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

Inspection report for children’s home: 2534684 1 Registered provider: Hillcrest Children’s Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private company and provides care for up to five children. According to the statement of purpose, staff aim to help children overcome difficulties they have experienced in their young lives and to prepare them for their eventual return to their families, or long-term foster care. Two children were living in the home at the time of this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The post for a registered manager has been a vacant since November 2023. However, the manager has 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 February 2024

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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: 2534684 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/02/2024 Full Requires improvement to be good 17/05/2022 Full Good 20/05/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2534684 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager has worked hard to address the shortfalls identified at the last inspection in February 2024. There has been an improvement in the manager’s monitoring, staff recruitment and in helping staff to build positive relationships with the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last full inspection, there are two new staff working in the home. They have completed their inductions and mandatory training, and they continue to evidence their professional development in their probation workbooks. This is regularly monitored by the manager in supervision sessions, and appropriate actions are set to help upskill and further develop new staff’s confidence and understanding. A new member of staff said, ‘I feel supported to develop and learn.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager is a strong advocate in keeping the children in their education settings and attending these provisions full time. When concerns arise, she meets with education professionals and allocated social workers to review the support measures in place. This means that children are making good academic progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager has a good understanding of children’s wishes and feelings. She is working effectively with one child’s social worker and advocating for the child’s wish to move to another home that is in a less rural location. This puts the child at the centre of practice and in the decisions made about their future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff use a variety of ways to sustain and promote family time in accordance with the children’s relevant plans. They support outings and activities locally and arrange quality time with children’s families. This approach helps the children to preserve a sense of belonging and identity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager monitors and reviews incidents that occur in the home and speaks to the children and staff about them. This information is used to review and alter daily routines and activities. For one child, this has changed how staff settle them before they go to bed. The child said, ‘I like it when staff read to me before I go to sleep.’

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

Staff have a good understanding of children’s strengths and vulnerabilities. Staff support and encourage children to take age-appropriate risks and explore clubs and teenage friendships. Staff support the children to develop their understanding of danger through key-work sessions, reflection and open conversations. This helps children to increase their awareness of potential risks.

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

The manager has implemented a clear and descriptive risk management plan for one child. This includes important and necessary information to guide and signpost staff when managing specific risks. This plan has been shared with the child’s allocated social Inspection report for children’s home: 2534684 4 worker, school staff and clinical support services. This collaborative approach means that children’s risks are explored, reviewed, and strategies are agreed by all supporting professionals.

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

The manager has placed a strong focus on effective risk management. Following incidents, she reviews staff strategies to help identify any areas of improvement and provides space for staff reflection. Staff say they welcome this approach as it is helping them learn and navigate the complexities in meeting the specific needs of each child. However, not all positive and preventative strategies are recorded in one child’s positive behaviour support plan. This is a missed opportunity to further evidence how these discussions and decisions are used to update and underpin consistent staff practice.

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

Staff and children are clear on what to do in the event of a fire. There is appropriate firefighting equipment in the home, and staff carry out regular tests and drills with children to practise how to respond in the event of a fire. All staff training is up to date and refreshed regularly. The manager is in the process of outsourcing fire extinguisher training for staff following a recent fire assessment recommendation.

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

In February 2024, a fire survey of the home was carried out by an external contractor. This identified some low-level and two medium-level risks that required management oversight and action. The manager has appropriately responded to the low-level risks and work has been carried out to reduce one medium-level risk. However, immediate action was only taken on the day of the inspection to address the last remaining recommendation. This demonstrates a lack of leadership urgency and understanding in responding to identified risks and recommendations.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last full inspection, there have been two changes in the nominated responsible individual. This has been to support leadership changes and to help with geographic oversight and monitoring. Ofsted was notified of these changes before the inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager was appointed in December 2023 and has submitted her application to register with Ofsted. All requirements and one recommendation made at the last full inspection have been met. This demonstrates the manager’s commitment and abilities in developing practice when shortfalls are identified.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager speaks ambitiously about children and the development of staff. She is clear on the home’s strengths and weaknesses and has tangible ideas and expectations for the continual developments in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say they feel well supported and receive regular supervision and training. Supervision sessions are reflective and promote staff professional development. For new staff, the manager has increased supervision in line with practice policy. This has been pivotal in identifying and supporting staff practice needs. Inspection report for children’s home: 2534684 5 Staff who are trained in the provider’s therapeutic model of care help the children to manage their turmoil and to develop better coping skills and strategies. However, on occasion, the success of this is undermined by some newer staff who lack experience. The manager and staff are fully aware of this and regularly reflect and discuss incidents that have occurred in the home. They attend regular and insightful clinical workshops and training opportunities. This is supporting staff who are new to the home to build relationships with the children, gain experience and embed the therapeutic model of

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

care. Inspection report for children’s home: 2534684 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

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a) applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that all identified actions from external fire risk assessments are responded to without delay. 14 August 2024

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home. (Regulation 14 (1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person must ensure that children’s records reflect how staff strategies are used to positively promote relationships with children. 14 August 2024

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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: 2534684 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Hillcrest Children’s Services Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Kelly Monniot, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2534684 8 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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