Children's home run by Hillcrest Children‟s Services (2) Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 1258095 1 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 six children who have social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted on 3 August 2017. He 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: 6 December 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/12/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1258095 2

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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

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(a)) 14/09/2018

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)) 14/09/2018

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people receive individualised care from a caring and committed staff team that develop sound, supportive relationships with them. Young people are positive about this. One young person stated, ‘[Staff member] is my keyworker. He is literally the best, he sorts things for me and I know he listens to what I am saying. Staff have sorted school for me and it’s much better now they have gone in and spoken to the teachers.’ This gives young people confidence and improves the quality of their day-to-day experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Despite some significant challenges, young people make good progress in key areas. Education attendance improves and young people accomplish more because of this. A headteacher confirmed this, stating, ‘Communication is a key strength of this home. They have developed a communication log which is filled in by care staff and by teaching staff. I would also say that their approach to safeguarding is excellent, they are a good strong Inspection report children’s home: 1258095 3 team and they put young people first.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people’s experiences of moving out of the home are variable. One young person did not have the opportunity to say goodbye to staff and other young people. Managers accept that this does not provide young people with a positive end to their placements. Managers are developing plans to ensure that when placements end unexpectedly, arrangements are made to offer young people a goodbye visit (if this is appropriate and supported by the placing authority).

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff meet young people’s physical health needs well and engage specialist agencies when required. Young people also make good progress in relation to their emotional well-being. This improvement is possible because of effective links with an in-house clinical team. Staff practice is also improved through advice and guidance from this service. A clinical psychologist said, ‘Staff use team meetings well. They are reflective, and when they have felt frustrated they have shared this and we have explored this. I see this as a positive. Staff re-group and try to be creative. They work in a joined-up way and provide consistency to young people. They have learned the importance of continuing to offer high levels of nurture.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are provided with a lovely home which is spacious and well maintained. Young people are encouraged to bring their friends home and do so.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people know how to complain and have been supported by staff to make a complaint when this has been necessary. The management team ensures that young people receive a response to their complaints and young people have confirmed that they are happy with the outcome. On one occasion, a young person complained that she was being bullied by her peers. The registered manager ensured that this was swiftly and sensitively resolved. Staff undertook work with all young people within the home. One young person said, ‘[Name of the registered manager] is really, really strict about bullying, he won’t have it.’

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

In the main, the registered manager and staff are good at identifying and understanding the risks that young people face. They seek the views of young people, psychologists and social workers about how best to manage these risks. This collaborative working produces clear guidelines for staff to follow. However, an emergency admission of one young person significantly impacted upon the welfare of the other young people. This admission placed other young people at increased risk. In addition, a young person was recently admitted to the home at a time when two young people were missing.

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

The management team, including senior managers, has reflected upon the challenging period of time following the emergency admission and is committed to ensuring that this situation does not arise again. These plans are effective; however, the new arrangements need to be clearly outlined in the home’s statement of purpose so that those who read it are clear that the home will no longer offer placements in an emergency. Inspection report children’s home: 1258095 4 Some young people who were previously resident in the home had gone missing. Staff understood the risks that this posed, including the risk of exploitation. Staff knew how to implement and follow the local authority’s joint protocol and procedures for reporting young people missing from care. They took appropriate action to locate young people quickly and promoted their safe return by means of keeping in touch with the young person and liaising closely with the police and other agencies. Staff were tenacious in

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

their efforts to find young people. Young people were seen by an independent person on their return.

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

On some occasions, physical restraint is required in order to keep young people safe. These restraints are appropriate and undertaken by suitably trained staff. Oversight from the registered manager is good. In addition, he undertakes monitoring of the action taken with a view to identifying patterns and trends. Staff also share information quickly with young people’s social workers and reflect on these incidents within team meetings.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A suitably qualified registered manager leads the staff team. He is enthusiastic and committed to achieving excellence. He understands young people’s needs and keeps them at the centre of his practice. This approach has ensured a stable workforce despite the home experiencing a turbulent period.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Monitoring systems are effective. They identify the majority of the home’s strengths and weaknesses. They also help the registered manager to confirm that the team consistently meets the individual needs of young people. However, aims and objectives identified in the statement of purpose need to be clearer and reflect the range of needs of the young people the home intends to provide care and accommodation for.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are well supported and are positive about the management team in this regard. Supervisions are regular and effective, as are team meetings. Staff are appropriately qualified. The majority hold the required level 3 diploma in residential childcare or an equivalent. Any staff who do not hold this are working towards it and have clear plans in place to attain it. Staff training is generally good and covers key areas of practice. Consequently, staff have the skills required to meet the needs of each young person.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers challenge other agencies when this is required. They have developed strong relationships with the majority of professionals involved in young people’s care.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: 1258095 5 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: 1258095 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: Hillcrest Children’s Services (2) Ltd, Turnpike Gate House, Alcester Heath, Alcester, Warwickshire B49 5JG

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Inspector

Annemarie Parker, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1258095 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 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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