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

Inspection report for children’s home: SC398482 1 SC398482 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

The home is registered to provide care for up to four children. It is part of a large social care company. The home provides therapeutic care and education for children who may have experienced neglect, abuse or trauma.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager of the home registered with Ofsted in May 2018.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: outstanding

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC398482 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/08/2021 Full Outstanding 22/01/2020 Full Good 29/08/2018 Full Good 14/03/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC398482 3

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outstanding

Children receive exceptional care from staff who want the very best outcomes for them. The staff are caring and nurturing in their approach with children. Equally, they work hard to get to know the children and build good relationships with them. These relationships provide the foundation from which children flourish.

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outstanding

Children see themselves and staff as a family unit. The staff team provides a nurturing environment where children are valued, respected and encouraged to achieve. One child told the inspector, ‘The home is outstanding because of the great staff and manager.’

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outstanding

Before children move in, the manager goes out of her way to find out about the children’s likes and dislikes. Staff use this information creatively to welcome children. For example, their bedrooms are personalised and reflect children’s individual personalities. When they move into the home, a wide range of activities are undertaken to help children develop a sense of belonging. Children benefit from positive transitions into the home and settle in extremely well.

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outstanding

Children make significant progress from their starting points. This is because care planning is highly effective. Proactive managers and staff ensure that children have access to specialised therapeutic support. They embrace the research-based practice, knowledge and support that comes with working closely with the therapist attached to the home. Because of this dedicated support, children receive the guidance they need to learn ways of managing their emotions, which in turn improves their relationships with others.

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outstanding

Managers and staff support children to make educational progress. The manager has worked closely with a school to manage risk for one child. As a result, he made enough progress to attend a residential skiing trip. Educational stability for two children has led to an appointment for their educational needs to be thoroughly assessed. Staff provide excellent support to one child who struggles to engage with school. The manager has challenged other professionals robustly when there has not been enough progress made to support children’s educational needs.

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outstanding

Staff sensitively support children who experience traumatic events. One child living in the home experienced a bereavement. Staff work sensitively to help the child process his thoughts and feelings safely. They do this in creative ways, such as releasing balloons and putting memorial plants in the garden.

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outstanding

Staff understand the value of creating positive life experiences for children and the importance of making happy memories. Staff inspire and empower children to take part in positive activities and clubs, such as boxing lessons, charity events and voluntary work. Children enjoy a range of activities, such as summer fun days, day Inspection report for children’s home: SC398482 4 trips and holidays. This helps children to improve their social skills, increase their confidence, have fun and make lasting memories. Staff capture and record these memories in creative ways to ensure that children have an informative narrative of their time at the home.

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outstanding

Staff go above and beyond to support children to keep in touch with their families. This helps children to maintain and rebuild relationships with people who are important to them. Two family members praised the home for its commitment to supporting family time. One family member stated, ‘They are amazing; it’s a big thing, and I really appreciate it.’ Another family member stated, ‘Nothing is too much trouble.’

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outstanding

The support that children receive when they leave the home is outstanding. When children are preparing to leave the home, staff work diligently to ensure that their move is successful. The manager and staff go over and above to ensure that this is a positive experience in which children continue to feel valued and supported. For example, staff deep cleaned and redecorated flats for two children and ensured that they were appropriately furnished. Even after they leave, children who have lived at the home stay in touch and are always welcome.

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outstanding

Children’s safety is an absolute priority for managers and staff. Children say that they feel safe. During the inspection, children were observed seeking out the manager and staff to talk about their day, reflect on things that had happened and explore their feelings. One parent said, ‘I know [name of child] feels very secure there. He is safe, and he feels that as well.’

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outstanding

Staff know that children have had a difficult life journey. They understand that at times, children may exhibit some challenging behaviour that may cause harm. Staff are proactive in their approach towards the children and seek ways in which harm can be reduced. Staff provide excellent care and support to help them feel safe and secure. This helps the children to become very settled, content and happy.

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outstanding

Staff have almost eradicated the need for any physically restrictive interventions in the home. In view of children’s starting points and presentation when arriving at the home, this is a remarkable achievement. The strength of relationships between children and staff has supported this progress. Staff follow a restorative approach to respond to challenging behaviours and will have discussions about making better choices.

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outstanding

The manager and staff respond extremely well when children harm themselves. Staff are supportive, caring and responsive. They work closely with health professionals to increase their knowledge, attend training and take time to understand why self-harm happens. Children, with help from the staff, have gradually developed other coping strategies, and incidents in which children harm themselves have reduced. Inspection report for children’s home: SC398482 5 Children do not go missing from home. The manager proactively organises additional training to ensure that staff have the skills and knowledge to keep children safe in the event that they do. In addition, a strong partnership and excellent working relationship with the local police community support officer support a proactive approach to educating children about risks associated with contextual safeguarding. This helps children to understand risks and develop

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outstanding

Staff place a strong focus on the welfare of each child and provide clear parameters for the use of the internet as well as having appropriate safeguards in place. Children are well supported and receive helpful guidance to keep themselves safe online. When incidents do occur, prompt responses from staff increase children’s safety. Risk assessments completed by staff are comprehensive, realistic and contribute effectively to safeguarding the children in their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is passionate, innovative and an exceptional leader. She is a role model to her staff team, and as a result, staff lead with her. The manager and staff keep children at the centre of everything they do. They have been instrumental in helping children to make progress and ensuring that they have positive experiences when they live at this home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Despite changes as a result of three children moving on and three children moving into the home, the quality of care and the strength of the relationships between children, their families and staff have remained. The home continues to thrive through change, and this is a credit to the manager and her leadership of this home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The home has a stable, consistent team of staff that provides continuity for children. Staff say that they enjoy working at the home, and all staff spoken to share a sense of feeling valued. The manager makes staff well-being a priority, and new staff feel welcomed into the home. This adds to the positive environment for children. One member of staff said, ‘I could never have imagined feeling more welcome.’ Other comments from staff include, ‘management of the home is excellent’, ‘[name of manager] is absolutely amazing’, and ‘[name of manager] shows so much care, it makes you want to care just as much’.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has a clear vision for the home and has created an environment where staff are continually supported to learn and develop. The training provided is focused on the needs of the children and is kept under regular review to ensure that it meets any emerging needs. Reflective practice is deeply embedded, and this was echoed by two therapists that work with the home. Staff work hard to keep up to date with current research and use this to inform their practice with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Children experience care from staff who are exceptional advocates for them. The manager advocates for children until their voices are heard and does not accept practice or decisions that may compromise children’s safety or well-being. The Inspection report for children’s home: SC398482 6 manager has gone over and above to challenge plans and decisions made about children when she does not believe they are in their best interests. This challenge has improved outcomes for children in areas such as education and transitions from the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager makes effective use of internal and external monitoring to ensure a continual focus on the development of the home. She is clear that there is always something new to learn and welcomes new ideas and approaches. This helps to enhance the quality of care and improves outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff use a wide range of methods to ensure that children’s wishes and feelings are listened to and responded to. Recently, staff have explored research about the impact of institutional language. It was evident throughout the inspection that this was a ‘live’ piece of work that involved children. Children reflected in the moment and talked openly to staff about the language being used. For example, one child told a member of staff that he does not like the term ‘free time’. This was responded to with curiosity and care and is bringing about change in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Communicating with children’s families is a strength in this home. This approach supports parents to be fully involved in the care around their child. There is exceptionally good communication between staff and parents. This means that approaches to care are understood by all. This also ensures that there is consistency in care when children have family time. A family member stated, ‘I feel like they go above and beyond to keep maintaining our relationships.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

External professionals hold the staff and manager in high regard. One professional stated, ‘Working with [name of home] is amazing. [Name of manager] is a strong advocate but takes on board absolutely every bit of advice from other professionals.’ A social worker said, ‘Communication between staff and myself is brilliant. They always respond to my emails swiftly, and I never struggle to get hold of staff when needed.’ Inspection report for children’s home: SC398482 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 for children’s home: SC398482 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 for children’s home: SC398482 9 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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