Children's Home, Residential special school run by Hillcrest Children’s Services Ltd in West Sussex

Unique reference number SC482300 Inspector Bridget Goddard 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 Sarah Louise Olliver Date of last inspection N/A 2 of 9 Inspection date 29/10/2014

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

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children's home provides care and accommodation for up to twenty 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 SC014567 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

17B (2001) ensure that the behaviour management policy which details the means whereby appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the home is reviewed. This particularly relates to young people and smoking ( Regulation 17B (1) (b) ) 01/01/2015

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) ensure that adequate precautions are taken against the risk of fire, including the prompt and thorough recording of all fire drills and practices. (Regulation 32 (1) (a) (g) ) 01/01/2015

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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 children's physical, emotional and social development needs are fully promoted by regular monitoring of their progress (NMS 6.1)  ensure that social workers and others closely involved with children living 4 of 9 in the home are routinely involved in monitoring the home's activities. (NMS 21.1) 5 of 9

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people, particularly those who stay long term, make very good progress in this home. Some forge stronger relationships with their families which will help sustain them in adult life, and others develop productive relationships with staff and other young people. The successful development of these relationship skills has enabled some young people to move back into foster family life.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Other young people develop practical skills in areas such as catering and horticulture which will enable them to work throughout their adult lives. Although most young people do make strong progress in this home, this is not always consistently monitored and reviewed. This may limit the progress that some young people could make.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people's health and education needs are very well met in this home. For example, some young people gain necessary weight and now attend specialist appointments which promote their well-being. All young people now routinely attend education, and are encouraged to follow various individual pathways which enable them to succeed.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

A particular strength of this home is in preparing young people for independence by monitoring the development of particular skills. For example, young people cook independently with staff support and some live in semi- independent flats. They are also positively involved in the community, both through leisure and fun activities and charitable events such as coffee mornings. This all helps ensure young people are well-prepared for their transition to adult life.

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Quality of care good

Effective core systems in this home lead to high quality care and to generally constructive relationships between staff and young people. For example, shift systems are designed to give young people maximum consistency, and are successfully underpinned by thorough handover systems. This enables key staff to have sufficient detailed knowledge of individual young people and thereby promotes their optimum well-being. As one young person said, 'staff help you to change, and give you massive support.’

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Quality of care good

Overall, local authority colleagues are very positive about relationships between staff and young people. For example, one social worker said, 'I see (staff member) every time I come and he has always gone above and beyond what he needs to do.’ Another social worker commented, ' they know him so well and offer really good 6 of 9 care.’ Staff make detailed and individualised contributions to placements plans and reviews. These amply demonstrate their strong knowledge of each young person and the pride they take in their progress. Local authority colleagues praise staffs' routine communications about young people finding them timely and sufficiently detailed.

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Quality of care good

Young people particularly enjoy the carefully planned off site activities, as well as the on-site opportunities for playing games with staff. Young people are supported to make a complaint, and these are then appropriately actioned. Generally, young people are strongly involved both in their individual care and in the general running of the home. Overall, there are effective systems to respond to young people's views on activities, food and daily living and some imaginative initiatives to capture young people's views on the development of the home. However, currently some young people are concerned about what they see as unfairness in the application of the smoking policy, and this concern is shared by some social workers. This risks undermining the important relationship between staff and young people which is based on trust.

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Quality of care good

Staff are particularly adept at meeting young people's health and education needs. When young people are admitted they have their core health needs promptly met, and staff effectively support those with complex health needs successfully improving their well-being. Relationships between care and education staff are strong. There is daily, purposeful contact and a common management structure. This means that young people benefit from a coherent response to their care and education needs. Some young people attend college, and are well supported by staff to make the most of this placement. For example, some young people are supported with very early starts and others benefit from discussion and practical help when they are finding course content challenging. On site, a specified group of young people can benefit from a well-equipped 16 plus space which helps both to meet their particular needs and celebrates their increasing maturity.

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Quality of care good

The home is generally well located and designed. It has limited outdoor space, but this is recognised by staff and adequately addressed. Two of the three home bases have now been refurbished and this has been completed to a high decorative standard offering a good standard of comfort.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Young people say that they feel safe and staff are effective at keeping them safe, particularly from risks associated with bullying, going missing, sexual exploitation and behavioural interventions. There are some shortfalls in the premises safety, specifically fire safety which have been identified by the local Fire Service. There is also a shortfall in the recording of practice fire evacuations. While these issues are not yet fully addressed, the management team have begun to put together an appropriate action plan to speedily address the deficiencies. 7 of 9 Staff are well-trained in safeguarding and this assists them in for example, effectively working with young people who demonstrate sexually harmful behaviours. Staff are appropriately aware of issues around internet safety, and staff vigilance and protective software help protect young people from exploitation. Allegations of harm are competently dealt with in appropriate partnership with other professionals. The

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Keeping children and young people safe good

home has strong relationships with local police, and effective policies and procedures in relation to young people who go missing. Some young people now go missing less frequently or for shorter duration. There are still some young people who are missing for significant periods, and in this situation the home advocates for more focused action from other agencies.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

The home has a robust and clear, phased approach to any bullying behaviour. On rare occasions this has meant that young people's placements have been ended prematurely, but this decision is not made without due weight to the respective risks posed to young people. Young people all have individualised behaviour support plans. These focus on promoting personalised, desired behaviour and are supplemented by clear behavioural risk assessments.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Restraint training and oversight is well-managed. Some young people who have been in placement long term are now receiving fewer holds. The organisation as a whole has moved from holds that may prove more of a risk to young people, towards those that are safer. Training in this new approach is currently being rolled out to staff having been tested on a pilot group. This thorough approach is complemented by appropriately completed paperwork. This all contributes to effectively promoting young people's safety.

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Leadership and management good

This home is well-led by an effective Registered Manager who is appropriately qualified, and soundly supported by a competent management team. The manager has a very good understanding of all young people in the home, and is appropriately involved in their life in the home. This plus formal feedback from young people enables her to routinely monitor the quality of care in the home. The manager has credibility with other agencies and strong working relationships with them. Their feedback about the home's functioning is generally very positive, but the home does not yet systematically gather tailored feedback on specific aspects of practice. This limits the home's potential to develop.

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Leadership and management good

The home's development plan objectives demonstrate good ambition for the service for example, the successful request for an additional post of Head of Care. Although there is appropriate management scrutiny currently for example, file audits and outcomes of concerns and complaints, this new post will enable closer monitoring of everyday practice. A further notable development is the arrangement for involving young people in staff appraisals. This is a well-thought through and creative initiative. This demonstrates that the home has good potential for further 8 of 9 improvement.

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Leadership and management good

The home is currently adequately staffed, supplemented by use of agency staff. This is well-managed in that usage is confined to the same small group of staff who are appropriately managed. This means young people continue to have consistent care. A good quality training programme, plus regular supervision sessions ensure that staff are appropriately equipped to undertake their role to a high quality standard. There is a can-do and child focused culture in this home, and this permeates throughout the management team. One staff member said, 'if you come up with a new idea that is good for kids, then they will do it if it's at all possible.’ 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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