Children's Home run by Hillcrest Children’s Services Ltd in Oxfordshire

Unique reference number SC482295 Inspector Stella Henderson Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person Hillcrest Childrens Services Limited Registered person address Langstone Gate Solent Road Havant Hampshire PO9 1TR Responsible individual William Mathew Crosby Registered manager Royston Albert Bayliss Date of last inspection N/A 2 of 10 Inspection date 21/10/2014

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Previous inspection N/A Enforcement action since last inspection none

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Overall effectiveness good

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

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Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness of the home is good and there are some outstanding elements of practice. This is a happy, busy home where the quality of care provided for young people is highly impressive. Care planning is tailored to young people's diverse needs and preferences. This enables them to enjoy excellent outcomes. For those who are relatively new to the home, rapid progress has been achieved.

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Overall effectiveness

Safeguarding practice is good. Young people live in a harmonious environment because they have respect for each other. For the majority of the time they keep to the boundaries set for them. Staff help by making these expectations clear and unambiguous. As a result behaviour is managed well and young people say they feel safe here.

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Overall effectiveness

Leadership and management is judged to be adequate. This is because although there are some real strengths in the leadership and management of the home, there are also some regulatory shortfalls. These relate to recording, monitoring, notifications and the Statement of Purpose. These have no direct impact on the safety and well being of young people, but reflects a failure to keep up-to-date in terms of compliance with changes in legislation.

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Overall effectiveness

The provider took immediate steps to address the actions identified at this 3 of 10 inspection. 4 of 10

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children's home provides care and accommodation for up to seven young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. It was registered in 2014 because of a technical change to the companies house number. The service was previously operated under URN SC370917 and this is a continuation of that service.

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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

4 (2001) compile in relation to the children's home a written statement which shall consist of a statement as to the matters listed in Schedule 1 (Regulation 4)(1) 20/11/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) include in the children's records the date and circumstances of all incidents when a child accommodated in the home goes missing, including any information relating to the child's whereabouts during the period of absence (Regulation 28)(1)(Schedule 3) 20/11/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that if, in relation to a children's home, 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) 20/11/2014

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) maintain a system for monitoring the matters set in Schedule 6 at least once in every 3 months and improving the quality of care provided in the children's home. The system referred to in 20/11/2014 5 of 10 paragraph (1) shall provide for consultation with children accommodated in the home, their parents and placing authorities (Regulation 34)(1)(a)(b)(3)

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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 that records are clear, up to date and contribute to an understanding of the child's life. This is with specific reference to accuracy within risk assessments. (NMS 22) 6 of 10

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people make tremendous progress at the home, some during a relatively short period of time. They are able to achieve this because they receive highly consistent and well-organised individualised support. Young people recognise their own success and feel that their lives have improved significantly during their time here.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Support for emotional and psychological health needs is excellent and has significant impact on young people's emotional resilience and well-being. Young people are valued. They are made to feel that they are unique, special individuals who are worthwhile, who can overcome adversity and make something of their lives. They are helped to understand and reflect on their history and experiences. This provides a strong foundation for them to experience success in all areas of their lives. For example, young people often have a history of poor educational outcomes. However all young people now have excellent attendance at school and college, and are achieving their educational objectives and qualifications and embarking on work experience. Some young people have successfully made the transition from the organisation's own education facility to mainstream school. This reflects young people's educational progress, motivation and ambitions to invest in their own future.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people take a pride in their appearance and like to keep fit and healthy. They do this by keeping to a good diet, taking sensible precautions with their sexual health and steering away from substance misuse. Attendance for routine health appointments for dental and eye care and immunisations helps them to maintain optimum health outcomes.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people enrich their lives by participating in a diverse range of activities. This includes horse riding, swimming, singing, Duke Of Edinburgh Award schemes and the Guides. Young people find constructive and rewarding things to do, and as a result they feel no need to involve themselves in risk-taking behaviours. Consequently, young people feel a real sense of achievement and satisfaction in acquiring new skills and interests. These activities also help them to integrate and contribute to the wider community.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people maintain contact with their home communities and families. This helps to reinforce their family ties and cultural identity. Staff go the extra mile in helping to ensure that contact is rewarding and safe for everyone concerned. Families are welcome to visit their children at the home and say this is helpful in reassuring themselves' that their children are safely cared for.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

The majority of young people are of an age where they are beginning to take increasing responsibility for certain aspects of their lives and decision-making. This is done in a way that meets their needs, understanding and readiness for greater 7 of 10 autonomy.

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Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Some young people have the opportunity to live in the home's semi-independence flat. This allows them to experiment and make mistakes before they move on to full independence. They enjoy very effective support during this time, not only with acquiring the practical skills they will need for adulthood but also preparing for the world of work.

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Quality of care outstanding

Young people thrive in the home as a result of nurturing, affectionate and caring relationships with staff, which provide them with a secure base of stability and trust. Staff have high, but not unrealistic, aspirations for young people. They don't give up on them when things go wrong. They persevere when young people make mistakes and help them overcome the difficulties that they face in life.

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Quality of care outstanding

The longevity of placements means that staff know young people extremely well, over several years in some cases. Staff have seen children grow into young adults. As a result they are highly attuned to young people's personalities, characters and needs. This facilitates highly individualised planning and outstanding outcomes in the long term.

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Quality of care outstanding

The home has also made an immediate impact on outcomes for young people who have been at the home a relatively short period of time. This is because swift action has been taken to register young people with appropriate health services and get them quickly engaged in education.

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Quality of care outstanding

Care planning is extremely rigorous and a major strength of the service. Young people make a significant contribution to this process. Their views carry weight in decisions with regard ti their future as well as the day to day running of the home, events and activities. This inclusive approach makes young people feel that this is, 'an excellent place to live.'

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Quality of care outstanding

Young people say that staff are friendly; and as one young person commented, 'always up for a laugh', helpful and kind. They appreciate the fact that there is always someone to talk to. Staff are highly skilled at helping young people to feel good about themselves, accepting and valuing them for who they are. Difference and diversity is valued and celebrated in this home. This strongly reinforces a positive sense of identity in individual young people and tolerance within the wider group.

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Quality of care outstanding

Strong partnership working with health, education and social services means that young people receive the support and services to which they are entitled. There is particularly effective liaison with local police who regularly make informal visits to the home. This helps young people to see a new dimension to the role of the police, as well as gain advice and guidance from them. 8 of 10 Young people live in a warm, welcoming environment and demonstrate pride in their home. They think it is a comfortable and a nice place to live in. There is significant investment in the fabric, maintenance and equipment in the home. It is generously resourced in terms of food, activities and holidays, transport, toiletries, spending monies and clothing. This enables young people to enjoy excellent standards of care and the same kind of experiences as their peers in the community.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people say that they feel safe at the home and their parents and professionals agree. One of the strengths of the home is that staff enjoy spending time with young people and have built positive relationships with them. This proves highly effective in helping to improve behaviour. As a result there are few behaviour management challenges in the home.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people say they know what is expected of them. When they fail to meet these expectations young people see sanctions imposed as reasonable and fair. However, the emphasis is on dialogue and negotiation with young people. This helps young people to work things out for themselves, make informed choices and take responsibility for their decision-making.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

A careful and measured response to risk assessment protects young people while enabling them to take reasonable risks as part of their growth and development. These are regularly reviewed but reductions in risk are not always accurately recorded. This may lead staff to take action that is no longer needed or necessary.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people seldom choose to put themselves at risk by going missing from the home. Where young people have been absent or missing without authority, the measures taken to safeguard them are quickly implemented. However, on occasion the recording of these incidents does not fully reflect where young people have been during their absence from the home, even though staff knew where they were. This omission has no direct impact on young people but it fails to give an accurate recording of events.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people feel confident about using the complaints procedure and have done so. These and any allegations are promptly responded to. The manager maintains a highly effective relationship with the local authority designated officer, discussing any concerns and seeking advice from that professional.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Strong relationships are also fostered with social workers who commented on the excellent communication with the home on safeguarding matters. They feel confident that the young people they are responsible for are safe in placement.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people are protected by robust procedures for the recruitment and selection of 9 of 10 new staff. Fire safety and other household checks are conducted at frequent intervals. This provides a safe environment for young people.

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Leadership and management adequate

The Registered Manager has managed the home for several years and has suitable management qualifications.

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Leadership and management adequate

The manager monitors the activity of the home, identifying areas for improvement and incorporating these into the development plan. However, this assessment does not reflect recent changes in the regulations or fully evaluate the quality of care provided for young people. This process does not sufficiently capture the consultation that takes place with young people, their parents and social workers. This limits the ability of the manager to drive forward further improvement based on their feedback.

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Leadership and management adequate

The home's Statement of Purpose and monitoring report do not reflect the recent changes in regulation. Although this has no direct impact on young people, it means that the home cannot be held fully to account when measured against the new content.

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Leadership and management adequate

One notifiable incident has occurred since the last inspection. The matter was responded to promptly and consultation with the local authority designated officer took place throughout. However, Ofsted were not notified about this incident in a timely way.. This had no direct impact on young people's safety and welfare, but does impede the regulator in taking further action should that be necessary.

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Leadership and management adequate

Independent scrutiny of the home is effective in helping to maintain high standards for young people. The manager and staff acts promptly to any concerns raised. The independent visitor makes it her business to see and speak to young people. This provides a valuable additional safeguarding element.

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Leadership and management adequate

The home is financially sound and provides an excellent service to young people. It is managed very effectively on a daily basis by two team managers who are supported by senior residential workers. These staff take responsibility for a number of duties to ensure the smooth running of the home.

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Leadership and management adequate

Staff are very conscientious about their work. Their commitment and expertise ensures that young people experience excellent quality of care. Staff feel that they are very well supported through supervision and team meetings. The organisation invests in it's staff by offering high quality training and financial support for external courses. This means that few staff move on, except for promotion. This provides young people with very high levels of consistency and stability. 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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