Children's home run by Hillcrest Children’s Services Ltd in Havant

children and young women since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged Outstanding at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has Declined effectiveness.

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children and young women since the most recent full inspection

This service has established outstanding outcomes for young women over several years under the consistent leadership of the registered manager. Ofsted inspected the school provision in January 2016 and judged it to require improvement. There have been changes in leadership at the school. The role of the registered manager has expanded significantly since the last inspection, as she has taken on temporary responsibilities in the absence of a principal and a head of education.

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children and young women since the most recent full inspection

A very recent safeguarding allegation about staff at the home was not well managed by staff on duty, in the absence of the manager. Staff did not implement safeguarding procedures and there was an unnecessary delay in notifying the host local authority designated officer (LADO), or emergency duty team of the allegation. Staff confused young people’s allegations with a ‘complaint’.

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children and young women since the most recent full inspection

The manager had already begun to implement remedial action prior to the inspection. She consulted with the local safeguarding team and an internal investigation is now underway under the LADO’s direction. While the outcome is not yet known, the manager acknowledges that staff should have implemented safeguarding procedures earlier. However, records of the event are also lacking in detail; there is no incident report that gives a full picture. The manager had only incomplete notes of what actually happened, staff being absent subsequently.

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children and young women since the most recent full inspection

A previous LADO directed internal investigation by a senior manager was thorough and did not uphold any safeguarding concerns in respect of a school issue. The LADO outcome showed satisfaction with the approach to learning lessons from allegations.

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children and young women since the most recent full inspection

The progress and experiences of young women since the last inspection are good. One young woman’s placement ended early, but two others have moved successfully back to their families and their home towns to continue their education. A period of living in one of the three semi-independent flats on site helps young women to practice skills and feel what it is like to live alone. Some have made successful transitions to foster care, or to independence and working life. Four young women have moved in since the last inspection and are settling in to life at the home. The manager says the home gives space to, ‘focus on themselves, and change paths’.

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children and young women since the most recent full inspection

The home does provide a place of safety. It has great success in reducing young women’s self-harming and self-destructive behaviour. They rarely run off and benefit from daily care that is focused on their progress; notably the culture around education, their engagement, achievements and excellent attendance at the school. Safeguarding issues are few. Risks from child sexual exploitation and gang-related concerns are dramatically reduced and young women recognise this. One said that staff, ‘definitely keep me safe. If you get a problem you can talk to them.’ They generally behave well and cooperate with staff and each other because of good relationships and unstinting commitment by staff. Physical intervention is rare. One young woman said, ‘they’re only restraining you to keep you safe.’ High staffing levels and plenty of opportunities for physical activity, and in house activities keep young women busy and not bored. Staff ‘keep them company’,

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children and young women since the most recent full inspection

rather than ‘supervise’ them. The three houses are spacious and well resourced. The manager responds when young women suggest ideas: an outdoor pool, zip wire and an outdoor exercise gym are new additions. There are further plans for more outdoor education and more small animals. The manager is creative about providing support, for example: staff took the young women to a forest ‘high ropes’ climbing centre to establish positive group dynamics, group reliance and trust. Young women learnt an important lesson about asking for help when vulnerable through practical activity. A young woman said, ‘everyone helps here- especially when going through a crisis.’ Leaders and managers are effective in monitoring the quality of care and professional practice. Monitoring is clear about patterns and trends for individual young women and enables early intervention and constructive partnership working if there are concerns. A cycle of reflective review and forward planning means that

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children and young women since the most recent full inspection

the registered manager has already identified areas for improvement. These include: securing Pathway Plans, medicals and health assessments for all; rationalisation of electronic and paper records about behaviour management, and integration of stakeholder consultation comments into the six-monthly report of the quality review.

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children and young women since the most recent full inspection

The manager is an effective, committed leader and is clear about delivering improvement and maintaining high standards. Good relationships and a positive drive by staff gives young women opportunities for better lives. One young woman summed this up: ‘this place definitely changes you’ – in a good way, definitely don’t give up on us.’

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Information about this children's home

This privately-owned children's home provides care and accommodation for up to 21 young women with emotional and behavioural difficulties. The organisation operates a school on site, which is registered with the Department for Education. Young women may stay at the home beyond the age of 18 when part of a plan to move on.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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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

12. The protection of children standard.

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the protection of children standard so that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe, the registered person must ensure that staff:

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Requirement Due date

(2) (a) (v) understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; (vi) take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and (vii) are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. 30/04/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must implement a policy which is intended to safeguard children accommodated in the children’s home from abuse or neglect; and sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect. The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular, provide for the prompt referral of an allegation about current or ongoing abuse or neglect in relation to a child to the placing authority and, if different, the local authority in whose area the home is located; provide for records to be kept of an allegation of abuse or neglect, and the action taken in response; describe the measures which may be necessary to protect children following an allegation of abuse or neglect; and describe how and to whom staff are to report, without delay, any concern about abuse or neglect of a child. (Regulation 34 (1) (a) (b) (2) (b) (d)(e)(f))

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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 staff are familiar with the home's policies on record keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (The Guide to the Quality Standards, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection 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

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young women living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young women. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young women and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young women. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young women 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 women who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young women since the most recent full inspection. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the

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Information about this inspection

effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the Children's 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 women, 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, workbased 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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