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

Good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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The children’s home provision is good because:

 There is clear and effective communication with education professionals. Staff fully support children and young people with their learning. Attendance at school is very good.  Staff help children and young people experience domestic events that they have previously missed out on, such as a birthday parties with friends and bedtime stories.  Staff listen and respond positively to the views, wishes and feelings of children and young people.  The registered manager has a clear development plan that she regularly reviews to ensure progress.  Staff work with health professionals to ensure that children and young people get the necessary advice, support and interventions they need.  Behaviour support plans are of a very good standard. They inform staff of the presenting behaviours and the strategies to use, with a strong emphasis on de-escalation and distraction.  Children and young people are safe in the home. Staff understand their

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The children’s home provision is good because:

vulnerabilities and the underlying psychological reasons for their behaviour.  Staff benefit from good leadership and support, including group clinical supervision.  Children and young people are prepared for the future. They are learning social skills and independence skills that improve their life chances.

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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(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the engaging with the wider system to ensure that children’s needs are met standard, the registered person is required to: Challenge the placing authority to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (c)) 30/04/2017

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person is required to: Use monitoring systems to make continuous improvements to the quality of care. (Regulation 13 (h)) 30/04/2017

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Requirement Due date

Notify HMCI without delay if a child protection enquiry involving a child is instigated. (Regulation 40 (4)(d)(i)) 30/04/2017

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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

 Review the decisions to limit access to the home, especially the locked cupboards in communal areas. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.10)

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and provides care and accommodation for up to six young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is registered for young people irrespective of gender. Currently, only boys are accommodated. It is one of three homes in the local area, owned by the same organisation.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

06/09/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

24/08/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Good

Children and young people enjoy warm, intimate relationships with staff. They approach staff about their needs, confident that staff will listen to their views and take them seriously. Staff demonstrate an empathy with children and young people’s life stories. Staff ensure that children and young people have similar experiences to their peers outside the home, for example by having friends over for a birthday party. A placing social worker said, ‘(name of young person) has felt trusted, valued, understood, and even loved. The staff understand him well.’ Staff are readily available to children and young people at the end of the school day. Children and young people are able to make a successful transition back into the home. They enjoy a healthy snack and are able to offload to staff about their day. Effective communication with the school means that staff are aware of any issues that might have a potential impact on the young person when they return

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Good

home. Education is a particular strength in the home. Children and young people of school age have almost 100% school attendance. They are extremely motivated to get up in the mornings, have breakfast and be ready to learn. Staff underpin children and young people’s learning with their support in the home. They are aware of the agreed strategies in the personal education plans. Staff have daily contact with the school about behaviour and the readiness to learn. Staff care for children and young people’s health needs particularly well. They ensure that children and young people have access to all the services they need, including specialist help when required. Staff treat children and young people with dignity and respect, managing any sensitive issues discreetly. Staff share information with health professionals appropriately to review children and young people’s health needs. There is success as a result, for example a reduction in

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Good

medication required for a young person. The registered manager has a good system in place to manage admissions into the home. Through careful planning and thoughtful matching, there are successful placements. One young person, who has been in the home for some years, has made significant progress, especially in learning social skills. There has been one discharge since the last inspection. A young person began making some poor choices following some family news. Professionals agreed a placement move was in the best interest of the young person. Children and young people begin to become self-aware and understand when their behaviour is not acceptable. They acknowledge the support that staff give them and the efforts staff go to, helping them to find alternate ways to manage difficult emotions. One young person said, ‘I sometimes hit staff, but they are helping me to find a better way.’ Children and young people know how to behave in various scenarios, for example

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Good

being quiet in a library. They enjoy reading a range of books, engaging in a mature way with the librarian to order the books of interest to them. They learn how to interact with others in a mature way, being polite and respectful. Their chances of becoming responsible members of society are maximised. Young people who are approaching care-leaving age learn independence skills extremely well. They are able to stay in the semi-independent flat attached to the home. Adult support and guidance is readily available. Young people learn how to cook and manage their finances, as well as other domestic skills. Some young people have learned how to drive and this has increased their self-esteem. Young people form relationships in the local community. They think about their future, in some instances expressing a desire to stay in the same county, even when placed from elsewhere. They feel a sense of belonging and attachment. A

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Good

professional said, ‘I have been very pleased with the work done with [name of young person] who has come on in leaps and bounds since he has been here. It has been particularly helpful that he has been able to move into the independence flat there and that staff have remained as his first port of call when there have been difficulties.’ Children and young people enjoy a range of stimulating and meaningful activities. Some, who are not of driving age, participate in a young drivers’ course. Other children and young people elect to do things such as go-karting and indoor sky diving. They have access to a range of activities in the home and community, such as computer gaming, visiting the library or local beach. Children and young people’s confidence increases and they learn social skills. Children and young people have contact with their families and others who are important to them, as agreed with the placing social worker. Staff follow any

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Good

restrictions and provide supervised contact if necessary. The registered manager ensures that staff have training in this and managing relationships. A professional said how pleased they were with staff who support contact with a sibling who lives a considerable distance from the home. Judgement grade

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Good

Children and young people are confident that the adults around them will keep them safe and secure. They speak most positively of the trust they have in their keyworker. They enjoy the settling down time in the evening, especially the bedtime story. Staff are wise in their selection of books, which they use to generate discussion, helping children and young people to understand their emotional well- being. Consequently, children and young people are able to make better decisions and improve their behaviour. They speak in the highest regard about the registered manager. She has a visible presence in the home; children and young people clearly enjoy her company. One young person said, ‘I like her, she gets things done.’ Staff consult other professionals when they have concerns about the choices a child or young person is making. They are alert to any changes in behaviour that indicate underlying emotional disturbance. They utilise the services of other

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Good

specialists, such as a clinical psychologist. The registered manager calls for strategy meetings to agree the emerging risk assessment. For one young person, who continued to make poor choices, professionals agreed a planned move was necessary. Therefore, they discharged the young person to another home closer to his family. Staff show a remarkable resilience when children or young people are oppositional and who are sometimes violent toward them. Staff are trained in de-escalation techniques and guided by the detailed behaviour support plans. Staff remain calm during an incident and only use physical restraint as a last resort. Police involvement has not been required; the staff are capable of managing challenging behaviour. A professional said, ‘Staff have adopted a non-confrontational style when [name of young person] has become aggressive around the home over the time that he has been there, and this has resulted in reduced escalation.’ Children

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Good

or young people are able to comment on the incident. This fulfils the requirement made at the last inspection. The registered manager reviews all incidents as to whether they were proportionate or appropriate. She has further analysis planned, such as time of day, duration of hold and type of hold used. Missing from care is not a current issue in the home. Since the last inspection, one child has been discharged due to frequent and extended periods of absence. Professionals agreed on the likely underlying reason for this and that a planned move was in the child’s best interest. Records examined showed that staff follow the agreed protocols, involving police and other agencies where necessary. Staff persist in trying to make contact with the child, sometimes over a number of days. They ensure that the child is welcomed back into the home after a period of absence and a welfare check takes place. Staff are on hand to address any bullying issues. Children and young people agree

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Good

a contract outlining the standard of behaviour. Staff remind them of this when children and young people are becoming elevated and saying unkind words. The registered manager has established a culture where there is a restorative approach so that children and young people learn of their impact on others as a result of their behaviour. The registered manager has improved the risk assessment process. She has the individual risks broken down with succinct control measures for each one. Staff use these to inform their day-to-day practice. They demonstrate a good understanding of the needs of each child and young person and the risk reduction measures. The registered manager understands the principles of safer recruitment. She ensures that all the necessary checks are in place before employing a person to work in the home. She only employs adults deemed to be suitable to work with children. Children and young people form warm and trusting relationships with staff, making

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Good

them feel safe and secure. They are able to tell of their difficult and painful past, knowing staff will keep them safe while taking the right action. The registered manager provides staff with the opportunity for individual clinical supervision as they listen to children and young people’s distressing histories.

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Requires improvement

The registered manager has the necessary experience and qualification. She is providing good leadership and has recruited a diverse staff team and staff are dedicated to their roles. They put the needs of the children and young people first. The registered manager ensures that staff have meaningful supervision, providing both support and challenge. In addition, she has been proactive in arranging group clinical supervision, as well as bespoke arrangements for individual staff. She supports staff when dealing with the distressing histories of children and young people in their care. The registered manager recognises the emotional impact on staff as a result of the daily work that they do. Staff discuss each child and young person in the regular team meeting so that there is a consistent approach. Keyworkers effectively communicate the emerging needs of each child and young person. The registered manager provides training

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Requires improvement

pertinent to the prevailing issues, such as in radicalisation. Staff know the children and young people’s needs and are equipped to meet them. New staff report that they have experienced a comprehensive induction programme and feel confident in their role. The registered manager has detailed placement plans to inform staff. Likewise, she contributes to the pathway plan for young people aged 16 or over. In one case, she has not escalated concerns about the poor transition planning to senior managers within the placing authority. This means that the future for one young person is uncertain, causing unnecessary anxiety. An independent visitor provides a critical oversight of the home on a monthly basis. She offers various recommendations to the registered manager to improve or maintain the quality of care. In the main, the registered manager acts on these. However, in one case, she did not address an inappropriate sanction, as advised by

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Requires improvement

the independent visitor. Other records show staff made a misjudgement in the advice they gave to a young person on how to return to the home during a missing from care incident. The manager addressed this through an informal dialogue with the staff involved. This was not appropriate in the circumstances. She reviews incidents, but has not updated the risk assessment in all cases for new behaviours, such as biting. Although the registered manager does monitor the quality of care, this has not always led to firm decisions to bring about the necessary improvement. The registered manager has been successful in building relationships in the local community, including the neighbours. Children and young people take pride in themselves and their home, for example by hosting a coffee morning to raise money for a local charity, or participating in a walk organised by local police. The registered manager is successful at developing relationships with other

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Requires improvement

professionals. A placing social worker said, ‘From my professional perspective, communication between the home and me is fantastic.’ The registered manager makes relevant referrals about serious incidents, allegations and disclosures. In one case, she did not notify Ofsted of a child protection referral. She notified all other relevant agencies and no young person was at risk. Children and young people live in a warm, pleasant home that is well maintained. They take pride in their bedrooms, personalising them and talking about their future plans to modify them according to their taste. Likewise, they enjoy the communal areas for fun and relaxation. Staff lock many cupboards that are used for storage. The registered manager has not reviewed the decision to keep these locked for some time to ensure that this is necessary for safeguarding purposes. Children and young people have to ask staff to unlock cupboards, for example to

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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 the ‘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 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 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 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 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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