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

Unique reference number SC482296 Inspector Jennie Christopher Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

p.1

Registered person Hillcrest Childrens Services Limited Registered person address Langstone Gate Solent Road Havant Hampshire PO9 1TR Responsible individual William Mathew Crosby Registered manager Sadie Rebecca Dangerfield Date of last inspection N/A 2 of 10 Inspection date 23/10/2014

p.1

Previous inspection N/A Enforcement action since last inspection none

p.2

Overall effectiveness outstanding

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

p.2

Overall effectiveness

Young people make outstanding progress as a result of living in the home. Young people enjoy strong and nurturing relationships with staff and observations show young people feel safe with staff and in the home environment. Group dynamics are positive, with young people providing age appropriate peer support for each other.

p.2

Overall effectiveness

Young people thrive through the care provided by the committed staff team. Staff have formed excellent professional relationships with parents, who comment positively about staff and feel they are ‘able to contact them at any time’. Reciprocal working relationships with a range of external agencies in addition to in house therapists and education, ensures a cohesive approach to care and placement planning, providing consistency of young people.

p.2

Overall effectiveness

Young people’s views are actively sought in twice daily group meetings. Young people are proactive in raising their ideas and exploring issues within the group, which are responded to promptly. Through consultation, young people have effected change in activities they attend and food available on the menu, among others.

p.2

Overall effectiveness

The home is managed by an enthusiastic management team with several years’ experience. Managers recognise the strengths within the home and those areas that require further development. Continuous monitoring of care practice, the building 3 of 10 and records identifies good practice and any weaknesses in procedures and systems. Staff feel they are valued and say they are trained well in order to complete their roles. Staff have regular supervision and feel able to approach managers with any concerns.

p.2

Overall effectiveness

Areas identified as requiring improvement as a result of this inspection are: ensuring the use of external door alarms to prevent unauthorised entry to the home is included in the Statement of Purpose and ensuring young people’s view on sanctions are recorded in sanction records alongside individual notes. 4 of 10

p.3

Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children's home provides care and accommodation for up to eight 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 SC046353 and this is a continuation of that service.

p.4

Recommendations

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

p.4

Recommendations

 ensure where any sanctions, disciplinary measures or restraint are used, children are encouraged to have their views recorded in the main record kept by the home in addition to individual files (NMS 3.18)  ensure the statement of purpose includes the use of overnight alarms on exterior doors to prevent unauthorised entry into the home. (NMS 13) 5 of 10

p.4

Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people's outcomes are outstanding as a result of living in the home. Young people are provided with the space and support to develop a positive self-view and improved self-esteem. Young people begin to gain an understanding of their personal life experiences through targeted life story work and the reasons which have led to them being in care.

p.5

Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people are supported to adopt healthy lifestyles and recognise what this means for them. Young people are encouraged to broaden their diet to include a healthy range of foods. They are involved in menu choices and cooking when appropriate. Young people engage is wide range of both physically and emotionally stimulating activities. Including football, swimming, horse riding and caring for the farm animals within the grounds.

p.5

Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people are actively involved in making decisions about their lives and their living environment. Individuals choose feature wall transfers for their bedrooms, such as dolphins or cartoon charters in addition to duvet covers of their choice. They are also involved in their review meetings and dependant on individual choice; attend the meetings with staff support. Twice daily group meetings give young people the opportunity to share their hopes for the day ahead and celebrate their successes on return from school. Peer support for those struggling is fantastic, with all young people increasing their self-awareness and understanding of how their behaviour impacts on each other.

p.5

Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Young people’s education attendance at the organisations and local schools is excellent. Joint working between the home and school staff is much improved and daily liaison ensures consistency between settings. Those attending education off site also benefit from staffs close liaison with teachers and learning assistants in their school.

p.5

Outcomes for children and young people outstanding

Planning for future placements is timely. All young people have clear plans identifying what their next placement should be, if any change is recommended. Those moving onto foster care, to other children’s homes or returning to family gain age appropriate self-care skills while staff ensure as smooth as transition as possible to their next placement.

p.5

Quality of care outstanding

6 of 10 Young people benefit from outstanding care and enjoy extremely positive relationships with staff. Staff have exceedingly high aspirations for all young people in their care. They are demonstrably concerned for all aspects of individual’s wellbeing and welfare and work hard to ensure their physical and emotional needs are met. Staff are flexible in maintaining family contact and will provide transport and supervision to ensure contacts take place. The effectiveness of visits is reviewed to ensure they are beneficial for young people.

p.6

Quality of care outstanding

There have been no formal complaints since the last inspection and young people's views and contributions are always welcomed. Changes as result of young people’s suggestions have included a pre bedtime ‘club’ in the corridor to aid with the transition to bedtime and purchasing various dressing up outfits. Young people contribute to their placement reviews and care plans. Separate young people’s views of what support they feel they require in various aspects of their lives are included in plans. In house care plans reflect decisions agreed at statutory reviews. Staff are confident and proficient in their roles. The consistent approach to care reduces confusion for young people and they know what is expected of them.

p.6

Quality of care outstanding

Highly individualised behaviour management plans promote positive behaviour through the organisations reward programme, which young people say helps them to ‘behave well’ to get ‘gold’, so they have a wider choice of activities. They all understand the programme and are happy that they are able to start afresh the next day. Additional small rewards include vouchers and being able to choose from the rewards tray. Observations demonstrated staff’s skilled approach to reducing distress and anxiety by working through situations that cause young people upset.

p.6

Quality of care outstanding

Staff support young people in education in the classroom and through close liaison with education staff. Those struggling in lessons have extra support in quiet rooms to complete their work and maintain their progress in line with their peers.

p.6

Quality of care outstanding

Young people are encouraged to develop an understanding equality and diversity through a monthly focus on different celebrations and events. Themes have included Halloween, with a pumpkin drawing completion, Diwali and black history month. Young people explore other cultures and beliefs through sampling differing foods, making displays and being involved in activities within the home. In addition, young people have adopted animals at a local wildlife park and sponsor a child in Mali.

p.6

Quality of care outstanding

Staff have strong links with medical professionals ensuring young people benefit from consistency and high quality health care while living in the home. The organisations therapists work closely with Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and social workers ensuring consistency in emotional care practice. Young people say they ‘love’ morning yoga sessions. Massage by a trained practitioner further supports young people’s emotional and physical wellbeing. The majority of staff hold first aid qualifications, ensuring qualified staff are on site at all times. Medication is stored appropriately and administered and recorded in line with the organisations protocols. 7 of 10

p.6

Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people’s behaviour and demeanour in the home and with staff indicates they feel safe. All young people name staff they would go to if they were worried or upset and relationships are trusting. Staff have an excellent understanding of each young person’s vulnerabilities and work proactively to protect individuals. Staff are confident in processes to follow should they be concerned for a young person’s safety or wellbeing. The Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) stated they find the home ‘welcoming and secure’. There have been no incidents requiring investigation since the last inspection and the Registered Manager and other safeguarding leads have up to date training in managing allegations or disclosures.

p.7

Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people do not identify bullying as a concern. When staff feel bullying occurs, dependant on age and understanding, young people complete targeted work books about bullying and its impact on others. However there have been no recorded incidents since 2012 and young people consistently say that they get along well. Issues within peer group relationships are managed effectively within the home through the twice daily group meetings or directly between those concerned. Safeguarding policies within the home and wider organisation are proactive and updated in response to local and national guidance.

p.7

Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people do not go missing from care. There have been no incidents of young people leaving the home or grounds without permission since the last inspection. Should a young person be missing, policies and responses are clear. Individual files contain up-to-date photographs and physical descriptions of young people in case of emergency. Risk assessments are thoughtful and robust, ensuring young people are able to take age-appropriate risks in line with their specified vulnerabilities. The home’s area impact assessment, completed with local police, concludes the local area does not pose an elevated risk to young people.

p.7

Keeping children and young people safe good

Positive behaviour management plans discourage unwanted behaviour through the organisations reward system. Young people are eager to gain enough points to be on ‘gold’ and are extremely positive about the system. Additional incentives, such as praise and small rewards further encourage positive behaviour. Sanctions are fair and proportionate and relate to individual young people’s understanding and desired behavioural outcomes. Young people’s views are sought on the effectiveness of sanctions, although these are not recorded in the sanctions record. Restraint is used in the home, but always after other methods of de-escalation have been exhausted. Staff are highly skilled in distraction and de-escalation techniques in addition to training for safe restraint practice. Observations showed staff successfully diverting young people whose behaviour was heightened into other activities or areas of the home.

p.7

Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people are safe from fire and other hazards as a result of regular checks and 8 of 10 procedures. Young people indicate they know what to do if the fire alarm sounds. Intruder alarms on external doors at night to indicate unauthorised access to the home do not restrict young people’s movements and are set after all young people have gone to bed. Risk assessments are updated in light of accidents or incidents to further protect young people. The organisation’s recruitment policy is thorough, including robust personnel checks.

p.7

Leadership and management outstanding

The home has an effective and competent Registered Manager who has been in post since 2008. They hold a level 5 qualification in leadership and management with young people. The manager is extremely experienced and has an excellent understanding of the needs of the young people in their care. They are continually striving for improvement and to provide an ever evolving service for young people.

p.8

Leadership and management outstanding

The Registered Manager and team managers recognise the strengths and weaknesses in the home and service through their day to day presence. Highly evaluative monthly monitoring and quarterly scrutiny of manager’s checks identify trends and patterns and areas to be included in the homes development plan. Visits conducted under Regulation 33 provide a critical insight into the quality of service provided. The visitor is skilled in identifying areas of concern and high lighting good practice. In discussion, the visitor stated that they would not amend report unless it was factually inaccurate and that reports are forwarded directly Ofsted.

p.8

Leadership and management outstanding

The Statement of Purpose is reflective of the services provided in the home and includes detailed insight to the therapeutic approach employed within the home. The use of external door alarms is not included in the document however. Staff have an excellent understanding of the ethos of the home and their role in meeting the needs of all young people. The young people’s guide is age appropriate and contains information about the home, staff and how to contact local and national advice and advocacy services.

p.8

Leadership and management outstanding

A multi-agency approach to caring for young people is entrenched within the home. Staff form effective relationships with a range of professionals and crucially parents, to ensure that young people’s care is consistent and of an outstanding standard. Services that are not performing are robustly challenged. The manager and staff have very good relationships with neighbours by forming positive relationships with key people in the community. There have been no complaints for the community since the last inspection.

p.8

Leadership and management outstanding

The home has a long standing core of staff who have an excellent understanding of the young people they care for. The seven day working pattern provides consistency for young people and ensures any issues arising can be worked through with the same staff member, rather than festering and causing a potentially greater issue by the next time they are on shift. Staff are incredibly positive about their roles and are 9 of 10 passionate about securing positive outcomes for young people.

p.8

Leadership and management outstanding

The management and senior teams provide regular support for staff through formal and informal supervision. The Registered Manager and team managers are available for staff to raise any concerns or ideas for care practice they may have. Staff benefit from varied training opportunities in addition to mandatory courses. Further development opportunities are identified through annual appraisals. Newly appointed staff complete an induction programme specific to the service, based on the Children’s Workforce Development Council’s induction standards. Those with specific roles, such as therapists and life story workers hold the required qualifications to practice.

p.9

Leadership and management outstanding

The home is well resourced with maintenance ongoing. The building is homely with many areas for group and individual time. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.9

Leadership and management outstanding

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.

p.10

Judgement Description

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

p.10

Judgement Description

Good A service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements.

p.10

Judgement Description

Adequate A service that only meets minimum requirements.

p.10

Judgement Description

Inadequate A service that does not meet minimum requirements.

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10