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

Inspection report children‟s home: SC398377 1 SC398377 Registered provider: Hillcrest Children‟s Services (2) Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

A large provider of children‟s services operates this children‟s home. Ofsted has registered it to provide care and accommodation for up to four children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

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

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good

Date of last inspection: 15 February 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: None Inspection report children‟s home: SC398377 2

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Key findings from this inspection

 Young people experience sensitively managed admissions, which helps them to settle into the home.  Young people establish very good relationships with their carers and benefit from being cared for by a stable and consistent staff team.  Young people feel safe and learn to keep themselves safe. Their levels of vulnerability decline markedly in most areas of their lives.  Staff engage young people in enjoyable and stimulating hobbies. Young people learn important social skills and have excellent opportunities to express themselves.  The direct work with young people is particularly strong. As a result, they benefit from coordinated messages from carers, teachers and therapists.  The ongoing investment in the property and grounds enables young people to have access to a generous amount of attractive space inside and out.  Given their starting points, young people make substantial progress towards

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Key findings from this inspection

successful and safe independence.  The manager has built a team of knowledgeable and conscientious staff. Team members understand and apply the therapeutic objectives of the service.  The manager makes changes to improve the service.

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Key findings from this inspection

The children‟s home‟s areas for development

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Key findings from this inspection

 Ensure that managers and staff challenge other professionals, when necessary, so that they receive all the required documentation about young people.  Revise the statement of purpose to include ways in which the home addresses young people‟s rights. Furthermore, forward the latest version of the document to Ofsted.  When reviewing and developing the service, incorporate young people‟s views.  Ensure that staff always record the reason why a physical intervention was necessary.  Revise the children‟s guide to make this accessible to young people of different ages and abilities. Inspection report children‟s home: SC398377 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

15/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 24/05/2016 Full Good 02/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 22/07/2015 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children‟s home: SC398377 4

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff —

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority‟s or a relevant person‟s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child‟s needs are met in accordance with the child‟s relevant plans. (Regulation 5(c)) 25/10/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI of any revisions to the statement of purpose and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16(3)(a)(b)) 25/10/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must include in the statement of purpose a description of the home‟s policy and approach in relation to children‟s rights. (Regulation 16, schedule 1, section 9(b)) 25/10/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”) has signed the record to confirm it is accurate. (Regulation 35(3)(b)(ii)) 25/10/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a quality of care review by establishing and maintaining a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the feedback and opinions of children about the children‟s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it. (Regulation 45(2)(b)) 25/10/2017

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the children‟s guide is age appropriate. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 24, paragraph 4.21) Inspection report children‟s home: SC398377 5

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

New young people find a quiet home with open views and wooded areas close to a World Heritage Site. Young people usually know a lot about the home before they move in and the manager works hard to match them to the existing group. Staff work with the residents to help them come to terms with the idea and practicalities of a new young person moving in. This is highly effective. Young people integrate well into the home and the others accept them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff maintain young people‟s social networks whenever possible. For example, one girl keeps in touch with her previous foster carer. Staff improve young people‟s relationships with family members, too. This helps young people to feel comfortable in the home. One parent commented, „[The staff] are polite and do everything to help.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Every new young person receives the children‟s guide and staff help them to understand the contents. This enables them to learn about the home and address any pre-conceived notions that they may have. One young person had previously thought it was a large foster home, and so staff used the children‟s guide to help them to understand the difference. The guide contains some long sentences, which does not make it easily accessible to young people of different ages and abilities.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff like working here and reflect this in their effective relationships and direct work with the young people. The young people rarely have to get to know a new carer, and they establish excellent one-to-one relationships with staff. One social worker wrote, „My child feels very safe to discuss any issues with staff.‟ This directly translates into young people‟s good progress. The property has a relaxed and airy feel and the recent refurbishment has created additional communal rooms that have greater privacy. These benefits and the input of a therapist and the company‟s school provide a potent combination of care. A social worker told the inspector, „I would absolutely place with them again. [My child received an] excellent package [of support].‟ The young people learn to trust all the adults who care for them. One child told her social worker that she trusts her therapist and looks forward to their meetings now. This has contributed to her

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

making progress with her emotional health. Young people learn to have conversations about difficult subjects and to value their own opinions. This has a positive effect on their day-to-day activities as well as long-term decisions, such as where they want to live next.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people enjoy an excellent range of stretching but enjoyable activities, including trips away for their summer holidays, charity events and adventures such as rock climbing. Staff record events in individual monthly „newsletters‟. These form an attractive record for each young person to keep. One said, „I loved my holiday!‟ Young people invest in regular activities, such as horse riding and drama classes. They develop valuable self-confidence and skills in hobbies where they experience success. In-house events include seasonal and personal celebrations and regular discussions about social issues. Every month, for example, staff and young people research a different country. Inspection report children‟s home: SC398377 6 They learn about it and make a meal based on what they have learned. This practice helps the young people to make good progress in understanding the wider world and other people‟s perspectives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

In contrast to their success at home, some young people struggle in school. Their attendance rates are normally exceptionally high. However, they get into conflicts with other pupils, which jeopardises their progress. The care staff regularly liaise with the teachers to find solutions. This has sustained children‟s education placements and their opportunities to learn. Staff ensure that teachers address young people‟s complaints about other pupils. The young people‟s social workers confirmed that staff do as much as possible to help the young people succeed at school. One young person needs a new school placement and staff have not pursued this as much as possible. However, the reduced availability of relevant personnel in education departments over the summer holidays has hindered progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff successfully prepared two young people for greater independence recently. Young people use free time safely, learn money management and establish realistic relationships with their families. The manager liaises with social workers to ensure that when young people move on this is managed in a planned and sensitive way, which young people find acceptable. Staff temporarily supported one young person in her new placement, which helped her settle in. Young people who have moved away show that they have learned vital lessons from the staff and are grateful for staff‟s efforts.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff provide the young people with an exceptional degree of safety, often over several years. The risks posed by their vulnerabilities have plummeted in most regards. A social worker said, „Risk assessments are in place for everything. Safeguarding is very high on the agenda.‟ Consequently, the young people have learned to consult people in authority, increase their self-respect and identify hazardous situations. These skills prepare them well for greater independence and the risks posed online.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

In liaison with other agencies and following detailed work between young people and their key workers, staff gradually expose young people to new challenges. Staff are clear about the main risks as they relax the boundaries. A social worker said, „I have been impressed with their willingness to work with me on areas that have introduced a level of risk to [my child‟s] world.‟ Staff adjust their support according to how much progress each young person makes. In most regards, the risks to young people fall. For example, the risk of others sexually exploiting them and from self-harming behaviour have reduced. Incidents of young people going missing are rare. However, the risk of criminalisation remains high for some due to their reaction to certain social situations, such as those at school. Sessions with the therapist and key workers help young people learn strategies to address their anger.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Few serious incidents occur in the home. Staff anticipate and defuse situations very effectively. The young people contribute to their own behaviour management plans. This means that they understand the steps that staff take to help them. Boundaries are very Inspection report children‟s home: SC398377 7 clear and young people understand why these boundaries are in place. Young people demonstrate their learning in reflection books, which is an excellent practice. They also receive opportunities for paid activities and other rewards to recognise and promote positive behaviour. Staff very rarely need to resort to restraining young people. However, the records of a recent incident do not describe why the intervention was necessary. This indicates a shortfall in staff‟s recording skills and the manager‟s monitoring.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has been in post for over two years. She brings a high level of childcare knowledge to the service and has a relevant qualification in management. She has established a stable team of knowledgeable staff and has high standards. For example, she ensures that staff have a clear understanding of their roles in the therapeutic care and progress of the young people and that they have a role in the choice of new residents, and she addresses shortfalls in their performance. This helps to ensure that staff provide a high quality of care to the young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The recent expansion of the company has yielded benefits for the home by way of investment in an extra bedroom, refurbishment of the kitchen, re-decoration throughout, and additional communal rooms. A social worker wrote recently, „I always find the home to be clean and welcoming. My child‟s bedroom is lovely.‟ Leaders of the company have handled the delicate process of amalgamating two companies sensitively. This has benefited staff and young people, as the low rates of staff turnover and sickness demonstrate.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, the manager has made satisfactory progress in addressing the one recommendation, which was about improving the service. One source of improvement is in the methods staff use to show young people‟s progress more clearly and succinctly. Additional staff were required because of the recent increase in registered beds. The manager has successfully integrated them into the way the home operates. The statement of purpose document summarises the service. However, the manager has not sent the latest version to Ofsted and it contains no explanation of how staff will address young people‟s rights. These regulatory shortfalls in the management of the service have minimal impact on young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The majority of staff have a relevant professional qualification and those that do not are on target to pass it within the required timescales. In addition, staff are up to date with mandatory and additional training courses. This means that they know about important topical issues, including female genital mutilation and the risks posed by radicalisation. The manager has learned about deprivation of liberty orders. She, therefore, considers this when she assesses new residents and when the current young people require high levels of control.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a good understanding of her service and benefits from monthly reports by an insightful independent person. However, the manager‟s own monitoring reports do not always fully reflect the quality of the service. To remedy this, she is implementing Inspection report children‟s home: SC398377 8 strategies to improve them. Recently, a shortfall has emerged in evaluating how the service benefits from the views of the young people. This under-represents some strong consultative work that staff have undertaken with young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has received extremely positive feedback from other professionals, including social workers and independent reviewing officers. One social worker recently wrote, „The manager is extremely responsive in terms of highlighting issues, considering strategies to manage them, [and] working with me [on] care plans.‟ Staff routinely ask other professionals to arrange meetings and to send information. However, delays in obtaining documents, such as the minutes of young people‟s review meetings and in chasing other professionals for action, shows that the manager and the staff do not always challenge professionals effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The company has introduced a new electronic recording system and staff routinely help young people to read and understand their records. However, the new system does not yet permit young people to sign their records. Therefore, the manager has been proactive and introduced a temporary arrangement to allow young people to sign copies. This facilitates young people having regular access to their records but creates a potentially confusing duplication of records, which the company is addressing.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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 whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

Using the „Social care common inspection framework‟, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, 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‟. Inspection report children‟s home: SC398377 9

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hillcrest Children‟s Services (2) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Hillcrest Children‟s Services (2) Limited, Turnpike Gate House, Alcester Health, Alcester, Warwickshire B49 5JG

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Caroline Adams-Evans

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Inspector

David Morgan, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC398377 10 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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children‟s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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