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

Inspection report children‟s home: SC398391 1 SC398391 Registered provider: Hillcrest Children‟s Services (2) Ltd

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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 private company that operates a number of children‟s homes across the country owns this home. This home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children who have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted on 20 June 2014. She holds a level 5 qualification in leadership and management.

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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: 26 September 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children‟s home: SC398391 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/09/2017 Full Good 30/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 16/05/2016 Full Good 25/01/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report children‟s home: SC398391 3

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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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff seek to involve each child‟s placing authority effectively in the child‟s care, in accordance with the child‟s relevant plans. (Regulation 5 (a)) 29/06/2018

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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 spoken to the user about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(b)(i)) 29/06/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(c)) 29/06/2018

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from continuous nurture and encouragement from staff. This approach takes the form of verbal praise, positive gestures, small incentives and larger celebrations. As a direct result of this approach, children thrive. They grow in confidence and self-esteem. Children‟s day-to-day experiences are positive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff are child focused. Staff undertake child-friendly direct work with children. Each evening an educational activity takes place to support children‟s learning. These activities are creative and engage the children. Examples of these activities include making slime and building towers. In addition, children are offered key-work sessions that cover a range of issues such as bullying, internet use and dental hygiene.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff take children‟s education seriously. Staff make sure that children maintain good school attendance. A social worker told the inspector, „Prior to being at this home [child‟s] school attendance was poor and it is now 100%. He knows that going to school is not optional.‟ Inspection report children‟s home: SC398391 4 A clinical team supports staff to care for the children using a therapeutic approach. The psychologist attends staff meetings every two weeks. He offers support and advice to staff to assist in their understanding of each child‟s needs and their presenting behaviours. These systems support children‟s progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are involved in their care planning and decisions in the home. Children have their own book to record their weekly meetings. Children help choose meals and activities each week. Children are encouraged to make suggestions about ways to improve the running of the home. The registered manager provides written feedback to each child every week. As a result, children say, and feel, that their views are valued.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Partnership working arrangements between the registered manager, placing authorities and other external agencies are generally good. However, social workers have identified that communication could be improved.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive therapeutic support through an in-house clinical team. This support has enabled one child to develop his understanding of appropriate relationships. However, social workers report that they do not feel they are updated about the therapy children are having. Consequently, social workers cannot make care-planning decisions for children effectively.

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

Risk assessments are clear and updated regularly. As a result, staff understand the needs of children and how to support them. When children make progress this is reflected in their risk assessments, and restrictions are reduced. Children are safe and say that they feel safe.

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

Staff provide children with nurturing care. One child who moved into the home has made significant progress in all areas. Prior to moving to this home he was involved in a number of serious and risky incidents. His social worker said, „I‟m astounded at the progress he has made. He is like a different child. He is making excellent progress and I believe it‟s down to the genuine care afforded to him by staff.‟

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

A new physical intervention policy has been introduced. This has helped the staff to use more de-escalation techniques. As a result, the number of physical interventions in the home has decreased. Despite this good practice, the records of physical interventions are not robust. Children are not spoken to within five days of a physical intervention. Additionally, the registered manager does not speak to the user of the physical intervention within 48 hours. This shortfall in practice means that there is a lack of monitoring of and learning from physical interventions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Young people make good progress in all areas of their development. This is because the registered manager consistently prioritises their needs, and meeting these needs Inspection report children‟s home: SC398391 5 is the focus of the day-to-day routines in the home. The registered manager continually communicates this ethos to staff who provide children with consistent care and support.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff speak positively about the management team. They recognise the improvements in the home and welcome these. Staff feel supported and have regular supervision that is beneficial, reflects on practice, and supports staff to provide individualised care to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has good monitoring systems in place to capture children‟s progress and ensure that documentation is up to date. This allows her to understand the strengths of the home and the areas that require development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is available to staff and children. Staff report that they respect the registered manager and believe that her management approach is firm but fair. The registered manager communicates effectively with her staff team and shares her thoughts and concerns. She encourages staff to share their ideas about ways to improve the care provided to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are extremely committed and motivated. They are either suitably qualified for their role or working towards gaining the relevant qualification within an acceptable timescale. The registered manager continually reviews internal training programmes to ensure that these reflect children‟s individual needs.

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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 differences 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: SC398391 6

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Children’s home details

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

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Children’s home details

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

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Samantha Millward

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Inspector

Annemarie Parker, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC398391 7 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

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Inspector

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Inspector

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