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

Good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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The children's home provision is good because:

The young people make substantial progress while developing trusting and nurturing relationships with the staff team and their peers. They received individualised care from a committed staff team. Opportunities are created for the young people to develop social interactions and positive peer relations through activities participated in with the guidance of the staff. The staff apply appropriate guidance and boundaries to the young people that allows many young people to understand their behavioural difficulties and develop coping strategies. The young people develop a fondness for attending school based upon education being positively promoted specifically to those young people that have historically not attended school regularly. Extensive therapeutic support is supplied to all young people with some having good engagement leading to improved emotional health. The young people are assisted by the staff to learn age-appropriate life skills that

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The children's home provision is good because:

develop their independence. They also make successful transitions to foster care and have improved relations with significant others. The individual risks associated with the young people are thoroughly assessed and strategies implemented promoting young people’s safety during safeguarding incidents such as missing from care. The well-trained staff effectively manage the negative behaviours of the young people by taking a consistent and individualised approach that considers their safety above all. The service continues to apply it’s ethos as described in the statement of purpose supported by effective monitoring practices to develop the service. The management have evidenced they have outstanding qualities when it comes to understanding and progressing needs of the young people and managing the practice and development of the staff. There were two requirements relating to new placements and one recommendation pertaining to the supervision that the management acknowledged

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The children's home provision is good because:

and started to rectify during the inspection.

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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 (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain for each child a copy of any plan for the care of the child prepared by the child’s placing authority, and or placement plan. (Regulation 36, Schedule 3. 19) 1 December

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain a record detailing any immunisation, allergy, or medical examination of the child and any medical or dental need or treatment of the child. (Regulation 36(23)) 1 December

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  Ensure that staff receive good quality supervision which allows them sufficient time to reflect on their practice and discuss matters relating to the children assigned to their care. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 61 paragraph 13.2)

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Information about this children's home

 SC482300  The 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 following a technical change to the Companies House number. The service was previously operated under URNSC14567 and this is a continuation of that service.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

09/02/2015 Interim improved effectiveness

p.5

good

The young people currently residing in the homes are a diverse group with a variety of individual needs that are consistently being met by the staff with management overview. The staff ensure that each young person has their own individualised care plan that has resulted in a broad range of progress for the young people. Overall, the majority of the young people are making significant progress towards goals identified in their care plan. A placing social worker said, ‘I am very happy with the care and support a young person is receiving.’

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good

The staff are supportive of the young people and have good insight into their individual characteristics and behaviours. Some staff have been proactive and incorporated creative ways of working with the young people during key working sessions, resulting in good outcomes for them. For example, a staff member key working a young person with autistic traits has assisted the young person in learning to calm himself when feeling anxious.

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good

A young person has recently shown a renewed interest in activities that he previously enjoyed and participated in prior to coming into care. The staff team assisted the young person by developing a plan of action that allowed them to work through their issues and again enjoy the activities they love.

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good

Culture and identity of the young people are supported in all the houses, as evidenced by the ever changing cultural awareness board located in the three houses that grants young people the opportunity to learn about new cultures through specific themes and meals.

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good

The relationship between the staff and the young people was observed to be positive with appropriate boundaries and guidance. Some young people expressed they do have trusting relationships with staff and were able to identify members of the staff team that they could confide in.

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good

The majority of the young people attend the educational provision attached to the children’s home. They have good attendance and benefit from the culture created within the houses, where attending school daily is the norm. This has specifically benefited those young people who previously held a negative view of school and historically were not in full-time education. A placing social worker provided an example of how the organisation was able to demonstrate ‘flexibility’ to meet a young person’s educational and emotional needs at a significant time. The health needs of the young people continue to be addressed as per their Local Authority Care Plan. Recently, a young person was admitted to the home with a known health, related condition that the staff had no previous experience of managing. The management team was quick to provide information and training to staff who now feel confident in their abilities to manage the young person.

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good

In addition to the therapeutic input provided within the home and school as part of the service, there has been an improved relationship with the local Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. The young people benefit from the additional resource that is often needed to address their emotional needs.

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good

A formal house meeting is held weekly to obtain the views of the young people. The meeting takes place on the same day as the staff handover and shift change promoting consistency in the care of young people. The staff undertake discussions regarding the young people and the appropriateness of granting any request they may have, such as level of activity. Additionally, the young people can express their views informally during key working sessions. Management sought to obtain young people’s views through written surveys, but they were not very keen on participating.

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good

There are good examples of young people making good progress with learning age-appropriate independent skills. A young person spoke confidently about being able to tend to their basic needs, such as traveling alone, cooking twice weekly and spending the night with friends in the community and attending mainstream school. An additional young person spoke about how the staff have assisted them with traveling independently to family contact over time. These young people believe that residing in the independent flats located in the house has contributed to their independence.

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good

The facilitation of an open day, supporting contact arrangements, and encouraging social workers to visit regularity has addressed the needs of the young people that are placed far away from their original area. The young people are able to adapt and settle into the home rather than suffering from the impact of being placed some distance from home which could affect their initial behavioural, emotional and educational progress.

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good

Some young people that are newly admitted to the home settle quickly and some are not able to maintain their placement due to safeguarding concerns. Although the staff have cared for a newly admitted young person for several weeks, there was not an appropriate care or placement plan in place for him. In addition, the staff were not aware of important of upcoming health appointments despite a high level of communication with the placing authority. Judgement grade

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good

The staff understand that identifying and assessing the individual risks to all the young people is essential to safeguarding them effectively. The records evidenced that when limited information is available for young people; the staff are still able to put detailed risk assessments in place. The risk assessments provide insight into how to protect them based upon their historical concerns or behaviours.

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good

The young people say that they feel safe and believe that the staff do generally care about them. Some young people were able to provide insight into their triggers for negative behaviour based upon their conversations with the staff. These discussion have allowed the young people to have a better understanding of what it takes to keep themselves safe and this is reflected in the settled environment of the home.

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good

There are simple approaches in place that have led to effective safeguarding practices for the staff, for example flip cards are available in every office as a quick reference guide which promotes consistency. The staff were able to evidence their knowledge of safeguarding during the inspection.

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good

Physical interventions only occur for the young people when absolute necessary, as the behavioural management policy guides the safe handling of young people by the staff and offers positive approaches to curtail their behaviour without intervention. When young people are involved in physical interventions, the staff consider their safety and well-being while offering medical assistance if needed and debriefing them.

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good

The young people that go missing have benefited from a strong response by the staff. The steps taken by staff to secure their safe return and limit their time away have been effective. The staff actively work with the police, local authority and other agencies to identify appropriate plans of action that have led to young people returning unharmed based upon their return interviews.

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good

The management have taken a proactive approach towards dealing with child sexual exploitation by contracting an expert on the subject to facilitate some training for the young people. The training will help them understand how child sexual exploitation relates directly to them as young males.

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good

A staff member was able to evidence good quality of work that was undertaken with a young person at risk of self-harm. The staff member utilised a creative method and was able to set reasonable targets for the young person that has reduced the risk of self-harm significantly. Issues of safeguarding are treated as serious, specifically allegations against the staff. The safeguarding policy in place for all staff to follow and offers advice on what actions to take in issues pertaining to bullying, allegations and allegations against staff. The Local Authority Designated Officer is routinely consulted in incidents of safeguarding leading to quick prompt responses to the incidents.

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good

When it is risk assessed that the staff cannot effectively safeguard a young person due to unforeseen circumstances or behaviours, decisions are made by the management team to end their placements. The decisions occur in a well- organised manner and consider the best possible options to keeping the young person safe while considering the safety of the other young people. Judgement grade

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Outstanding

The leadership and management team of the home is stable and experienced. They have evidenced that they have the knowledge and ability to effectively lead while prioritising the needs of the young people. They are highly favoured by the young people and the staff.

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Outstanding

The registered manager has been in post consistently for five years, and in addition has been in the role of the Principal for the home since January 2014. The registered manager continues to add to her personal development, she has recently completed a business degree and attended the local safeguarding board meetings. A house manager with five years of experience with the organisation has recently been promoted to acting head of care, a decision that is popular among the staff and young people.

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Outstanding

Management has an extensive knowledge of the young people and understand their individual needs. The specific targets that are set for young people can be monitored through comprehensive ‘trend reports’ available through the electronic database. The ‘trend report’ allows management to see precisely how a young person is progressing and the support provided by the staff.

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Outstanding

A thorough system of monitoring the care awarded to the young people occurs with regularity. Through collective efforts of management and the independent visitor, the strengths and weaknesses of the home are identified which in turn allows effective plans of action that rectify any shortcomings. The reports to Ofsted are clear, detailed and provide a picture of all young people that use the service. The ability of the staff to monitor the progress of the young people electronically has created well-organised record keeping.

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Outstanding

There has been a substantial effort made by management to establish and maintain quality relationships with a core group of professionals. The professionals includes the local police, community representatives, and the local authority designated officer, among others. A respected community leader spoke in high regard about their experience when attending a community lunch held at the home. The community leader said, ‘I was made very welcome and found the environment to be open and friendly. The boys made a Wendy House that has been well received by the local primary school. They also donated two Harvest Hampers to the Salvation Army’.

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Outstanding

The management took a systematic process to respond to a formal complaint regarding the placement of a young person. The information presented in relation to the young person was highly detailed; evidencing that management has extensive knowledge of the young people and plan accordingly for their care. The prompt comprehensive response allowed the complaint to be resolved swiftly.

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Outstanding

The training available for the staff exceeds the mandatory training required and offers opportunities that allow them to develop their professional practice. The staff feel valued and supported even when practice issues arise or allegations of concerns are raised. A staff member said, ‘any training the staff need in addition to the basics is available, if there is something that you are interested in management will arrange,’ For example this particular staff member requested training for working with autistic children and management has agreed it.

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Outstanding

The staff that were hired since the last inspection have undertaken a thorough recruitment process with an extensive induction process that ensures they are safe to work with the young people. Supervision for all the staff is held consistently and usually allows them to reflect on their practice and raise any concerns they may have. There was one instance in which a new staff member raised a practice related issues during supervision that was not adequately addressed or documented correctly, fortunately this has not affected directly on the young people.

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children's home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children's home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children's home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place, however, the children's home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children's home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being

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What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This 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 Children's

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Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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