Children's Home run by Hillcrest Children‟s Services (2) Limited in Staffordshire

Unique reference number SC437128 Inspector Julian Mason Type of inspection Interim 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 Laura Jayne Evans Date of last inspection 09/07/2014 2 of 5 Inspection date 16/02/2015

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Previous inspection good Enforcement action since last inspection none

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This inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has sustained effectiveness .

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This inspection

Since the last inspection, a new manager has been recruited and is in the final stages of being registered with Ofsted. The manager has enrolled on an appropriate leadership and management course in order to gain the necessary professional qualification for the role. No requirements or recommendations were made at the last inspection.

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This inspection

There has been a change to the resident group of young people. Staff have ensured that new young people are welcomed into the home and are encouraged to make a positive start towards achieving the agreed aims and goals of their placement. Young people are helped to settle in because staff work together to build familiar care and support routines that match individual needs and circumstances. Some struggled at the beginning of their placement and were reluctant to take advice and guidance from staff but are more settled now. Young people are forming attachments and relationships with the team. This demonstrates the potential of the home to have a positive influence and impact on their future prospects.

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This inspection

The service has well-established networks and relationships with a range of agencies and professionals who are involved in meeting the needs of young people in the home. For example, staff work closely with teachers and further education providers in support of young people’s attendance and attainment at school or college. The manager maintains necessary links with local agencies with lead child protection responsibilities. Individual care and support arrangements for each young person are regularly discussed with visiting therapists. This helps the manager and staff team formulate tailored and consistent day-to-day practices.

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This inspection

Young people are safe in the home and with the staff who work with them. A key focus of the new manager and staff team is the way in which young people are successfully engaged in matters that relate to their ongoing needs. Staff approach 3 of 5 this work in a planned and coordinated way, which is set into their day-to-day practice and routines. Young people benefit from individual key worker sessions that cover a wide range of subject areas relating to personal safety, behaviour and relationships. Work with young people is assessed and evaluated to ensure the right approaches are being taken and remain relevant to each individual.

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This inspection

The manager has robust monitoring and quality assurance systems in place that helps identify short and longer-term service development objectives and improvements for the service. For example, staff practice around the administration of medication has been improved to ensure young people’s health and well-being is safely and consistently promoted. Young people’s bedrooms and some communal areas of the home have been redecorated to enhance the overall standard of accommodation. Staff handover routines have been strengthened to ensure newly arriving staff on duty are fully updated about the home’s circumstances and each young person’s arrangements. Young people’s involvement and consulting with them in planning for their week ahead has been improved so they get more opportunities to have a say about how they are looked after. 4 of 5

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Information about this children’s home

This privately-owned children's home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people who have emotional and/or behavioural problems.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/07/2014 Full good 27/02/2014 Interim good progress 14/08/2013 Full good 20/02/2013 Interim good progress Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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What inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspections we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the Inspection of children’s homes: framework for inspection.

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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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