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

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2594629 1

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Hill Top Children’s Care Limited

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 its statement of purpose that it provides care for children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in July 2020. The home has not had a registered manager since October 2021. The current manager has not yet submitted an application to register with Ofsted.

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This monitoring visit

This monitoring visit was carried out to monitor the home’s compliance and progress in relation to the notice to suspend the registration of the children’s home issued on 31 January 2022. The notice to suspend the home’s registration was issued following the interim inspection conducted on 27 January 2022. At that inspection, the inspector identified widespread shortfalls across all areas of care and significant shortfalls in the leadership and management of the home. A monitoring visit took place on 8 March 2022, which identified that, although there had been some progress made, there was still a significant amount of work to be done.

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This monitoring visit

Some further progress has been made but there is still much work to be done. There has been no application made for the current manager to register with Ofsted. Some progress has been made to induct the manager into the role of children’s home manager, given her relative inexperience. She has only very recently been given the support of a mentor, despite this being identified as a need some time ago. While this is positive, it is too early for this to evidence that the current manager is equipped to fulfil the role effectively. More work has been done in relation to key policies. However, these need to be revised so that they detail clearly for staff the actions necessary to protect children. Amendments have been made to the Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2594629 2 safeguarding policy, but this policy is not yet complete and the process to be followed in the event of allegations against staff is still not clearly articulated.

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This monitoring visit

Information is required regarding risk assessments being undertaken when any allegations or concerns have been identified in relation to staff. Until this safeguarding policy is complete, work cannot be undertaken with staff to ensure that they understand its content and their role in keeping children safe.

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This monitoring visit

There is more to do to meet the requirement relating to complaints and representations. Leaders and managers have recognised the need for this. However, they have not produced a clear guide for children to detail how children can make a complaint or voice any concerns. Furthermore, leaders and managers have not produced a clear process to be followed by staff to ensure that complaints are not only heard but acted on.

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This monitoring visit

There is still more work to do to ensure that staff have sufficient knowledge, skills and experience to meet the needs of children in their care. Furthermore, not enough staff are employed at the home to meet the needs of the number of children that the home is registered to care for. The provider is in the process of recruiting additional staff.

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This monitoring visit

The training matrix introduced by the manager makes it clearer to see what training has been undertaken by staff. There is clear evidence of staff undertaking training to increase their skill base to help them to meet the needs of children. However, staff have not undertaken all training to meet the aims and objectives outlined in the statement of purpose.

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This monitoring visit

Although, overall, some progress has been made, there is insufficient evidence to demonstrate that the suspension notice should no longer apply. Therefore, a further suspension notice has been issued. A further monitoring visit will be undertaken to review the provider’s progress and to consider whether grounds remain for the notice of suspension to remain in place. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2594629 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/01/2022 Interim Declined in effectiveness 07/12/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2594629 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 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

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

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, the registered person must ensure that the interim manager submits an application to register with Ofsted.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 27 May 2022

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Requirement Due date

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. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)) 27 May 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2594629 5 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

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

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 27 May 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

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Requirement Due date

promotes their welfare. 27 May 2022 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2594629 6 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 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(e))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers must ensure that staff undertake specialist training that helps them to meet children’s individual needs.

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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

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.

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Requirement Due date

This requirement was made at the last inspection and is restated. 27 May 2022

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the home has a plan in place to maintain effective management when the manager is absent, off duty or on leave. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.20)

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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: 2594629 7

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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, Her Majesty’s Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2594629 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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