Children's Home run by Hillcrest Children's Services (2) Limited in Telford and Wrekin

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 .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager is sustaining the effectiveness of the service. Children experience a good quality of care and gradually settle into the home. Children benefit from good relationships with the staff. The staff team is relatively stable and unfamiliar adults rarely care for the children. This means there is good continuity of care. The manager has improved the staff rota to ensure that there is a sufficient number of experienced staff on each shift.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, the manager has improved the statement of purpose so that readers have a clearer understanding of the service. Improvements to the security of the office mean that items are less vulnerable. Plans are in place to increase the size of the home and work is likely to start in the summer.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The four boys enjoy living here. Staff ensure that each child sees his family as often as has been agreed with his social worker. One child is currently spending the half-term school holiday abroad with his family. A social worker recently said, ‘I have to say that I am very happy with the way the placement seems to run and the management of [the children].’ Children have become more emotionally stable. This is demonstrated by, for example, a decrease the frequency of negative incidents and an increase in children’s engagement in constructive activities. Those boys who are more established act as role models to the newer ones. They all enjoy a wide range of sporting and social events at school and in the community, including cricket and squash. One child is looking forward to a skiing trip. School attendance levels are high for most children. The manager has recently challenged a local authority to provide sufficient education for one child. However, she has not

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

sufficiently used the expertise of the local authority’s virtual school. This has contributed to potentially avoidable delays.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager seeks to admit children who are a close match to the existing group. Emergency admissions sometimes challenge this philosophy because there is insufficient time to check and gather information. Children’s records do not clearly explain to staff, or to children themselves, why the manager decided that each admission was suitable. This is likely to be particularly important to a child who reads their own file. Two children have left the home since the last inspection. One moved to a home in which he could have greater independence and another moved to one that provides closer support. Each child moved in a planned way and had time to discuss the decision and visit his new home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Close attention to safeguarding and health and safety procedures helps to keep children safe. The manager liaises well with other agencies. One child experimented with a cigarette lighter in his bedroom. This was a minor incident, but it was still potentially dangerous. Subsequently, staff obtained expert advice for him, which helped him understand the risks. Although documentation refers to this risk, the manager is considering ways to make it clearer. Fire drills occur regularly, but they are not managed well enough to train staff to deal effectively with emergencies. The lack of planning and the lack of understanding of the issues throughout the team increases the risk of complacency and mistakes during an actual fire.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The property is spacious and modern. Homely features include photographs of the children and of recent events. Each child has a large bedroom, the contents of which children can change to suit themselves. One bedroom in particular requires substantial renovation following extensive damage and two others require attention. Maintenance is ongoing. However, the standard of cleanliness in bedrooms is unsatisfactory. Walls, surfaces and floors require attention so that children feel valued.

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Information about this children’s home

A large private company operates this home. The home provides care for up to four children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 04/07/2016 Full Good 30/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 17/11/2015 Full Requires improvement 18/02/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person(s) meet(s) 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

6: The quality and purpose of care standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard, with particular regard to children’s bedrooms being sufficiently clean, the registered provider must ensure that staff:

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Requirement Due date

(2)(b)(vii) provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably. 20/03/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure, by means of fire drills and practices at suitable intervals, that persons working at the home and, so far as reasonably practicable, children are aware of the procedure to be followed in case of fire. (Regulation 25(1)b)) 20/03/2017

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills to understand each child’s next steps for learning. If a child’s progress is not in line with their agreed next steps, staff should seek expert advice from education professionals, such as the headteacher of the virtual school. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.11)

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Recommendations

 Accept placements for children only where the registered person is satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. This is with regard to documenting in each child’s records the reasons why the placement is suitable for them. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)

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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 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.

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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 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

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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