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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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: 20 February 2019

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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

20/02/2019 Full Outstanding 31/01/2018 Full Outstanding 28/03/2017 Full Good 12/09/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC012001 3

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outstanding

The manager and the staff are extremely child-focused and have high aspirations for the children. Most of the current group have lived in the home for over a year and are all making excellent progress. A lot of thought and consideration is given to children already living in the home, particularly when new children are moving in and the possible impact this may have on them. This focus continues as the children settle in, including through difficult and challenging times, and while they form new relationships with each other.

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outstanding

Children are encouraged to share their dreams, goals and ambitions. The manager and the staff help the children to fulfil these by giving them opportunities and ways to do so. This includes experiencing things for the first time, for example going abroad, visiting Disneyland Paris and generally pursuing their hobbies and interests outside of their education. Children spoken to during the inspection delighted in telling the inspector about where they had been and what they had been doing.

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outstanding

The manager uses innovative ways to help the staff build and sustain relationships with the children. ‘The big star, little star’ monthly competition allows the children and the staff to nominate each other for something they have done well. A winner from each group is then drawn and the winning child gets to choose a shared activity with the chosen member of staff. These experiences allow the children to form attachments with the staff in a natural way.

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outstanding

The children are actively involved in negotiating their way through their own lives, as well as in the day-to-day running of the home. Enthusiastic staff keep the children busy and engaged. They listen to what the children say and are extremely flexible in their approach, even if it means changing the activity plans at the last minute. In return, the children know that the staff have their best interest at heart and understand the reasons why requests may not always be granted.

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outstanding

Children’s education and health needs are actively promoted. The manager is very good at getting the key people in the children’s lives together when they are experiencing difficulties. During these meetings, the manager advocates strongly on behalf of the individual children and will challenge the professionals appropriately. This means that plans are drawn up quickly to help the children to get back on track.

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outstanding

Senior managers continue to support the manager in her role as well as addressing the identified areas for improvement. This includes repairing and rebuilding relationships with the organisation’s school staff to ensure that the children experience consistent care in both settings. Inspection report children’s home: SC012001 4

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outstanding

Children say that they feel safe. The manager has created a culture where they are actively encouraged to take age-appropriate risks. The staff are very good at having meaningful conversations with the children to help them to understand the dangers they face, and how they can learn to manage them. This includes lots of examples in the past of the children not being allowed free time, mobile phones and access to the internet, whereas now being trusted by the staff to have and use them safely.

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outstanding

Children experience being parented positively. The manager is extremely reflective and insightful. She continually helps the staff to understand the therapeutic approach described in the home’s statement of purpose. Through her guidance, the staff can look at the children’s behaviour and interpret what it means. As a result, they give the children the support they need without resorting to negative judgements or consequences.

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outstanding

Staff members approach to behaviour management demonstrates how much they try to avoid using physical intervention. When it does occur, the manager monitors this closely. Records of incidents and graphs are used effectively to understand the reasons why physical intervention has been used as well as to put plans in place to reduce it. Children are also helped to learn how to manage their own emotions and find other ways to express how they feel instead of lashing out or breaking things.

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outstanding

Safeguarding incidents are extremely well managed. The staff know how to identify, respond to and report concerns. The response to any incident is thorough. This includes the action taken immediately after the incident by the staff and the follow- up work done by the manager with them to see what can be learned. Further work is also done with the children to try to prevent incidents from happening again.

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outstanding

Children’s mental health and well-being are seen as a priority. The staff know and understand the children’s individual and complex needs and are very good at giving them advice, guidance and support. Where necessary, they also work closely with the child and adolescent mental health services. The advice they give is recorded in detail in children’s risk assessments and safety plans. These strategies are then used effectively by the staff to inform their approach to the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Due to extenuating circumstances beyond the provider’s control, the registered manager’s post remains vacant. The previous registered manager left the post in July 2018. However, the manager appointed in August 2018 is in the process of registering with Ofsted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff team benefits from being managed by inspiring leaders and managers. Their dedication and commitment to ensuring that the children receive the best care is evident in everything they do. Their high standards and expectations of staff members’ practice mean that action is taken quickly when it falls below what is Inspection report children’s home: SC012001 5 required. This includes working closely with senior managers, human resources and the designated officer at the local authority to discuss concerns and agree the best way forward.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff turnover has been managed well. Leaders and managers look closely at the reasons why staff leave and use this information to good effect. This includes retaining some staff on a casual basis to allow them to pursue their interests. The manager has also influenced company practice around induction to ensure that the new staff are fully equipped to undertake the role. New staff coming in are fully committed to the manager’s vision for the home and are already making a difference to the children’s lives.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Excellent monitoring systems mean that the manager has good oversight of the quality of care provided. This includes knowing exactly what works well and what needs developing, for example implementing a plan of support following input from the clinical team to ensure that the staff work consistently and can continue to support the children’s complex needs. This is evident in how hard the staff have worked under her guidance to turn a child’s rocky start into a much more stable future. Inspection report children’s home: SC012001 6

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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 7

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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 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 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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