Children's Home, Residential special school run by Hillcrest Children’s Services Ltd in West Sussex

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC482300 1 SC482300

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Hillcrest Children’s Services Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to 20 young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The company also provides an on-site education provision.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 17 and 18 October 2017. The purpose of this visit was to monitor the progress made in relation to the four requirements made at the inspection. In all cases, there has been some progress, specifically to ensure that young people are safer, and the behaviour of climbing on roofs has been largely curtailed. However, the progress has not been sufficient to meet in full any of the requirements set. There is one additional requirement made as a result of this monitoring visit.

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6. The quality and purpose of care standard

In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard, the registered person must ensure: (2)(c) the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to (i) meet the needs of the child. (Regulation 6 (2)(c)(i))

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to the young people by repairing the substantial amount of damage

around the home and ensuring a good standard of cleanliness.

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to the young people by repairing the substantial amount of damage

Since the last inspection, the management team has started the process of improving the physical environment of all three houses on the campus. One of the Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC482300 2 three houses has been closed for refurbishment. Holes made by the young people to interior walls are being repaired. Some areas of the houses have been freshly painted. A considerable amount of redecoration still needs to be undertaken to address the overall appearance of the houses which comprise the children. The manager agrees that more time is needed to address the issue.

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to the young people by repairing the substantial amount of damage

The progress so far is not sufficient to meet this requirement.

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11. The positive relationship standard

(1) In order to meet the positive relationship standard, the registered person must ensure that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on (a) mutual respect and trust (b) an understanding about acceptable behaviour (c) positive responses to other children and adults. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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with the young people while providing consistent guidance and

Since the last inspection, a decision has been made by the managers to deploy some staff to other homes within the organisation. This may affect some established relationships between young people and staff, and at the time of the inspection was affecting the morale of some staff. The staffing arrangements will be finalised over the next few weeks.

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with the young people while providing consistent guidance and

There are currently seven young people residing in two of the three houses. The manager has ended the placements of four young people identified as not suitable for the home due to their behaviour and the impact that this had on other young people. It is too early to assess the impact of recent departures.

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with the young people while providing consistent guidance and

The relationships between the young people and staff are works in progress. The manager has introduced a new key-working template. However, key-work sessions have yet to be used effectively to fully see whether relationships have been developed. For some young people, key-work sessions have not focused sufficiently on understanding their behaviours.

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12. The protection of children standard

In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered person must ensure that staff Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC482300 3 (2)(a)(i) assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child (ii) help each child to understand how to keep safe (iii) have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm (iv) manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other. (Regulation 12 (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv))

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and the need for staff to adopt a corresponding approach to behaviour

Significant work has been done to the exterior of the building; it has been adapted and made safe through the use of rollers and spikes on areas that young people may otherwise climb. The next step, in looking at underlying reasons why young people have acted defiantly and sought to climb, has not been addressed. Young people continue to attempt to access roofs but staff have been generally successful in preventing this. There is investment in deterring by changing the environment, but work with children around this behaviour has been limited.

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and the need for staff to adopt a corresponding approach to behaviour

The staff are not helping each child to understand how to keep safe, and key-work sessions are not proactive enough in doing this. There is a key-work plan in place to look at children’s targets. However, the impact has yet to be seen. Children do still attempt to climb the roofs and engage in these risk-taking behaviours, and proactive work to understand the reasons why has yet to change the behavioural patterns. Risk assessments emphasise the practical measures to prevent access to roofs.

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and the need for staff to adopt a corresponding approach to behaviour

A therapist has been consulted to provide a view and support the staff with behaviour management. There has been limited consultation, so the impact on improving behaviour management strategies has yet to be assessed.

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13. The leadership and management standard

In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that (1)(a) helps children aspire to fulfil their potential (2)(c) ensure that staff have experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(2)(c))

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This is with specific reference to staff displaying the skills and knowledge

to work with the young people. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC482300 4 Since the last inspection, the staff have yet to undertake training in therapeutic ways of working with the young people. From discussion with staff and a review of practice records, staff do not yet demonstrate the range of skills needed to engage young people. There are plans in place for staff training and development but these have yet to be implemented.

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16. Statement of purpose

The registered person must keep the statement of purpose under review and where, appropriate, revise it, notify HMCI of any revisions, and send HMCO a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b))

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This is with specific reference to the home not working in line with the

This is a new requirement as a result of the monitoring visit. The manager provided a recently updated statement of purpose (SoP) on the monitoring visit. There are several aspects of care mentioned in the SoP that are currently provided; for example, the absence of a psychologist for several months means that the home is not currently providing psychological support and consultation. The current practice of the staff is not informed with a focus on attachment theory and an understanding of developmental trauma because relevant training and support have yet to be delivered. In addition, it is not evidenced that behaviour support provided by the staff is currently assisting the young people to understand their feelings and behaviours to resolve problems and build confidence.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 17/10/2017 Full Inadequate 18/01/2017 Full Good 01/06/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 11/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 15/10/2015 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC482300 5

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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 within 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, the registered person must ensure that (2)(c) the premise used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to (i) meet the needs of the child. (Regulation 6 (2)(c)(i)) 05 February 2018

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the positive relationship standard, the registered person must ensure that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on (a) mutual respect and trust (b) an understanding about acceptable behaviour (c) positive responses to other children and adults. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 05 February 2018

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered person must ensure that staff (2)(a)(i) assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child (ii) help each child to understand how to keep safe (iii) have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm (iv) manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other. (Regulation 12 (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)) 05 February 2018

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Requirement Due date

13. The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard, the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that (1)(a) helps children aspire to fulfil their potential 05 February 2018 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC482300 6 (2)(c) ensure that staff have experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(2)(a)(c)) The registered person must keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it, notify HMCI of any revisions, and send HMCO a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of revision. (Regulation 16 (3)(a)(b)) 05 February 2018

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Recommendations

 All children’s care records must be kept up to date. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC482300 7

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Children’s home details

Provision sub-type: Residential special school

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hillcrest Childrens Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Turnpike Gate House, Alcester Heath, Alcester, Warwickshire B49 5JG

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Inspector(s)

James Harmon, social care inspector Emeline Evans, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: SC482300 8 to 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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