Children's home run by Hillcrest Children’s Services Ltd in Havant

Assurance visit report: SC482301 1 SC482301

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned children’s home that provides care and accommodation for up to six children with social, emotional and mental health needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since 27 October 2015.

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Information about this visit

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), Ofsted suspended all routine inspections in March 2020. As part of a phased return to routine inspection, we are undertaking assurance visits to children’s social care services that are inspected under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF).

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Information about this visit

At these visits, inspectors evaluate the extent to which:

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Information about this visit

 children are well cared for  children are safe  leaders and managers are exercising strong leadership.

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Information about this visit

This visit was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000, following the published guidance for assurance visits.

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Information about this visit

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills is leading Ofsted’s work into how England’s social care system has delivered child-centred practice and care within the context of the restrictions placed on society during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Findings from the visit

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit. Assurance visit report: SC482301 2

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The care of children

Staff have provided children with a secure, supportive environment throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff demonstrate a deep understanding and affection for the children in their care.

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The care of children

During lockdown, children were able to participate in educational activities within the home. Staff from the attached school came on site to ensure continuity. Staff also implemented creative ideas to encourage children to engage in home education. On one occasion, a child designed and built garden furniture with the support of staff. This has been used regularly throughout the summer to host barbecues and garden activities. The child’s self-esteem was boosted, and this inspired them to start a college course in mechanics.

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The care of children

Staff place a strong focus on supporting children’s independence. They make effective use of an annex for those children becoming semi-independent, to support them to prepare for their move to more independent accommodation.

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The care of children

Staff encourage children to explore, and celebrate, their identity at the home. Staff and children have all supported a child to express themselves without fear of judgement.

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The care of children

Children can personalise their rooms in the home. Leaders and managers ensure all children are given opportunities to express their personalities. Children also benefit from a variety of forums to express their views. The registered manager uses a ‘You Said We Did’ book to highlight actions taken by staff to deliver on children’s requests.

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The care of children

Staff have worked hard to ensure that children’s contacts with family have been supported throughout the pandemic. One child has been able to re-establish contact with a member of their family after a long period of separation. The child’s social worker stated that this was down to the hard work of the team.

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The care of children

Children say that the home is a calm and safe space. They said they would not change anything, they like it just as it is.

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The safety of children

Staff understand how to manage the risks attached to children living in the home. Individualised risk and behaviour support planning helps staff to meet the complex needs of children. Some risk assessments lack readability and can seem ambiguous at times. In one case, the control measures in place to support a child when online are unclear, leaving the strategy open to misinterpretation by staff.

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The safety of children

Online safety tools applied to the home’s electronic devices are useful and effective in safeguarding children at the home. Staff have the skills required to manage internet access. Children use the internet safely in the home and access is restricted only where appropriate. Assurance visit report: SC482301 3 One example of staff practice involving an allegation by a child demonstrated a lack of clarity around the correct reporting procedures. This led to a delay in reporting an incident to the designated officer.

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The safety of children

One child had their placement ended in October 2020. This affected children and staff alike as they described the departing child as part of the family. Children spoke honestly about how this had made them feel. Staff have supported children through this expertly, providing lots of space to express their emotions around this change. In turn, staff have also been ably supported by the home’s clinical lead to process their feelings about this.

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The safety of children

While COVID-19 restrictions have had an impact on face-to-face training events, staff have been supported to refresh their safeguarding knowledge and skills using a mixture of online and in-house training activities.

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Leaders and managers

The registered manager and deputy provide good support to children and staff. Staff speak highly of the managers and have an evident sense of pride in the strength of the team. They described it as more like a family, where everyone looks out for each other.

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Leaders and managers

The registered manager makes effective use of internal and external monitoring to promote continuous improvements. She speaks highly of the independent visitor who comes to the home and finds her constructive criticism invaluable. She applies reflective learning from events in the home, which she models well to her whole team.

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Leaders and managers

The manager has found it difficult to recruit a maintenance person during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there is now a person regularly on site. Some areas look tired and unkept, particularly flooring in the kitchen. The manager already has plans in place to replace the flooring now that maintenance staff and contractors are more readily available.

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Leaders and managers

Some of the staff with supervisory responsibility have not received any training in recent times. Some supervisions demonstrate little challenge to practice or use of reflection to support staff development.

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Leaders and managers

Professionals who come into contact with the home have positive views on the quality of support for children. One social worker said ‘[The home] has been excellent, in all honesty. They always engage in good collaborative working, know children well and advocate effectively.’ Assurance visit report: SC482301 4

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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 registered person must ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (1) (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure all staff with supervisory responsibility for other staff receive the appropriate training for the role. 28 February 2021

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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— understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, provide clear protocols for staff to follow in the event of any allegations made by children. 28 February 2021

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff continually and actively assess the risks to each child and the arrangements in place to protect them, particularly in relation to risk assessments containing clear and unambiguous steps for staff to follow when managing risks presented by children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 9.5) Assurance visit report: SC482301 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hillcrest Children’s Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Hillcrest Children’s Services Limited, Turnpike Gate House, Alcester Heath, Alcester, Warwickshire B49 5JG

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Inspectors

Peter Jackson, Social Care Inspector Matt Nicholls, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC482301 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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