Children's Home run by Hill Top Children’s Care Limited in Redbridge

Inspection report for children’s home: 2594629 1 Registered provider: Hill Top Children’s Care Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately run children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to two children. The provider states in their statement of purpose that they provide care for children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

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Inspection date: 27 January 2022

Date of last inspection: 7 December 2021

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Inspection date: 27 January 2022

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 27 January 2022

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2594629 2

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There has been limited progress against the requirements and recommendations from the last inspection. As a result, all requirements and one recommendation have been reinstated.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There are no children currently at the home. The one child in placement was moved out by their placing authority following concerns in relation to the leadership arrangements and how safeguarding is managed.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Safeguarding arrangements at the home are weak and there have been delays in the appropriate resolution of safeguarding concerns.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The resignation of the interim manager has created further instability. A new interim manager has been appointed. This is the fourth manager since the home opened 17 months ago. This is the interim manager’s first experience of managing a residential provision. She does not have a clear training development plan in place to help her develop into this new role. This means that there is a gap in effective management arrangements to ensure that the safeguarding and welfare needs of children are met.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered individual has been heavily involved in the day-to-day running of the home. This has included being on shift and sleeping in. This has led to conflict and confusion relating to the quality of management oversight.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staffing arrangements are insufficient to ensure that there is sufficient staff to care for children with the relevant knowledge to ensure that children’s needs are met. This failure to secure a skilled staff team places children and staff at risk of harm.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There are gaps in the delivery of effective training consistent with those identified in the home’s statement of purpose. Consequently, staff do not possess the necessary skills to effectively meet the needs of children.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There is no clear system in place to ensure that staff have read and understood important documents, such as risk assessments and missing from care protocols. This means that staff do not have all the relevant information designed to help keep children safe and their needs met. This omission places staff and children at risk of harm. Inspection report for children’s home: 2594629 3 Complaints made by children are not dealt with effectively. This means that children’s voices and views are not adequately considered. This failure to act has compromised children’s rights.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been concerns raised by children about staff conduct that have not been effectively addressed. This failure shows a lack of understanding in the roles and responsibilities of staff and managers in relation to protecting children from harm.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home environment is still not safe. For example, in one bedroom, the wardrobes are still not secured to the walls and present a hazard to children.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

As a result of all these failings, managers are not able to demonstrate how the home has capacity to care for children at this current time. As a result, Ofsted has issued a suspension notice. Inspection report for children’s home: 2594629 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/12/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: 2594629 5

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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 provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and

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Requirement Due date

is not, or does not intend to be, in day-to-day charge of the home.

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Requirement Due date

If the registered provider appoints a person to manage the home, the registered provider must, without delay, give HMCI notice of—

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person so appointed; and

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Requirement Due date

the date on which the appointment takes effect. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(i)(ii) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person is to ensure that an application for registration is issued.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 04/03/2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

In order to complete a quality of care review the registered person must establish and maintain a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating— 04/03/2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 2594629 6 the quality of care provided for children;

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Requirement Due date

the feedback and opinions of children about the children’s home, its facilities and the quality of care they receive in it; and

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Requirement Due date

any actions that the registered person considers necessary in order to improve or maintain the quality of care provided for children.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review ("the quality of care review report").

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed; and

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Requirement Due date

make a copy of the quality of care review report available on request to a placing authority, if the placing authority is not the parent of a child accommodated in the home.

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Requirement Due date

The system referred to in paragraph (2) must provide for ascertaining and considering the opinions of children, their parents, placing authorities and staff. (Regulation 45 (1) (2)(a)(b)(c) (3) (4)(a)(b) (5))

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard, the registered provider must ensure—

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Requirement Due date

provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably. (Regulation 6(2)(b)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the home to ensure that wardrobes are secured to walls to prevent possible harm to children.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 04/03/2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 2594629 7 The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 04/03/2022

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Requirement Due date

maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the records are kept up to date; and

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Requirement Due date

retain the records for at least 15 years from the date of the last entry. (Regulation 37 (2)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the home to ensure that the outcomes for children are properly recorded in the home’s register.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 04/03/2022

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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 registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the home must ensure that staff have specialist training that meets children’s individualised needs. 04/03/2022 Inspection report for children’s home: 2594629 8 This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated.

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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—

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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

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

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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)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that safeguarding arrangements at the home are strong and that the appropriate resolution of safeguarding concerns occur. This must include ensuring staff have the understanding and knowledge in relation to protecting children in their care. 04/03/2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39 (3))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that complaints made by children are dealt with effectively. 04/03/2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure the home has a plan in place to maintain effective management when the manager is absent, off duty or on leave. (‘Guide Inspection report for children’s home: 2594629 9 to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards (2015)’, page 54, paragraph 10.20)

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Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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 for children’s home: 2594629 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hill Top Children’s Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 73 Francis Road, Edgbaston, West Midlands B16 8SP

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Inspector

Andy Whippey, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2594629 11 regulates and inspects 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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