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

Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC398377 1 SC398377

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Registered provider: Hillcrest Childrens 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

A large private company owns this home. It provides care for up to four children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a permanent registered manager, who is suitably experienced and qualified.

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Inspection date: 16 December 2024

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Information about this inspection

At this inspection, the inspector evaluated:

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Information about this inspection

 the care of children  the safety of children  the effectiveness of leaders and managers. The inspector has looked closely at the experiences and progress of children, using the social care common inspection framework. This assurance 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’. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC398377 2

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Findings from the inspection

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance inspection.

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Findings from the inspection

At the time of this inspection, there were two children living at the home. One has lived there for five months and the other for two months. Since the last inspection, three children have moved out, and two children have moved in.

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Findings from the inspection

Children are supported to have positive moves into and out of the home, even when short notice is given. For example, when one child was given little notice of their move from the home, staff stayed with them at their new home for two weeks. This enabled the child and staff to say goodbye and helped the child settle in their new environment. Another child had opportunities to visit this home, meet staff and discuss their views and feelings before moving in.

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Findings from the inspection

Children have made progress while living in the home. For example, one child struggled with new relationships when they first arrived. They are now happy to engage with staff and are forming trusting relationships with them, which is helping them to settle. The child told the inspector by letter that they rated the home 10 out of 10 and liked the staff.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff worked hard to try and create a harmonious environment for the children to thrive in. Due to different staffing requirements, one child felt the other received more attention than them. This sometimes caused friction in the home. Staff were conscious of this and arranged for the child to have a holiday away with staff. They were also conscious to ensure that regular staff spent time with the child, helping to maintain positive relationships in the home.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff do not adequately support children to reach their education potential. Neither child is currently attending or engaging in formal education. The children do not have a structured plan in place to support and encourage them to participate in education in the interim to help them gain confidence and prepare them for their return to formal education.

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Findings from the inspection

While the home generally provides a pleasant and homely environment, there are some aspects that detract from this. These include missing cupboard doors in the kitchen and lounge, lack of covering for one child’s window and some litter in the garden. While staff were able to demonstrate that a window covering had been ordered and funding for a new kitchen agreed, it was not evident that these were being completed in a timely way, helping the children to feel valued.

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Findings from the inspection

Staff keep children safe. Staff understand the risks posed to the children in their care and are supported by clear plans. One child regularly goes missing, and this has led to a high number of police call outs, which can be triggering to the child. However, as staff are getting to know the child better, they are working with a multi- Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC398377 3 disciplinary team to identify alternative plans. This is enabling staff to keep the child safe while avoiding the need for unnecessary police intervention.

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Findings from the inspection

Children are not always given the opportunity to discuss and understand the dangers of unsafe behaviours. For example, there has been limited work undertaken with one child to help them understand potential dangers when they go missing from home and equip them with information needed to make better choices to keep themselves safe.

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Findings from the inspection

The care of children is heavily reliant on a small number of staff supported by the manager and deputy manager. This has led to staff working long hours or additional days, which is not sustainable in the longer term. Senior leaders have provided assurance that no new children will be placed in the home until there are sufficient staff and the entire team has the appropriate training and skills in place.

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Findings from the inspection

The manager and leaders recognise the shortfalls in the staff team and are taking action to ensure children are not put at risk because of it. Recruitment is underway, with new staff anticipated to start in January 2025. In the interim, the core team is being supported by staff from other homes within the company and agency staff. Leaders have also agreed to urgently provide specific training to new and regular agency staff so that they are better placed to support the core team. The aim is to ensure sufficient staff with the necessary skills are available to meet the children’s needs while giving much needed respite to the core staff team. Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC398377 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

30/04/2024 Full Good 09/05/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 25/01/2023 Full Requires improvement to be good 04/08/2021 Full Good Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC398377 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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(d)(e)) 31 January 2025

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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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

help each child to understand how to keep safe. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the potential dangers to children when they go missing from home. 31 January 2025

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. 31 January 2025 Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC398377 6 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(iii)(iv)(v)(viii))

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure the home is well maintained, and any necessary repairs are promptly addressed. This recommendation is restated as further areas have been identified. Specifically, these are missing cupboard doors in the kitchen and lounge and missing window coverings for a child’s bedroom. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9) Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC398377 7

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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: Maybrook House, Third Floor, Queensway, Halesowen, West Midlands B63 4AH

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Inspector

Louise Naylor, Social Care Inspector Assurance inspection report for children’s home: SC398377 8 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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