Children's home run by Hillcrest Children‟s Services (2) Limited

Inspection report for children’s home: 2547611 1 Registered provider: Hillcrest Children’s 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 was registered with Ofsted in June 2020. It provides care for up to five children who have experienced trauma that has left them with social and emotional needs. The home is privately owned and forms part of a larger organisation that offers education and therapeutic support.

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Information about this children’s home

There has been no registered manager since August 2022. A manager is in post and has recently applied to register 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 December 2022

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2547611 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/12/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 19/05/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2547611 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, no children have moved in or out of the home. There are currently four children living at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have positive relationships with staff. The interactions between staff and children were observed to be kind and caring. Staff take into account children’s histories when caring for them. They are sensitive about their past experiences, culture and identity. This helps children to build trusting relationships with safe adults who genuinely care about them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have positive relationships with each other and are polite and considerate. On one occasion, a child was observed asking another child whether they would like a hug, and respected their choice not to have one. These relationships help the children live together in a happy environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to develop their independence according to their age and understanding. They take responsibility for household tasks such as helping with washing or cooking. This helps children to develop the skills needed as they grow towards adulthood.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most children attend school regularly and are doing well with their education. When children are not attending school, the manager works well with other professionals to find a suitable school place as soon as possible. In the meantime, staff are supporting one child, who has been out of education for a long period, to establish a good daily routine. This includes getting up early and engaging with staff during the day in informal learning activities. Staff are also encouraging reading for fun to help improve the child’s literacy skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children do not always attend health appointments. One child missed two appointments. On another occasion, a concern in relation to a child’s emotional health was not followed up quickly enough and information was not passed on to the home’s clinical support service. This means that children’s health needs are not always met.

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

Children living at the home feel safe. They trust that staff will care for them and they also know who to talk to if they have a concern. Children are supported, through discussions with staff, to understand risks and how to keep themselves safe. However, opportunities are sometimes missed to fully explore issues. On one occasion, following a serious incident, staff did not complete follow-up discussions that may have helped the child to reflect on what had happened. Inspection report for children’s home: 2547611 4 Staff manage children’s behavioural needs well. De-escalation techniques are used to calm situations and physical intervention is used in a proportionate way and only when absolutely necessary. Children are supported to learn ways to manage difficult emotions and staff provide children with clear boundaries. The manager provides critical oversight of all incidents, and this helps staff to

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

When allegations are made, the manager notifies all relevant parties quickly. The manager works well with other professionals and internal investigations are completed. The safety of all children is considered, and appropriate action is taken to safeguard them while investigations are ongoing.

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

Medication is generally managed well, however, on one occasion, the records were not completed to show whether a child’s medication had been given. As a result, it was not possible to say whether the child received their medication or not.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home now has a new manager, following a period of instability. The new manager has a clear vision for the home and is enthusiastic and committed to providing a high level of care. She has excellent relationships with children and models a child-focused and nurturing approach. The manager has quickly identified the key areas for development and, with senior managers, has implemented an action plan for improvement.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has sufficient staff to care for the children living at the home. Staff enjoy working at the home and feel valued and supported by managers.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff do not always receive regular supervision and not all have received an annual appraisal. This has meant staff have not always been given the opportunity to reflect on their work and learn from their experiences. One member of staff has not completed the required qualification within regulatory timescales. The managers are aware of these shortfalls and have a plan to rectify the issues. Inspection report for children’s home: 2547611 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, The 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 health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met;

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being; and

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Requirement Due date

children are helped to lead healthy lifestyles.

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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

that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that children are supported to attend health appointments and that any health concerns are followed up, with prompt referrals for specialist support. 27 July 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

In particular the registered person must ensure that—

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Requirement Due date

a record is kept of the administration of medicine to each child. (Regulation 23 (1) (2)(c)

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that all medication administered is recorded accurately and that any errors are addressed promptly. 27 July 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. 27 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2547611 6 The registered person may only—

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home,

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) ("the Level 3 Diploma"); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

The relevant date is— in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(b) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that all staff achieve the required qualification within expected timescales.

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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; and 27 July 2023 Inspection report for children’s home: 2547611 7 have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should ensure that all staff receive regular supervision and an appraisal at least annually.

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that children are supported to understand risks and how to keep themselves safe and to learn from safeguarding incidents. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 43, paragraph 9.10)

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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: 2547611 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hillcrest Children’s 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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Inspectors

Vicky Smith, Social Care Inspector Jessica Forshaw, Regional Inspector Manager Inspection report for children’s home: 2547611 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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