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

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC482344 1 SC482344

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Hillcrest Children’s Services Ltd

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to eight children. The organisation also runs a registered school that the children living in the home may attend.

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Information about this children’s home

The home has a suitably qualified manager who has been registered with Ofsted since August 2018.

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This monitoring visit

This inspection was undertaken in response to information received by Ofsted pertaining to two specific areas of practice. These were the management of allegations made against staff and practice relating to children who demonstrate self-harming behaviours. Other aspects of leadership and management and behaviour management were also examined during the inspection process.

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This monitoring visit

The inspection was conducted remotely because of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. The inspector conducted video interviews with the registered manager and reviewed documentary evidence. Two members of staff and two local authority social workers were also spoken to during the inspection.

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This monitoring visit

The home was last visited by Ofsted inspectors on 3 December 2019, when a full inspection was undertaken.

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This monitoring visit

Since the last full inspection, in December 2019, there have been two allegations made by two children. Both children alleged they had been hurt by members of staff. There was a timely and effective response from the registered manager when these allegations came to light. This included implementing safety measures to ensure that the children would not come to harm while the matters were being investigated. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC482344 2 The allegations were reported to the relevant external safeguarding professionals and the advice given was promptly acted upon. In both cases the registered manager instigated thorough internal investigations, which were subsequently shared with safeguarding agencies. No significant concerns were found, although the registered manager did identify learning points for two members of staff. Effective action has been taken to address these.

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This monitoring visit

Managers and staff are familiar with the needs of children who resort to self-harming behaviours to manage their anxiety. Any concerns or incidents are quickly identified by staff and children are given appropriate support to manage their feelings. Children develop trusting relationships with staff and are becoming increasingly confident and comfortable when discussing sensitive matters.

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This monitoring visit

The home has access to internal professional therapeutic support. Managers and staff consult with therapeutic staff regarding effective strategies for supporting children to manage their self-harming behaviour. These are then incorporated into children’s individual risk assessments, which are effective tools for assisting staff to keep children safe. In one case, the child’s therapist supported the child to develop their own self-harm safety plan.

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This monitoring visit

The home is well managed by an experienced and effective registered manager. He oversees an established quality of care monitoring system which means that any shortfalls in staff practice are quickly identified and addressed. The one requirement made at the last inspection has been addressed, although not as fully as the registered manager would have hoped. The requirement was made to ensure that staff consistently implement the home’s model of care. Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, staff have not been able to access the face-to-face training on the model that had been booked. As an alternative, the registered manager has ensured that internal training has been provided. Although not all staff are able to articulate the theoretical basis of the care model, examples of how the principles are implemented in practice were identified during this inspection.

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This monitoring visit

A recommendation has been made concerning the need for staff to consistently update their skills and knowledge and so ensure the model of care is always implemented in practice.

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This monitoring visit

Effective measures have been implemented to promote the children’s physical and mental well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. Behaviour management plans are child centred and specific to the needs of the individual child. When children do engage in unsafe behaviours they are challenged and supported to reflect upon the potential consequences of their actions.

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This monitoring visit

The social workers spoken to during this inspection spoke of the significant progress children have made since moving to the home. Consideration is being given to one child moving to a foster placement. The social worker stated that two years ago a foster placement would have been deemed impossible and attributed the child’s progress to the registered manager taking a ‘progressive and open-minded’ Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC482344 3 approach to meeting the child’s needs.

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This monitoring visit

The children in this home are being effectively supported and cared for and no concerns for their welfare were identified at this inspection.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 03/12/2019 Full Good 11/09/2018 Full Good 01/11/2017 Full Good 13/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC482344 4

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Recommendations

 The registered person is responsible for leading a team which provides high quality care for all children living in the home. They must lead and manage the home in a way that delivers the ethos, outcomes and approach set out in the home’s Statement of Purpose. They should also play a key role in shaping the ethos of the home through developing a culture of high aspiration for children which is demonstrated through the care, resources and opportunities offered to the children. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 52, paragraph 10.4) This is with specific reference to ensuring that staff continuously update their knowledge and skills in relation to the homes model of care.

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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.

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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: Atria, Spa Road, Bolton BL1 4AG

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Inspector

Stephen Collett, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: SC482344 5 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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