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

Outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the home contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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The children’s home’s provision is outstanding because:

 Children form exceptionally strong relationships with staff, who are attentive to their emotional and physical needs for warmth and affection. Children know that the staff like them, enjoy being with them and are pleased with their achievements. Children are reassured and comforted by staff and trust and confide in them when something is worrying them.  It is impressive how the children, who have very complex needs, have developed the ability to show empathy and compassion for others even when they may be disappointed about something happening in their lives.  Because routines and boundaries are clearly understood by all and are applied consistently across their day, children have learned to take responsibility for their actions. They learn more appropriate ways of dealing with the disappointments and frustrations they experience.  Despite some children having a starting point of non-attendance in

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The children’s home’s provision is outstanding because:

education, it is impressive how they have all been inspired to engage in education every day. They have developed aspirations for their futures, and their confidence and self-belief have increased significantly.  Children have lots of fun with each other and the staff and learn from the wide and varied leisure-time activities available to them. There is a lot of laughter in the home.  Care is individualised and exceptionally well planned. Care plans are reviewed promptly as needs change. It is of note that the home funds life story work with the children that is skilfully undertaken. This ensures that children are helped in a sensitive way to learn about and come to terms with their life history.  The skills and commitment of the manager and staff are impressive. The manager and her staff see their role to be substitute parents to the children and carry this out highly effectively.  The manager and staff have excellent working relationships with parents

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The children’s home’s provision is outstanding because:

and professionals and are very strong advocates for the children in their care. Children thrive and this is as a direct result of the exceptionally high quality care that staff provide for them.  Vigorous monitoring of the practice and the running of the home ensures that the quality of care remains at a high standard over time and that there is continual improvement.  The house and grounds that children live and play in are of an exceptionally high quality, they are extremely well equipped and maintained. The environment helps children to feel that they are valued.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:  Ensure that information about a child is recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. In particular, the records of any sanctions or physical interventions should be linked, on the electronic system, to the manager’s record of her monitoring of each incident. (‘Guide to the children’s home’s regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned children’s home that provides care and accommodation for up to eight children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The organisation’s school is located on-site.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 21/04/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 17/12/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness 28/09/2015 Full Outstanding 19/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Outstanding

Children coming to live in this home are from a young age range. Staff are acutely aware of how scary it is for the children being away from familiar surroundings. They go to great lengths to ensure that new children have the best introduction to the staff and other children as is possible. Over the summer, new children were admitted because of others moving on. Referrals for new children were comprehensively considered to ensure that suitability and compatibility issues were addressed. The introduction periods were carefully planned. For example, one very young child’s introduction took place over two weeks. This meant that he got used to the daily routines and became familiar with all living and working in the home. He has settled exceptionally well and has quickly become a valued member of the community. He said that what he likes about the home is the people there. The older children, knowing how scary it is to move into a children’s home, have been

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Outstanding

It is impressive how quickly children develop strong links to staff and other young people. A parent said, ‘My son is extremely well cared for. He has bonded well with the staff; the staff care about my child.’ There is an abundance of spontaneous physical affection and there are high levels of emotional warmth. Children, and the adults, feel that they belong in this home and are cared about. A child said: ‘Staff spend time with me when I need it.’ Another said: ‘Staff are kind, everyone is kind.’ A carer who kept in contact with the child they had fostered said, ‘From the first visit to the home we were amazed at the care provided by the staff. Without exception they show genuine care for the children.’ These nurturing relationships help children to develop a more positive self-view and their self-esteem increases. Staff and children live together successfully, as there is a strong culture of being

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Outstanding

kind to each other and holding each other in positive regard, celebrating achievements and taking responsibility for your own actions. A number of the children who have moved on from the home remain in contact with the staff. During the inspection, a young person who had lived in the home some years ago telephoned the staff for a chat. This demonstrates that the relationships developed are incredibly strong and lasting.

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Outstanding

Children’s views are seen as being highly important and they are consulted about their care on a daily basis. They trust the staff implicitly and feel able to talk to them about things that are worrying them. During daily community meetings children reflect on their day. These meetings are a safe space where all those living and working in the home can be honest, challenge each other and get their views across to the group. It is impressive how the children approach these, sometimes difficult, meetings in a very mature way. They discuss their and others’ actions frankly but respectfully, listen to the other person’s point of view and agree strategies for dealing with similar issues differently in future.

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Outstanding

On an individual level, children’s views are listened to through key work and life space sessions with an adult. Any problems identified by a child or adult are fully discussed and solutions are agreed. Children know how to complain, but because there are many daily opportunities for them to express their discontent, the formal complaints procedure is rarely used by them. There has been one complaint since the last inspection and this was appropriately handled.

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Outstanding

All of the children living in the home at the time of the inspection attended the organisation’s on-site school. Children, even those who have a history of non- attendance, achieve excellent attendance and make very good progress in their educational attainment. Care staff have an excellent understanding about children’s educational targets and work closely with education staff to support children’s learning and progress. Children’s individual learning is promoted in the home, for example through staff reading with them or helping them learn to spell. A social worker said, ‘He has thrived in a small school environment, which has helped him with his social interaction and confidence.’ The care and school staff work very closely together to support children to manage their behaviour effectively, which means that behaviour management is consistent across the child’s day. A child’s previous foster carer said, ‘Their points system for behaviour and effort is very

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Outstanding

good in the way it covers both time in the house and in the adjoining school.’ A professional said, ‘Since being placed (child’s name) has progressed significantly in all areas. He is fully supported and is achieving in education, his behaviour has settled down and is more manageable, and he is enjoying positive social interaction.’

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Outstanding

Children’s learning and development is also promoted through taking part in the impressive range of activities available to them. Children are learning skills that will be useful in their futures. These on-site activities include learning how to play well with each other, how to care for animals, including the goats, sheep and other animals that are kept on-site, and how to play musical instruments. Children also attend clubs and activities in the community that are of interest to them. These include trampoline classes, and gymnastics and swimming lessons. A social worker said their child, ‘enthusiastically takes part in all activities and does enjoy them.’ Children enjoy holidays with the staff and this helps to broaden their horizons. There is an excellent understanding about how being away from the home can be scary for some children. Staff worked extensively with a young person to ensure that he was well prepared for this experience and could enjoy his summer break

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Outstanding

somewhere new and exciting. Children also experience the benefits that showing concern for others can bring. For example, through their own fundraising efforts, they sponsor a child living in a Third World country and have ‘adopted’ an animal.

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Outstanding

Children’s health is good and when specialist input is required they get this in a prompt way. The home has access to a therapist who works individually with each child if required and children generally engage well in this work. Children’s needs in relation to medication are well catered for, and there are secure arrangements for the storage and safe administration of medications. Children learn skills in self-care, such as looking after their personal hygiene needs more effectively. They also develop an understanding about healthy eating and help the staff cook a meal or bake a cake for a family visit.

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Outstanding

Children have appropriate, carefully assessed and supported visits with their family and friends and other people who are important to them. Staff have an excellent understanding about the potential emotional impact that seeing family can have on a child and provide them with support regarding this. A social worker said, ‘Sensitive conversations have taken place with the young person regarding contacts and difficulties with sibling contact. This has been managed really well, and on a level that the young person can understand.’

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Outstanding

For many of the children, their care plan is aimed at them moving into a family placement. Since the last inspection, the four children who have moved out of the home have moved into foster care. The excellent quality of care has led to these children progressing so well that they were ready to move into a family setting. Extensive work is carried out with children who are leaving to help them to understand why they are moving. An exceptionally skilled worker carries out life story work with the children and they develop a clear understanding about their situation. This understanding prepares them well to make the best of the next stage in their lives. The planning arrangements for a move out of the home have been strengthened since the last inspection. The arrangements focus on the individual needs of the child and are taken at a pace the child can cope with. A carer who had a child placed with them from the home said, ‘They (the staff) are

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Outstanding

absolutely unbelievable, it’s an amazing place, from the word go nothing was too much trouble for them they are the first people we call for help.’ The staff are also mindful of the impact on the remaining children when one of their peers moves on and they ensure that positive endings are achieved for all of the children, for example through holding celebratory leaving parties that all attend.

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Good

Children feel safe living in the home. They all have trusted adults they can talk to. Their day is highly structured and this provides them with certainty about what is going to happen and what is expected of them. Their feelings of safety and security form the basis for their overall progress.

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Good

Risks to children are assessed and strategies developed to minimise them. When strategies have not been successful, assessments are reviewed and amended so that staff can act appropriately to keep the child safe. Children have a good understanding about the content of their risk assessments and are allowed an appropriate level of responsibility for their own safety. A social worker said, ‘He (the child) is safeguarded well and his welfare is always considered when decisions are made.’

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Good

Children do not go missing from this home. This is in part due to the high supervision levels, which are appropriate due to the children’s needs and ages. Despite young people not going missing, there have been some good improvements made in the missing from care assessments that are now individualised and cover all predictable eventualities.

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Good

The home’s location has been thoroughly assessed and is a safe area for a children’s home to be located. There are excellent links to the local community police officer who keeps the manager and staff up to date with any issues arising locally. The community officer and other professionals have had input into the development of the location risk assessment. The local community police officer remains highly active in the home and confirmed that in his view the home continues to be highly effective in caring for and safeguarding children. He is very interested in the children’s well-being and likes to know how they are getting on. He visits on a social basis for a cup of tea and a chat with the children. He also delivers workshops to the children, for example in road safety, using the internet safely and, for a child who used racial insults to another, a workshop was carried out with him on hate crime.

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Good

Incidents of a safeguarding nature are rare, but staff are trained and clear about the action to take should they be concerned about a child. The two notifications made since the last inspection were appropriately recorded, referred and followed up to ensure that children are protected. Training in safeguarding for staff includes elements relating to combatting child sexual exploitation, the radicalisation of children and female genital mutilation. Staff are also aware that incidents of bullying must be considered as safeguarding issues. Since the last inspection, an issue of racial bullying has been addressed effectively and no further incidents of bullying have occurred. A social worker said, ‘I am happy with the level of safeguarding the staff apply and appreciate that they let me know promptly if there are issues.’

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Good

Because of their age, children do not have ready access to the internet and mobile phone use. All access is supervised by staff during a weekly internet club, and this allows staff to monitor what the children access online. Children’s learning is not compromised by these arrangements as they have daily access to the internet in school.

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Good

When a child behaves badly or makes mistakes, staff understand that this is due to his emotional needs that are the result of his history of abuse or neglect. They help the child reflect on their actions and think about ways in which they may deal with a similar situation in the future more appropriately. Boundaries are appropriate and are consistently applied. A child’s previous foster carer said, ‘They (the staff) give them lots of attention while making it a calm environment by being firm in implementing the house rules.’ Children are always provided with opportunities to make amends for any wrongdoing. The focus is on positive reinforcement and the points system is highly valued by the children. A social worker said the home has, ‘A really good behaviour points system that has worked really well for my child,’ and a child’s previous foster carer said, ‘The boys are proud of the weeks when they score a silver or gold award for behaviour.’

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Good

A recommendation made at the last inspection to review sanctions has been met, and there is a stronger focus on using restorative means to help children manage their behaviour more effectively. Physical interventions are used appropriately and only when absolutely necessary. The manager evidenced that she routinely monitors the use of sanctions and physical interventions and addresses any issues arising. However, the electronic recording system does not link the record of the intervention with the monitoring activity. This would make it difficult for a child to readily understand any decision-making about an event should they want to view their records.

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Good

The arrangements for health and safety are sound, and this ensures that the premises are safe and well maintained. The arrangements for the recruitment of staff are effective in ensuring that only those people who are suitable to work with children are employed.

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Outstanding

The statement of purpose sets out what the home offers to children. It is clearly written and is reviewed periodically. The home operates in line with its statement of aims and objectives.

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Outstanding

The manager has managed the home since 2008. She is very skilled and experienced and holds a level 5 qualification in leadership and management that is relevant to working with children and young people. She maintains an exceptionally strong commitment to providing the highest quality of care possible to the children. She consistently ensures that her team provides an excellent quality of care to them. She strongly challenges other services that are not effective or that have made decisions she feels are not in a child’s best interests. For example, she challenged a local authority wanting to move a child without a clear plan of introductions. This was successful and led to the child being able to have positive endings at the home and school, and a smooth transition into his foster placement. Social workers and parents are highly confident in her and her staff team’s practice. A social worker said, ‘Their (the manager and staff) engagement and

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Outstanding

rapport with the young people is outstanding on all levels.’

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Outstanding

The arrangements for monitoring the home are highly effective and the manager and her staff have a well-developed understanding of the strengths and areas for development. They welcome constructive criticism and continual development is seen by them as being essential in providing the best possible care to the children. The well-being of individual children is at the centre of practice, regardless of the challenges they present.

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Outstanding

The manager and staff are open to trying new ways of working. Research underpins practice. For example, staff are trained in theoretical concepts, such as attachment theory, and cognitive behavioural therapy is available to the children, as are art and play therapy.

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Outstanding

The manager and her staff know the children exceptionally well and are able to demonstrate the impact that living in the home has had on each child. If a child is not progressing in a specific area they work, along with other professionals, to consider and implement alternative strategies to meet the area of need. The manager and staff have exceptionally good working relationships with other agencies, professionals and parents and are held in high regard by them. A parent said: ‘I am kept up to date on important issues that have an impact on my son. I feel I can raise any issues of concern with the manager and team leaders at the home.’

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Outstanding

Another parent said: ‘The staff are always accessible and willing to help with decisions and information needed. I am regularly kept up to date and feel comfortable having my child in their care.’ A social worker said: ‘I have been warmly welcomed at (the home) since taking over the case. They have been very helpful and informative. I have had good discussions around contacts for the young person and everyone is always willing to help and discuss any areas of his care.’

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Outstanding

There are sufficient numbers of staff who are well trained and appropriately qualified. Since the last inspection, some staff have moved on from the home and new staff have been appointed. There has been considerable thought given to this situation. New staff confirmed that the induction programme is effective in helping them settle in well to their caring role. Group supervision, facilitated by an external professional, has been used to support the consolidation of the team. The new staff are building positive relationships with the children and their colleagues. The organisation invests a great deal in ensuring that the staff are confident and highly competent and provide the best care possible. Training is seen as highly important and staff report that their training is useful to them in developing their practice. Staff said that support to them through supervision is effective in helping them reflect on their practice and supporting them in their often difficult role. They

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Outstanding

also said that peer support is strong. Of the 13 permanent staff, five are qualified to a level 3 standard in caring for children, four are undertaking the level 3 qualifications and credit framework qualification and four staff are working through their probationary period. The staff who are employed as bank staff are offered the opportunity to undertake a level 3 qualification after a qualifying period and the organisation part-funds this. A staff member said, ‘When people ask where I work, I am genuinely proud to tell them. I love it here and I love what we do every day for the kids we look after.’

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Outstanding

Apart from the shortfall reported in relation to the recording of measures of control, case records reflect children’s life and time in the home and would be useful for any child wanting to read their records in the future. The life story work carried out with children is documented and provides them with very useful written information that they take with them when they leave. This is generally in the form of a story book about them that is sensitively written and informative. This information is invaluable to them now and will be in the future, as it provides them with clear information about their history.

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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 children looked after 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 children looked after 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

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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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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