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

The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

children and young people since the most recent full inspection. This home was judged outstanding at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has improved effectiveness . There is a strong, shared ethos in the home of providing children and young people with the kind of experiences that will help them to overcome past traumas and gain greater control of their futures. These experiences range from formal therapy, engaging in activities that stretch what children and young people are capable of and contributing to the life of the home. The ethos is not just shared by the manager and staff but by the young people and as a result they make significant progress. One young person talked of a momentous change of attitude to his behaviour as a result of therapy, another young person now confidently uses public transport having been fearful of doing so and a third young person described the garden as being ‘new’ having helped to put in ornaments and plants.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

The home is exceptionally well equipped to meet the needs of children and young people, including a music room, gym and a recently designated area of the garden for young people to use if needing to get away from what may be going on in the house. A bench was purchased for this partly in response to a young person saying that he felt he was under constant supervision. Young people have ample opportunities to influence the running of the home, including at community meetings, one of which was observed during the inspection. At community meetings the weeks’ menus and activities are agreed and young people make suggestions for other changes that they would like. This level of self-efficacy reduces feelings of frustration and these being taken out in damage to the property. This has been so successful as to allow more fragile objects to be put up around the home, including small mirrors and a basket of fresh eggs.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

A folder entitled ‘You say, we do’ records requests made by children and young people and how they have been responded to. A homely atmosphere is created by lots of personal items around communal areas such as a collage of photographs put together by staff, children and young people of a recent holiday, a map of places each of them have visited and a community noticeboard including achievements accomplished. A particularly good example is a certificate awarded to one young person for raising money for the home’s nominated charity. Each young person is encouraged to participate in one organised activity outside of the home and to support a charity. This enables them to look outside the circumstances of their own lives and contribute to wider society. New achievement folders contain details of attainments, including independence skills that young people will be able to take with them on leaving the home.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

A recently established homework club encourages children and young people to undertake school work, if they have it, but more frequently do research into issues that affect them such as the fat content of food and what laundry labels on clothes mean. The manager has responded to requirements set at the last inspection to improve procedures for managing going missing from home episodes by devising a comprehensive process to record the incident, follow protocols, reflect on the wider context of the behaviour and to draw up a plan to reduce the likelihood of it reoccurring. This format has been shared with the local safeguarding children board who wish to disseminate it to other homes. Other links are made to other local professionals and organisations, including a registration with a police ‘alert’ online facility to get up-to-date information about local criminal activity, which is useful in protecting children and young people from

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

the potential of child sexual exploitation or other risks. Reflection is a notable feature of practice in this home, which can have remarkable outcomes for children and young people. A striking example is that following training around self-harming, a member of staff considered what a particular behaviour meant to a young person and the ‘message’ he was conveying. The member of staff proposed a radical change in approach which was agreed by the therapist involved and then explained this to the young person. The behaviour has not reoccurred since. A placement summary report has been introduced that allows for a frank assessment of the progress of young people leaving the home from the perspective of several members of the team. It does not include a measure of how targets for the placement have been achieved but does contain lessons to be learned. One young person has left the home since the last inspection and he was assisted

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

to make the transition by staff. However, a record of the work to prepare him practically and emotionally was lacking from his case file. Files are generally in good order, with evidence of missing and late documentation being requested from placing authorities. Health care plans were an exception. Targets set in placement plans accord with those given in relevant plans and link to items in key work sessions. However, key work sessions are not generally well documented, with the section for agenda items raised by children and young people populated by other issues. Information about the discussion is frequently limited and few actions are identified. The format used has several headings that are rarely used and adds to a haphazard appearance. However, where the discussion and notes of it are focused, young people do appreciate the sessions as evidenced by their handwritten comments, including one saying, ‘Good chat.’

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

Since the transition from the home of a young person who went missing on several occasions, there have been no further episodes. Instances of physical intervention are restricted to one young person and are well recorded. There are relatively few sanctions imposed, with some children and young people receiving none at all. These records are less detailed, frequently not giving a clear picture of what happened, particularly of antecedents. Amendments made to the format during the inspection make it clearer what is expected of staff. There are far more rewards given to young people than sanctions, so that the focus is on promoting good behaviour. This is enhanced by a scheme that allocates levels of privileges earned based on conduct during the week. A system of points allocated by staff has recently been replaced by one based on discussions at community meetings, allowing young people to reflect on their behaviour and to

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

‘pull themselves up’ before a final level is decided on. Some young people spoken to thought this helps their resolve to ‘do better’.

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Information about this children's home

This privately owned children's home provides care and accommodation for up to six young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. Young people are supported towards independence through utilising the two self-contained flats on the premises.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

28/04/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

24/09/2014 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:

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Recommendations

 The registered person should work with the placing authority to ensure that each child's transition is planned and help each child to prepare for leaving both practically and emotionally. This work should be recorded in the child's file (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 57, paragraph 11.9).  Children should be encouraged by staff to see the home's records as 'living documents' supporting them to view and contribute to the record in a way that reflects their voice regularly. This includes identifying issues that children wish to discuss with key workers and the adequate recording of sessions with them (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.19).

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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 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 focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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 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, 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

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

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