Children's Home run by Hillcrest Children’s Services Ltd in Hampshire

Inspection report for 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 for up to six children with social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of the inspection, the manager had applied to be registered with Ofsted.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 6 September 2021

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC012001 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/09/2021 Full Good 13/02/2020 Full Outstanding 20/02/2019 Full Outstanding 31/01/2018 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC012001 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There have been significant changes in the home over the past year. A number of the children have moved out and a number of senior members of staff, including the registered manager, have left.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are currently three children living in the home while new staff are being recruited.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children that have left the home have all had planned moves. Staff have considered the impact of these moves on the child and have worked closely with other professionals to ensure that the child’s move went well.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

New children to the home have also had well-planned moves. Staff have worked closely with the children’s social workers and previous carers to ensure that they have had all the essential details to help to inform their practice.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children attend full-time education and one child who recently joined the home is awaiting a school placement. Staff have ensured that the child has a well-structured day so that they are able to engage in alternative education activities until a new school placement is secure.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote children’s independence. One child has transformed, over a period of time, from being absent without permission to being trusted to navigate several modes of public transport to spend time with their family and friends. Another child has joined a local club and is making new friendships. These skills have empowered these children and boosted their self-esteem. One child’s grandparent explained that ‘[child] is becoming a well-rounded adult due to the input of staff.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some children have favourite members of staff and this has led to some inconsistencies in how staff respond to the children. This has on occasion caused children to become unsettled and led to an escalation in their behaviour. The provider’s therapy team has brought in monthly team meetings and ‘child-focused meetings’ to improve consistency in practice, but this is not yet fully embedded.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The admission of one child has been extremely challenging for the staff to manage. Several risks have been present and staff have needed to physically hold the child on several occasions to keep everyone safe.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Records of physical interventions are clearly written and demonstrate a good level of reflection to inform learning. However, there are gaps in the prompt oversight of these records by the manager. On one occasion, this resulted in the manager not picking up on an alleged injury and this created a delay in securing the necessary investigation being triggered. When other allegations have been raised, managers have responded Inspection report for children’s home: SC012001 4 swiftly and ensured that all relevant professionals have been promptly informed and that all the necessary safeguards have been put in place.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

There have been instances when a child has been bullied by another child. Staff have taken swift action to address the incidents of bullying and have educated children that this type of behaviour is not acceptable. Staff have brought in themed cultural evenings to help to educate the children about different cultures and the importance of respect.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

On the rare occasion children go missing from the home, the staff respond effectively. Important people are quickly notified, and staff diligently check all the local areas to find the child and secure their safe return.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is passionate about providing a high quality of care to the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

It has been a difficult period, with changes in staffing and the challenges of recruiting new members of staff. Staff have worked overtime, and agency members of staff have been used to cover staff absences.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The changes in staffing and the difficulties in recruiting new staff have led to the organisation reviewing their recruitment policy. Areas to attract staff have been implemented but are not yet embedded. This has caused a gender imbalance in the staff team. To rectify this imbalance in the short term, the manager has used certain agency members of staff to ensure that there is a balanced staff team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff feel supported in their roles and are positive about the support they receive from the manager. Staff are well trained and receive regular team meetings, quarterly ‘check- ins’ with the manager, mindfulness packages and team bowling evenings that help the staff to feel supported. However, the frequency of staff supervision sessions is not always kept in line with the organisation’s policy and records of these sessions lack how professional curiosity is used to ensure that members of staff are able to discuss safeguarding scenarios to inform their practice. Inspection report for children’s home: SC012001 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 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

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that the home’s workforce plan is followed for the timescales of supervisions. (see regulation 33 (4) (b)). (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.8)  The registered person should ensure that in staff supervisions, the staff are able to engage in the safeguarding culture of the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.14)  The registered person should plan staffing levels to ensure that they meet the needs of children and can respond flexibly to unexpected events or opportunities. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.15)  The registered person should routinely review the effectiveness of any restraint system commissioned. In particular, they should check that the medical assessment of the system remains up to date. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes

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Recommendations

Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.58) Inspection report for 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 for 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: Atria, Spa Road, Bolton, Greater Manchester BL1 4AG

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Sadie Dangerfield

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Inspectors

Matt Nicholls, Social Care Inspector Tony Waite, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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