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

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

Since the last inspection, the manager has sustained this service at a good level. Young people make good progress overall and enjoy living in the home. The manager has overseen substantial improvements to the property, including the bathrooms, and has made other changes. However, her monitoring is not sufficiently robust to ensure that staff routinely implement all the improvement plans.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The three young men have experienced effective admissions procedures. The number of changes of young people is low and they often stay for several years. One young man recently left after nearly four years. He successfully moved to another home in the company where he has better access to community resources. The staff team is also relatively stable, which means that young people experience few changes. This helps them feel settled.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The frequency of negative incidents falls markedly as young people become familiar with the home. They become more tolerant of change, for example, and sleep through the night. Such substantial changes have contributed to young people’s emotional progress. Staff reward and encourage young people accordingly. Staff amend the strategies according to the type and degree of risk. Recently this was necessary in order to keep young people and staff safe while travelling in the car. Staff ensure that the house is safe. Since the last inspection, they have started using fire drills to learn how to deal with different scenarios. This makes drills more realistic, which reduces the risk to staff and young people in the event of an emergency. One young person has completed an intensive training programme with the fire brigade. This has helped him understand the dangers from fire.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Difficulties occasionally require staff to hold young people. They do so in a proportionate way and confirm afterwards that the young person understands why it was necessary. However, the opportunities for staff to reflect are unsatisfactory. The registered manager delegated this task to team leaders to complete during the handover between shifts. This does not always occur and therefore reduces the support provided to staff. It also decreases their opportunities to improve their practices. The same applies to the debriefing exercises between shifts. The manager introduced these to help staff gel as a team and learn from events. Team leaders do not use these for their intended purpose and the manager is rarely in attendance. This represents a shortfall in the manager’s monitoring of the home and detracts from her other imaginative team-building exercises. Similarly, staff do not always promptly notify Ofsted about serious incidents. This reduces the ability

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

of the regulator to monitor the service effectively.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The young people attend school regularly, although their engagement fluctuates according to the subject matter. Two excel in sports and one plays competitively with a local team. The manager recently identified shortfalls in communication by school staff. She is addressing this urgently so that young people benefit as much as possible from their education. Young people enjoy a wide range of activities and staff help each find at least one activity of their own. One young person enjoys fishing and is looking forward to trying motorsports. Older young people take driving lessons and one has successfully obtained a part-time job. These opportunities stimulate young people and increase their self-confidence and social skills.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff establish meaningful relationships with the young people and listen to their views. This has resulted in young people experiencing new and interesting activities. Occasionally, they do not get what they want, which is also important. Young people listen to staff and learn how to be patient and deal appropriately with difficulties. Under the guidance of the clinician, staff use a variety of techniques to engage young people in discussions about important issues, such as puberty, relationships and keeping safe. One young person said, ‘I’m going to prove to everyone that I can be good.’ Those that are preparing for adulthood gain critical budgeting skills. The manager has improved this since the last inspection. Staff are paying closer attention to the targets set by social workers. This coordination is key to young people’s progress.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people benefit from the spacious, rural setting. The last inspection identified that the property required attention in several places. Since then, complete refurbishment of the two bathrooms has brought them up to date. Redecoration of other areas is underway. Young people’s bedrooms are suitably personalised and reflect their personal interests, such as keeping goldfish.

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Information about this children’s home

A large private company operates this home. Ofsted has registered the home for three children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 16/05/2016 Full Good 25/01/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness 07/12/2015 Full Outstanding 26/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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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

Ensure that within 48 hours of the use of the measure [of restraint], the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (‘the authorised person’) has spoken to the user about the measure.(Regulation 35 (3)(b)(i)) 08/05/2017

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Requirement Due date

Notify HMCI without delay if any of the serious events described in this regulation arise. (Regulation 40 (4)) 08/05/2017

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Requirement Due date

Maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children. This is with regard to using the system of reflection during the handover of shifts. (Regulation 45 (2)(c)) 08/05/2017

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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, 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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