantly reduced. Previous failures to promote the welfare and safety of young people have been addressed. This is because staff ensure that bespoke missing from home risk assessments are in place for young people. Risk assessments specify the actions to be taken by staff and local police should young people be missing from the home. As a result, young people benefit from a tailored response to addressing this behaviour. Risk assessments are further supported by one-to-one sessions with young people. This means that staff are able to identify antecedents to this behaviour and take suitable actions to reduce these known risks. Consequently, robust missing for home procedures promote the welfare and safety of young people.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

Incidents of bullying in the home are extremely rare. However, staff do not receive training to identify the signs of bullying and intimidation. As a result, young people may not be effectively supported in these circumstances. This means the well-being of young people is not continually promoted.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

Young people benefit from detailed risk assessments that identify their vulnerabilities and inform strategies to reduce their risk taking behaviours. For example, where young people display self-injurious behaviours, distraction techniques are used. This reduces the use of physical restraint in the home. As a result, restraint is only used as a last resort when young people pose a serious risk of harm to themselves or others. When physical restraint is used, records are completed in detail and include the views and comments of young people. This further promotes the welfare and well-being of young people. However, risk assessments have not been put in place to validate the continued use of bedroom door alarms. The use of these alarms is custom and practice in the home and staff do not consider the restriction of young 9 of 11 people’s liberty associated with this practice. Young people are unable to leave their

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

bedrooms at night to visit the bathroom without alerting staff. This impacts on the privacy of young people and compromises their self-esteem.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

Staff receive regular safeguarding training to support their knowledge and understanding of this aspect of practice. This means that staff are equipped with the skills necessary to identify the specific vulnerabilities of young people and take appropriate actions to reduce known risks. Nevertheless, safeguarding procedures are not consistently implemented. For example, there has been one occasion when an allegation relating to staff practice has not been appropriately referred to the local authority designated officer (LADO) or to Ofsted. This means that external agencies are unable to review the suitability of actions taken by the service to ensure that the safety and welfare of young people is promoted. The detrimental impact of this failure is reduced because the registered provider investigated this matter in a timely manner. However, two requirements have been made to ensure that this practice

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

Staff ensure that environmental health and safety checks, including regular fire practices and tests, are completed in the home. Nevertheless, environmental checks have failed to identify repairs needed to fire doors. A number of fire doors in the home do not close appropriately and fire door restrictors are ineffective. This means that the safety of young people is significantly compromised and young people are at risk of harm. Actions were taken during the inspection to address this shortfall. However, a requirement has been made to ensure that all fire doors are regularly checked for compliance with fire safety standards.

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Keeping children and young people safe adequate

Systems are now in place to ensure that staff employed in the home are appropriately vetted and checked before working with young people. Previous shortfalls regarding the verification of the identity and employment history of staff have been addressed. As a result, the safety of young people is better promoted. This is because the suitably of staff is confirmed before they undertake any work in the home. This further promotes the welfare of young people.

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Leadership and management adequate

The home has a suitably qualified and experienced manager in post since the home reopened in 2009 who is registered with Ofsted. The Registered Manager holds a level 4 qualification in the management of residential care services and has a number of years’ experience of working in residential care. Furthermore, the Registered Manager is working towards a level 5 diploma in leaderships for health and social care, children and young people’s services.

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Leadership and management adequate

The home has been subject to three compliance notices since the last inspection. The Registered Manager has adequately addressed these shortfalls. This shows the home’s capacity for continued improvement. For example, all staff employed in the 10 of 11 home are now subject to appropriate vetting checks. As a result young people work with staff whose suitability has been verified. This promotes the safety and welfare of young people.

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Leadership and management adequate

The Statement of Purpose reflects the aims and objectives of the home and is supported by a young people’s guide. The guide includes details of external advocacy services young people can access for additional support. This promotes young people’s safety because they are able to seek independent support to raise any concerns they may have. The majority of complaints recorded since the last inspection have been addressed and resolved. The Registered Manager has introduced an amended complaints system. This means that concerns raised by external agencies or others on behalf of young people are effectively recorded and actioned. This promotes the welfare of young people.

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Leadership and management adequate

Staff receive regular supervision that supports their development and considers their learning needs. The Registered Manager ensures that training plans are in place to support staff development. In addition, practice issues are discussed during regular team meetings. As a result, staff are equipped with the skills and knowledge they require to support young people. This means that young people benefit from working with staff who are able to meet their individual needs.

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Leadership and management adequate

The Registered Manager ensures that staff contribute to statutory reviews. Staff complete reports regarding young people’s achievements and progress. Young people are encouraged to attend their reviews and are supported by staff to do so. Social workers say that communication with the home is effective and informative. As a result, young people benefit from an integrated approach to meeting their care needs.

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Leadership and management adequate

There are a range of documents in place in the home to oversee the quality of care provided for young people. Nevertheless, these measures have failed to identify all practice shortfalls in the home. For example, the quality of recordings in young people’s case files in poor. Handwritten records relating to incidents of challenging behaviour displayed by young people lack detail. These records are not consistently signed by staff or managers and they do not consistently include essential information such as the times and dates of these events. Furthermore, on some occasions, these records are illegible. The Registered Manager is aware of this practice shortfall although sufficient actions have not been taken to address this issue. Subsequently, young people are not provided with a helpful or clear record of their placement. This is detrimental to young people’s development.

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Leadership and management adequate

The Registered Manager has not reviewed the quality of care provided by the home in line with Regulation 34. In addition, the views of young people regarding the quality of care they receive are not incorporated into monitoring systems. As a result young people are do not influence improvement plans in the home. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Leadership and management adequate

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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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