Children's Home run by Hillcrest Children’s Services Ltd in Hampshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC012001 1 SC012001 Registered provider: Hillcrest Children’s Services Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home offers care and accommodation for up to six children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has been without a registered manager since July 2018.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 20 to 21 February 2019

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 31 January 2018

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC012001 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

31/01/2018 Full Outstanding 28/03/2017 Full Good 12/09/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 18/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC012001 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The current children have all benefited from long, stable placements and have continued to make progress over the past year. Direct observation during the inspection, together with feedback from people who know the children well, shows that they are happy and settled and have very good relationships with the staff. Children’s day-to-day experiences are very good, and the children regard this as their home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

New children moving in do so in a planned way, even when timescales are short. Matching assessments are detailed and decisions well thought out. Consideration is given to existing children in terms of any potential impact, as well as whether the staff have the necessary skills and experience to meet the children’s identified needs. Children are also very involved in the process and go out of their way to make new children feel welcome.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

The manager has worked hard with the children to invest in the home. This has included their being part of the plans to redesign it by changing the functions of some of the rooms. Senior managers have supported these plans by providing extra funds. These have been used to redecorate the children’s bedrooms. The manager allowed the children to choose the style of their rooms and she helped to redecorate the rooms.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Managers and staff promote education, and the majority of children have excellent school attendance. Staff will go out of their way to transport children long distances to maintain school placements. In situations where children are struggling to attend, the staff actively support and encourage them to return, as well as putting interim arrangements in place to ensure that they do not lack education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Comprehensive information helps to guide staff’s practice. Care plans are detailed and, as a result, the staff know the children well, including new staff who have recently joined the team. The manager also ensures that all necessary local authority documentation is in place. Any gaps are quickly identified and addressed.

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

Behaviour management strategies are excellent. Children’s individual support plans are written sensitively. They include the context behind the behaviour and provide the staff with clear strategies to manage them. The staff work hard to ensure that boundaries are consistent and the children know what is expected of them. Through the effective use of positive rewards, there has been a significant reduction in incidents, risk-taking behaviours and sanctions.

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

One extremely difficult and challenging incident highlighted the commitment and resilience of staff and managers. Records viewed on inspection showed that the staff continually tried to defuse and de-escalate the situation. They also remained focused on Inspection report children’s home: SC012001 4 keeping everyone involved safe. This incident required police attendance, and this is unusual as the home does not have a history of involving the police.

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

Key-work sessions are used effectively. The staff are extremely responsive to what is happening in the children’s lives. They make good use of resources to help to educate the children. In these sessions, children are able to be open and honest with staff and feel safe to explore their feelings.

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

Children are helped to develop their understanding of all matters relating to their health. The home has developed a long-standing relationship with a sexual health practitioner to work with them in groups or on a one-to-one basis. Sessions are used creatively and typically relate to topical events in the children’s lives.

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

The manager is a strong advocate for the children and has already challenged the wider network, including the police and local authority, in situations where she feels that they are not working together.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager left the post in July 2018. The new manager is in the process of registering with Ofsted. Since her arrival, the home has benefited from a range of improvements. Senior managers have fully supported her plans to change the Statement of Purpose to mixed gender and, although this is still a new development, the early indications are that it is going well. The current group of children are well matched and get along.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has a clear vision for the home which is based on creating a family-style environment in which the needs of children are put first. Despite a high turnover of staff on her arrival, she has managed the change for children extremely well and, as a result, the impact on them has been kept to a minimum. This has allowed them to continue to benefit from stable placements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Through a rigorous selection and recruitment process, the manager has made some successful appointments. New staff have complemented the core team and are already working well. Staff are benefiting from improved support and training from the manager. The are being helped to understand their roles and being given extra responsibilities, which has boosted morale.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Monitoring systems are effective. The manager has clear oversight and scrutiny of all areas. She is competent at analysing and evaluating the information and, while this is not yet captured in a written format, there are plans in place to do this. The reports from the independent visitor are useful, and help to maintain standards and make improvements. Inspection report children’s home: SC012001 5

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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: SC012001 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hillcrest Children’s Services 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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Inspector

Amanda Harvey, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC012001 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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