Children's home run by Hillcrest Children’s Services Ltd in Havant

Inspection report for children’s home: SC482303 1 SC482303 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

This privately owned home provides care for up to eight children. There were six children living in the home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The home’s statement of purpose describes caring for children who have experienced a fragmented education and lifestyle and who also exhibit behavioural difficulties as a result of past emotional and physical trauma. The home has a self- contained flat, which is used to help a child to experience semi-independent living. It is one of several children’s homes owned by this nationwide organisation.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since December 2022.

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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

Date of last inspection: 11 October 2021

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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: SC482303 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/10/2021 Full Outstanding 21/10/2019 Full Outstanding 07/08/2018 Full Outstanding 30/10/2017 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: SC482303 3

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outstanding

This home is filled with love and laughter. There is a feeling of genuine care and respect between children and staff, and towards each other. Children’s progress is outstanding because they benefit from secure, positive relationships with a highly skilled and dedicated staff team.

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outstanding

The children see themselves and staff as a family. The staff have high aspirations for children. This leads to children having high expectations of themselves.

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outstanding

The highly effective staff work cohesively to help children to confront and understand their past trauma. Around the home are boxes of tools that children can take to help them to self-regulate or give to staff if they need support but cannot ask for it. This means that children can tell staff that they are struggling and need an adult to be nearby.

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outstanding

Children’s attendance in education is exceptional. The communication between the education providers and the home is strong, and staff understand the importance of education. They proactively support children to attend. There are excellent morning routines in place that help children to get ready for school and ensure that they leave in a positive mood. This means that children arrive at school happy, relaxed, and ready to learn.

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outstanding

Staff update personalised photo books several times a year, which have photos of children’s activities and celebrations. Children will often look at the books with staff, and when they leave, they take them with them. This helps children to remember the positive experiences that they have had while living in the home.

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outstanding

The house is decorated to an excellent standard. Since the last inspection, all seven bathrooms have been refurbished and redecorated. All the wooden flooring and carpets have been replaced and the children have redecorated their own bedrooms. The entrance hall has been decorated by a local artist. Each child and member of staff were asked to think of something that made them happy, and this was incorporated into the decoration of the entrance hall.

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outstanding

The children were very proud to show off their beauty room. A child said that it was nice that they could all get ready together before going out on an activity, just like you would with your friends.

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outstanding

Children are involved with the local village. Two children often walk one of the villager’s dogs. Children attend events in the village and have had hot chocolate stalls at the Christmas and Easter fairs. This means that children are integrated into their local community. Inspection report for children’s home: SC482303 4 Children raise money for charities that are meaningful to them. Children have developed an understanding of others’ needs, and show empathy and care for people in the wider world.

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outstanding

Staff want children to have the same experiences as their peers and understand the importance of children building and maintaining positive friendships with children outside the home. The children are encouraged to have friends over to visit and some children have had friends for sleepovers.

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outstanding

In most cases, the children who live in the home have previously experienced a great deal of trauma. The staff implement high-quality risk assessments and behaviour support plans to ensure that children are safe. The staff use key-work sessions to help the children to recognise and understand risks. As a result, risk taking behaviour significantly reduces as children become safer.

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outstanding

Children rarely go missing from the home. When they do, staff actively search for them, and work with them on their return. A child said, ‘If I go missing, I know that the staff look for me and try to call me, they are always pleased when I come home and ask me where I have been, I don’t like them asking but I know it’s because they care about me.’

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outstanding

The staff work closely with the local police community support officer, who often visits the home and keeps the manager updated about any potential risks in the local area. He has developed a good relationship with the children. This is significant for children who previously may have regarded the police with fear or suspicion. Having a range of trusted professionals to speak to if they are worried contributes to children’s protection and sense of security.

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outstanding

The staff provide a stable environment. The consistent staff team supports the children to feel safe, loved and secure. Staff are confident and knowledgeable about safeguarding the children. Staff know how to report concerns and follow the home’s safeguarding policies.

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outstanding

The staff consistently implement agreed boundaries and rules. These boundaries help children to feel safe and understand staff expectations of them.

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outstanding

Staff ensure that they give ample time for children to express any worries or concerns. The children are confident that if they make a complaint, staff will listen to and act on it.

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outstanding

The staff creatively and consistently challenge unwanted behaviours. They understand the link between behaviours and past traumas, and help children to reflect on their actions and find better ways of managing their thoughts and feelings. Inspection report for children’s home: SC482303 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff work exceptionally well together. The manager has developed a highly positive culture and nurturing family environment. Staff understand that this is crucial for children to thrive.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager continuously strives for improvement. She actively researches new practices and uses the information that she finds to develop strategies that support children to make progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager understands the importance of working in partnership with social workers and other professionals. She proactively advocates for children and challenges decisions made by other professionals when she believes that those decisions are not made with children’s best interests in mind. In one example this led to a child being able to attend a school that was more suitable for their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Families and social workers speak highly of the manager and staff team. A child’s family member said, ‘The manager and staff go above and beyond and truly love and want the best for her, she is doing so well we are so proud of how far she has come.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Children are clearly at the centre of the home. They are consulted in all decisions about the way that the home is run. There are photos of children in all of the communal areas of the home. Children enjoyed showing these to the inspector and explaining where they were when the photos were taken.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager holds regular staff meetings and training sessions that support the staff. This ensures that they adopt a shared and consistent approach. The staff said that they feel motivated and inspired by the manager’s commitment to achieving the best possible outcomes for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Highly detailed and informative risk assessments are completed as part of the referral process. The manager ensures that if staff need any additional training to meet a new child’s needs, this is completed before the child moves in to the home. The children are informed about any children who are due to move in and help staff to prepare a welcome basket and a card. This helps children who are new to the home know that they are welcome.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has excellent oversight of practice and care. This enables her to identify trends and patterns to inform updates to children’s care plans and risk assessments. The manager also makes effective use of the independent person’s monthly report to identify areas of development to drive continuous improvement. Inspection report for children’s home: SC482303 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: SC482303 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: Bryn Melyn Care Limited, Atria, Spa Road, Bolton, Greater Manchester BL1 4AG

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Sadie Dangerfield

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Inspector

Trish Palmer, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC482303 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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