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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1275966 1

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Hillcrest Children’s Services (2) Ltd

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered for up to six children. It is part of a large private organisation that includes a school and a clinical team. The statement of purpose states, ‘Each individual young person follows their own programme in an atmosphere of high expectations and achievable aims, and where they are valued for themselves.’ The home does not currently have a registered manager.

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This monitoring visit

This children’s home was judged inadequate at the full inspection on 6 August 2019. Twelve requirements and one recommendation were made at that time. This inspection examined progress made against these requirements and explored how practice at the home has moved on since the full inspection. One child lived at the home at the time of the monitoring visit. Improvements have been made to the home environment to make it more comfortable and homelier. These include an increase in the number and variety of photos around the home and the redecoration of the child’s bedroom. The child has had input into this and this is helping him to invest in and take ownership of his home. The child, who was not attending school previously, is now attending more regularly. Staff have worked well with teaching staff and the child to support a possible dyslexia evaluation. As a result, the child’s needs in relation to his learning are better

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This monitoring visit

understood. Staff better support the child’s health. A review of the child’s emotional needs has taken place in partnership with child and adolescent mental health services. The child is engaging more readily in therapy and this is supporting his overall well- being. The child is participating in activities which promote his physical health, and Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1275966 2 improved menus provide him with a more balanced and healthy diet. The number of incidents of challenging behaviour has reduced. A new reward system is helping the child to understand how his behaviour affects him and other people. However, in one incident, staff did not do all that they could to promote the child’s safety. As a result, although some improvements have been made, work to improve staff’s management of risk is ongoing. The monitoring of incidents and the quality of recording have improved. Records are

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This monitoring visit

examined by senior staff swiftly so that any shortfalls can be acted upon. The registered manager has left the organisation since the last inspection. An interim manager has been appointed while the provider recruits a permanent manager. Some work has been undertaken to strengthen team-working to bring about greater consistency in the approach to children’s care. This work is in progress and ongoing. One child has moved on from the home since the last inspection. This was well- planned. Consequently, the child had the opportunity to visit his new home and meet staff before he moved. No new children have moved in since the last inspection. As a result, it has not been possible to assess how any improvements to care planning have been implemented. This will be examined at the next inspection. Staff now clearly record fire safety drills. Records of previous drills have been reviewed so that they show which people were involved. This enables managers to

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This monitoring visit

review who may need to participate in a fire drill and when future drills need to happen. Staff now receive supervision on a regular basis. Appraisals have also been completed. However, records are basic in quality and do not fully reflect discussions had. This does not help managers to track and support staff development. Two complaints have been raised since the last inspection and these have been responded to well. Managers have examined each complaint fully and responses have been given to the child. Staff now help the child to keep memorabilia charting the fun times he has had. This is a good way of helping children remember positive aspects of their stay.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 06/08/2019 Full Inadequate 05/03/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1275966 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

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(i)(ii)(iii)(vi)(vii)) 31/10/2019

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the 31/10/2019 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1275966 4 registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(e)) 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.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

that arrangements are in place to ensure the effective induction of each child into the home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(b)(i)) 31/10/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that supervision and appraisal records reflect the discussions had in these meetings. 31/10/2019

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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: 1275966 5

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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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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Samantha Millward

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Inspector

Andrew Hewston, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1275966 6 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

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Inspector

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Inspector

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