Children's Home run by Hillcrest Children’s Services Ltd in Oxfordshire

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged outstanding at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people continue to thrive in this home and make good progress in all areas of their lives. The relationships between young people and staff, and between each other, are warm, caring and respectful. Young people feel that they belong and that they are cared about as individuals.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff have a good understanding of each young person’s needs, likes and wishes. This knowledge is used to develop care plans and set targets that support young people to build on their strengths. Staff and young people work closely with each other so that targets are met and new ones are set.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

All young people have very good attendance in education or training, and have learned the value that a good education will have for their future lives. Some, who were not in education on their arrival to the home, have worked their way through the organisation’s school and have progressed into mainstream education or gone on to college. Young people develop friendships in the home and in the community. They take part in clubs and activities that interest them and teach them new skills, such as quad biking, white-water rafting and learning to drive.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people who have left or are leaving the home have done so in a planned and well-coordinated way. A young person said that she had mixed feelings about leaving. She was sad to be leaving, because staff understand her and have supported her well, but she is also excited for her future life.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The well-maintained, cosy and friendly environment gives young people a secure base from which they safely learn about the world around them and experience new opportunities. They make mistakes from time to time, but are well supported to learn from these and develop appropriate coping strategies.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been no issues of missing from care or complaints made. There are very low levels of issuing sanctions and only three physical interventions have been used since the last inspection. When a physical intervention has been used, the incident is fully discussed with the young person involved. These discussions provide staff with a good understanding about the triggers for young people’s disruptive behaviour. This information is used to update the behaviour management planning and the support to young people. There is a shortfall in the record keeping of physical interventions, because some recording does not provide a full view about what led up to the restraint. It is also recommended that, when a restraint has taken place, the young person is offered the opportunity to talk to someone other than a person who has been involved in the intervention.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Interagency working is strong, and the manager and staff play a full part in planning for each young person to make sure that they grow and develop physically and emotionally during their time at the home. The manager and staff are strong advocates for young people, when necessary, to make sure that they receive the services best able to meet their needs. They have very strong relationships with the local community police officer, who is a regular visitor to the home and whom the young people know well. He delivers workshops to the young people on subjects that are relevant to them, their safety and the community, such as anti-bullying, hate crime and the criminal justice system. This provides young people with good information to base their choices in life on.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Safeguarding issues are rare at this home. When a safeguarding issue arises, it is dealt with effectively. All relevant people are notified and, when necessary, the manager works in conjunction with the designated officer within the local authority. Young people living in this home are protected from harm, because there is a sound approach to risk assessment. Young people, in line with their needs and level of functioning, are encouraged to learn to take some responsibility for their own safety, such as going without staff into the community to meet friends.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Monitoring is effective, overall. It identifies where improvement is needed, and areas for development are prioritised and plans implemented. The monitoring reports written by the independent visitor evidence that young people, their parents, relatives and people working at the home have been consulted about the quality of care. The manager’s monitoring only includes the views of young people, and does not show that the views of their parents and placing authorities or the staff have been canvassed. This means that these people’s views are not used to plan future developments at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to seven young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. The home was re- registered in 2014 because of a technical change to the company’s house number. The service was previously operated under URN SC370917, and this is a continuation of that service.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 21/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 03/12/2015 Full Outstanding 05/03/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness 21/10/2014 Full Good

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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 must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(a)(ii)) 2/12/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (‘a quality of care review’) at least once every six months. In order to complete a quality of care review, the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the quality of care provided for children; the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. The system referred to in paragraph 2 must provide for ascertaining and 2/12/2016 considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45(1)(5))

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Recommendations

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

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Recommendations

 Any child who has been restrained should be given the opportunity express their feelings about their experience of the restraint as soon as is practicable, ideally within 24 hours of the restraint incident, taking the age of the child and the circumstances of the restraint into account. In some cases, children may need longer to work through their feelings, so a record that the child has talked about their feelings should be made no longer than five days after the incident of restraint. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 50, paragraph 9.60)

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Recommendations

This is with specific reference to ensuring that a young person has the option to talk to someone who has not been involved in the restraint.

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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 0300 123 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

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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