Children's Home run by Hillcrest Children‟s Services (2) Limited in Telford and Wrekin

Inspection report for children's home: SC398377 1 SC398377 Registered provider: Hillcrest Children’s Services (2) Limited

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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 four children who have had adverse early childhood experiences and experienced trauma. A large national provider operates this home.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is managed by a suitably qualified and experienced manager who has been in post since May 2023 and was registered with Ofsted in December 2023.

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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: requires improvement to be good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC398377 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/05/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 25/01/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 04/08/2021 Full Good 27/11/2019 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC398377 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the previous inspection, one child has moved into the home and two children have moved out. There are currently three children living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager carefully considers the needs of children before agreeing for them to move into the home. Children receive information about the home, the staff and the children already living there before they move in. They can visit the home, view their bedrooms and spend time with staff and the children. This helps children to understand their future living environment and eases potential anxieties.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have developed positive and trusting relationships with staff. One child said, ‘The staff are nice and treat me well.’ There are warm and friendly interactions between children and staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are met. They are registered with local health services and attend routine appointments. Staff work closely with the in-house clinician, who supports them to understand children’s individual needs. As a result, children’s physical and emotional needs are met.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All three children attend education and are doing well. This is a remarkable achievement for one child who, before moving into the home, was not attending school. The manager and staff worked with external professionals, creating a well-thought-out plan to meet the child’s educational needs. This child talked about her end of year exams and her career aspirations for the future. The combined efforts of staff and education providers foster ambition in children, which motivates them to achieve their potential.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff actively support children to develop independence skills by encouraging them to carry out daily tasks, such as cleaning their bedroom and cooking simple meals. One child manages their own laundry. These skills build independence and prepare children for adult life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children to spend time with those people who are important to them, such as family. Staff have positive relationships with family members, ensuring that safe and meaningful visits take place where appropriate. A family member of one child said, ‘Family time has been amazing, really, really good.’ Staff’s approach aids children in maintaining connections with people who are significant in their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is welcoming and well decorated. Photos of children are displayed around the house. Children’s bedrooms are personalised and comfortably furnished. However, some internal maintenance work is still required, which undermines the homely atmosphere. Inspection report for children's home: SC398377 4

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

Staff provide a nurturing and safe environment for children. Children say that they feel safe. One child said, ‘I feel safe at the home. Staff support me and I know they care. I will talk to staff if I need to.’

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

Staff respond quickly when children go missing from the home. They follow missing- from-home protocols and actively look for the children and work with the local police until children are found. When children return to the home, staff spend time with them, giving them the opportunity to share any worries or anxieties they have and to discuss their reasons for going missing. In addition to this, staff support children to know about the risks of going missing and how to keep themselves safe.

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

Staff manage children’s behaviours well. Physical restraint is used as a last resort, after staff have exhausted all de-escalation techniques. The manager has oversight of all incidents and speaks to staff and children after incidents have occurred. Following all incidents, staff help children to reflect on what has happened. This gives children the opportunity to discuss how they are feeling.

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

Allegations and complaints are managed well. The manager takes prompt action, ensuring information is shared quickly with external professionals to avoid delay and ensure that children are protected from harm. Children are kept informed of any outcomes. These actions support children to feel confident to raise concerns and help children to feel safe.

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

Staff actively employ a nurturing approach when responding to incidents when children injure themselves. They proactively seek medical advice and provide first aid as required. Children receive additional support from the in-house clinician, who uses a therapeutic approach to assist children in understanding their emotions and remaining calm. Furthermore, children are referred to specialist health professionals for extra support, and strategies are implemented to reduce the likelihood of further incidents.

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

The internal systems overseeing children’s internet use are effective. The use of parental controls ensures that children only access age-appropriate content. Additionally, staff educate children about potential online risks and what responsible online behaviour is. These actions help children to use the internet safely.

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

Staff help children to understand their behaviours and successes. These are celebrated through verbal praise and rewards. For example, children can buy an item they want or go out for a snack or drink. Consequences are not used often. When they are used, it is for the purpose of reinforcing boundaries to ensure children’s safety.

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

In the main, children’s medical plans are detailed. However, they do not include clear guidance for staff to follow when children refuse, miss or are administered an overdose of their prescribed medication. This has the potential to put children at risk, as staff lack the required guidance in how to respond to such incidents, leading to delays in necessary medical intervention. Inspection report for children's home: SC398377 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home has a suitably qualified registered manager, who is respected by her staff. She is passionate and child-focused. Children are at the centre of her practice. The manager ensures that she spends time with children, and the children have positive relationships with her. She is supported by an organised deputy manager who is keen to learn and develop.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are extremely positive about the support they receive from the manager. One member of staff said, ‘She’s one of the best managers I have worked with. She does not blur the lines, she deals with matters very well and is one hundred percent supportive.’ Another member of staff said, ‘Working alongside a team of dedicated individuals, I have seen the transformation of the home into an environment I am so proud to be a part of.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures that staff are well supported to carry out their roles effectively. Staff have completed a variety of training relevant to the children’s needs. The therapeutic model of care is understood by all staff. The home has recently been awarded a bronze certificate for demonstrating exceptional support for the children in line with the home’s care model, directly benefiting the emotional health and development of the children in their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff participate in monthly clinical meetings that are led by the provider’s in-house clinician. During these sessions, the clinician provides expert advice to staff to help them understand and meet the children’s needs. Consequently, staff have the knowledge and skills to provide good-quality care to the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are supported through practice-related supervisions. Reflective conversations about the children’s well-being and safeguarding are central to these discussions. The manager understands the importance of staff welfare. This helps to ensure that staff are well prepared and supported to give children the care they need.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff maintain effective partnerships with all professionals to ensure that children benefit from joined up help and support. One social worker said, ‘Staff are so good. They are really good at updating us, I am kept in the loop with everything.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Overall, the manager’s internal monitoring is good. However, she is not always effective in identifying shortfalls in record-keeping. For example, there are no records to show how children’s requests have been actioned following children’s meetings. Children’s records are not consistently updated following incidents when children have gone missing from home, and some documents are not correctly dated. This impacts on the manager’s oversight of the quality of care provided to children. The manager acknowledges these gaps and is putting plans in place to address this. Inspection report for children's home: SC398377 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, 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 registered person must maintain records ("case records") for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered manager ensuring children’s records are updated when children have gone missing from home, that documents are correctly dated and that requests made by children are actioned and recorded. 3 June 2024

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure the home is well maintained and any necessary repairs are promptly addressed. This specifically relates to repairing the bath panel in the children’s bathroom. Additionally, all TV wires should be securely fastened and properly stored to prevent potential health and safety hazards. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 13.9)  The registered person should ensure that children’s medication plans include clear guidance for staff to follow when children refuse, miss or are administered an overdose of their prescribed medication. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35, paragraph 7.15)  The registered person should ensure that their internal monitoring systems are effective. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)

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Recommendations

Inspection report for children's home: SC398377 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: SC398377 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 BL1 4AG

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Inspector

Jas Nahar, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC398377 9 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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