Children's Home run by Hillcrest Children‟s Services (2) Limited in Staffordshire

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

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

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, the registered manager’s successful partnership working, effective monitoring and strong leadership have continued to ensure that young people make good progress in respect of their personal, social and emotional development.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff are intuitive, caring and sensitive in their approach, including helping to promote strong relationships between staff and young people. For example, one young person has started to accept hugs and affection from staff; this is a significant step forwards for the young person.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been no complaints since the last inspection. Young people say that they are happy and feel safe. Staff provide young people with opportunities to share their views and contribute to the care they receive. For example, young people are able to access advocate services, receive regular key work sessions and are encouraged to complete consultation questionnaires.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Effective links between staff and the clinical team mean that staff understand well the emotional health needs of young people and how this impacts on all aspects of their behaviour and development. As a result, staff provide young people with good quality personalised care, tailored to their individual therapeutic needs.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff place a high value on education and work closely with school to motivate, encourage and support young people to attend. Despite exhaustive efforts by staff and school, success has been variable. While two young people are accessing full- time education and making academic progress, another young person’s engagement with education has been limited despite the continued collaborative efforts of staff and school.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff continue to promote young people’s safety. Despite this, there has been an increase in risk-taking behaviours for one young person, specifically going missing. Staff are proactive in their approach to responding to such incidents. For example, staff make daily searches of the areas the young person is likely to be at, they work in partnership with the police and placing authorities, and they make all endeavours to maintain positive relationships with the young person when they return to placement. A targeted youth worker told the inspector that staff are ‘really proactive, really vigilant and constantly offering the young person a way back to the unit via texting’.

p.2

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

One young person has moved into the home since the last inspection. Staff considered the matching of this young person well and planned appropriately to ensure that the transition into the home was successful. For example, the registered manager facilitated for staff from the previous placement to be able to continue to work shifts with the young person, supporting the settling-in period and allowing the young person to adjust to the move.

p.3

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the last inspection, four recommendations were raised. The registered manager has made good progress in respect of these. As a result, young people are afforded a warm homely environment to live in and they are encouraged to personalise their bedrooms and contribute to the decoration of shared spaces. Staff are working hard to adopt a restorative approach to behaviour management, in order that young people develop the skills to better self-regulate their emotions. Furthermore, young people’s records now reflect their individual views and wishes of staff. However, the registered manager still needs to ensure that all young people access full-time education and those barriers to engagement such as young people’s motivation and risk-taking behaviours are successfully addressed.

p.3

Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care for up to three children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. It is one of a number of privately owned homes in the organisation.

p.4

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 11/07/2016 Full Good 21/03/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness 16/06/2015 Full Good 16/02/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

p.4

Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:  Ensure that children should be in full-time education while they are of compulsory school age, unless their personal education plan contained within the care plan or other relevant plan, states otherwise. The home must aim to support full-time attendance at school unless the child’s relevant plan indicates that this is not in their best interests. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.14)

p.5

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’.

p.6

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 that 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.

p.6

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 .

p.6

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,

p.7

Information about this inspection

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

p.7

Information about this inspection

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

p.7

Information about this inspection

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

p.7