Children's Home run by Hillcrest Children‟s Services (2) Limited in Shropshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC398393 1 SC398393 Registered provider: Hillcrest Childrens Services (2) Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides care for up to three children who have experienced early childhood trauma. A large private organisation operates this home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since December 2019. He holds a leadership and management qualification at level 5.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC398393 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

20/07/2021 Full Good 03/02/2020 Full Good 04/12/2018 Full Good 09/05/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC398393 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of this inspection, three children were living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported well when they move into and out of the home. The manager works closely with other professionals to ensure that these transitions meet the needs of the children. Despite challenges that have led to placements ending, children keep in touch with staff at the home. This is because staff build good relationships with children through commitment, determination and resilience.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The provider recognises that the home has experienced an unsettled period. This is due to the dynamics between two children who came to live at the home. Although the effect on each child was assessed, it became apparent that the two children were not as compatible as was first thought. Managers have carried out a robust review of impact risk assessments and they have identified learning through this review and are implementing this learning in practice.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children to make progress in their education. Although two children were not consistently in formal education, alternative arrangements had been put in place in an attempt to meet their learning needs. Another child is making good academic progress. Staff attend education meetings to support children’s educational attainment and are committed to transporting one child to and from school. This promotes positive progress for children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote children’s health and well-being. They make sure that children are up to date with primary health appointments. Staff are proactive in supporting children’s health needs. For example, they have worked closely with health professionals for one child to increase their understanding of his needs. Other children have been supported well when new and emerging health needs have been identified.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff advocate well for children in their care. They help children to reconnect and maintain relationships with their families. Staff work collaboratively with families to keep them involved in children’s care. This means that children are well supported to stay in touch with the people who are most important to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from a wide range of new and enjoyable activities. Staff work hard to get to know children and their likes and interests. This includes, but is not limited to, riding bicycles, walking, paddleboarding, ice skating and going to theme parks. In addition, they have supported another child to explore a part-time job to develop his independence and support his interests.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

An increase in incidents has occasionally impacted on the time that staff have been able to spend with one child. This child told the inspector that an activity that was important to him had been cancelled. When incidents occur that impact on other Inspection report children’s home: SC398393 4 children, staff do not always ensure that they evidence follow-up support with all children involved so that they understand what has happened and why.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Generally, children live in a warm and homely environment. When damage is caused to the home, this is rectified quickly. The environment is spacious, which means that children have access to a variety of areas they can enjoy together or independently. However, two children’s bedrooms were observed to require cleaning, and a carpet has been damaged to an extent that it does not fit in with the warm and homely feel of the rest of the environment.

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

Risk assessments are robust. The manager ensures that these documents are regularly reviewed and that they provide clear guidance for staff. Staff follow this guidance, which helps them to keep children safe. Staff are trained and knowledgeable around the risks identified for children. The manager identified further training in response to an increase in missing-from-home incidents. As a result, staff have good knowledge and a skill base that is kept up to date.

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

Managers and staff have good knowledge and a clear understanding of the processes to follow when reporting concerns regarding the safety of children. Leaders and managers ensure that all concerns are promptly shared with the designated officer for safeguarding, children’s social workers and other relevant individuals. Shortfalls are addressed and lessons are learned when needed. This helps to reduce risk to children.

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

Children who are at risk of going missing from home have detailed risk assessments in place. When children go missing, staff respond proactively and work collaboratively with safeguarding agencies. Detailed records are completed, and staff maintain contact with family members. This helps staff to locate children as quickly as possible and put plans in place to reduce risk. The manager tracks children’s missing-from-home incidents. This helps him to proactively identify patterns in behaviours and share these promptly with safeguarding professionals in an attempt to reduce risk to children.

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

Children benefit from the secure and consistent relationships they have with staff. This allows them to discuss their emotions and feelings. Staff manage children’s behaviour and incidents well. When staff use physical intervention to keep children safe, this is proportionate and appropriate. Staff respond with a nurturing and reflective approach to ensure that relationships are repaired quickly. They do this in partnership with children.

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

Staff carry out a wide range of educational work with children to help them understand risk and risky behaviours. Staff ensure that high-risk incidents from inappropriate mobile phone and internet use are discussed with children. This supports children to be reflective and work in partnership with staff to develop strategies to keep themselves safe. Inspection report children’s home: SC398393 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A child-focused manager leads the home. He has an excellent understanding of the children’s experiences, personalities, needs and risks. Children are cared for by consistent and committed staff who demonstrate unwavering support to them. This helps children to build meaningful relationships with the people who are caring for them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is quick to escalate concerns when he does not think that other agencies are acting in the best interests of children or that their response does not support children’s safety. The manager has ensured that regular meetings are held to review concerns and that clear time frames are set for resolving any concerns about children’s care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Clear monitoring processes are used by leaders and the manager well. These range from daily and monthly discussions with children regarding their achievements to monthly managers’ reviews and regular reviews of risk. These good monitoring systems enable managers to develop an understanding of children’s progress and form a basis for information sharing. This helps to ensure that children’s progress is reviewed regularly and that appropriate action is taken to support care planning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have access to training, which is mostly online. Staff complete the organisation’s mandatory training, such as first aid, safeguarding and fire safety. In addition, the manager proactively identifies training in response to children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff do not always complete records to a good quality. At the time of the inspection, the manager identified this and was already working with staff to improve the quality of their recording. A recommendation is made to ensure that this work continues and improvements are implemented.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home’s statement of purpose details the quality and purpose of care. However, managers have not provided Ofsted with the most up-to-date copy of this as required by regulation. Inspection report children’s home: SC398393 6

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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 positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that behavioural incidents in the home are reflected on with children and that managers ensure that action is taken to explore children’s experiences and views. 10 January 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1.

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Requirement Due date

notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16 (1) (3)(b)) 10 January 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should provide a nurturing and supportive environment that is homely. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) Inspection report children’s home: SC398393 7

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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 children’s home: SC398393 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hillcrest Childrens Services (2) Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Atria, Spa Road, Bolton, Greater Manchester BL1 4AG

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Inspector

Natasha Skinner, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC398393 9 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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