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

Inspection report for children’s home: 1259508 1 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 home is privately owned and provides care for up to eight children who experience social and emotional difficulties. At the time of the inspection, eight children were living at the home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in September 2023.

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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: 6 February 2024

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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: 1259508 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

06/02/2024 Full Outstanding 21/06/2022 Full Good 08/03/2022 Full Requires improvement to be good 18/03/2019 Full Outstanding Inspection report for children’s home: 1259508 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children are thriving because they are looked after by staff who are committed to providing high-quality care. There is a stable staff team, which promotes consistent practice. Relationships between children and staff are based on trust, respect and humour. The parent of a child who has moved into the home since the last inspection said, ‘I hear him laughing and he hadn’t done that for a long time. He tells me he is happy, and I can see it.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Excellent partnership working with children’s placing authorities ensures that staff understand and implement children’s care plans. Children’s views about the way they are looked after are gathered and carefully recorded in their care and support plans. As a result, children are being looked after in line with their preferences and they feel secure because they understand what is expected of them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Processes that are followed when children move into or out of the home are thorough and thoughtful. Moves take place at a pace that is suitable for children’s individual needs. During their time at the home, children are encouraged and supported to learn the skills that they will need to live more independently in the future. Staff demonstrate a deep commitment to wanting children to achieve well in life.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children enjoy spending time with each other and with staff. Mealtimes are a particularly positive time for children. As a result of established relationships, children are sensitive to each other’s likes and dislikes. Staff model kindness and empathy. Consequently, children learn how understanding feelings and responses can contribute to building and maintaining positive relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff provide sensitive support to children and encourage them to try new activities. All children’s achievements are celebrated, which improves their self-esteem. The unwavering support that children receive from staff gives them confidence they can achieve their goals and helps them to be aspirational for the future. Examples of children’s aspirations include joining the emergency services, attending university and achieving their sporting goals.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children’s health and education are priorities for staff. The parent of one child told inspectors that their child is now sleeping better and now looks forward to school and participating in activities. Managers and staff proactively advocate for children when they believe that they are not receiving the support they need from external agencies.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Staff understand the importance of children maintaining contact with their families and other people who are important to them. Staff work hard to find the best way to achieve this, such as inviting children’s families to the home to celebrate special events. As a result, children, their families and friends have positive experiences that enhance their relationships. Inspection report for children’s home: 1259508 4

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

Children say that they feel safe living in the home. As a result of the trusting relationships they have with staff, children know that they can share any concerns they have. Children spoke confidently to inspectors about who they would speak to if they were worried about themselves or others.

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

Staff and managers know the children extremely well and have an exceptionally thorough understanding of their strengths and vulnerabilities. Risk assessments clearly describe how to keep children safe and are updated when children’s needs change.

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

Incidents of children going missing from the home are very rare. When they occur, staff follow missing-from-home procedures. They appropriately involve external professionals to ensure that children return home safely as soon as possible.

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

Physical intervention is used only when necessary to keep children safe. A thorough review by the management team ensures that the use of the measure was proportionate, and reparation is prioritised. Well-planned key-work sessions provide opportunities for children to learn safe ways of managing their emotions. As a result, the frequency of incidents of children becoming upset to the extent that this is a risk to the welfare of themselves or others has significantly decreased for all children.

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

The systems for administration of medication promote safe practice. Record-keeping arrangements for medicines are excellent. Managers carry out regular medication audits. The result of these measures is that medication errors are extremely rare.

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

Health and safety matters are managed to a very high standard. Maintenance and repairs are addressed in a timely manner. Staff take pride in ensuring that the environment is homely and safe. Children and staff take part in regular fire drills. This means that children know how to keep themselves safe in the event of an emergency.

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

When children make allegations about staff, managers respond swiftly to ensure children’s safety and well-being. External safeguarding agencies are consulted before thorough investigations are carried out. This results in timely, independent scrutiny of the plans which are put in place to safeguard children. However, records do not fully demonstrate the robust response to allegations that takes place in practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is extremely compassionate and child focused. She leads by example, and so staff a have sound understanding of the positive impact high-quality care has on outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Highly effective monitoring and quality assurance systems provide the registered manager with the information she needs to thoroughly scrutinise the quality of care that Inspection report for children’s home: 1259508 5 children receive. The registered manager’s oversight enables her to monitor patterns and trends and to swiftly adjust systems and processes when this is needed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Safer recruitment practice is excellent. The registered manager reviews all recruitment records to ensure that only suitable adults are employed to work at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff receive regular supervision, performance development reviews and training that helps them to meet the needs of the children they are looking after. As a result, children are looked after by exceptionally well-informed staff. Staff feel valued and respected, which promotes a culture of positivity and inspires staff to provide nurturing care to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff attend regular team briefings. They use these forums to discuss children’s current needs and their progress. This means that all staff fully understand how to meet children’s needs in line with their care plans and risk assessments.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager proactively seeks independent scrutiny on the home’s function and staff’s practice via the independent person’s monthly reporting. In addition, the registered manager carries out their own quality of care review. This identifies the home’s strengths and weaknesses and promotes continuous improvement in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager makes good use of the independent person’s reports and of her own review of the quality of care provided to children. The registered manager has clear plans for the development of the service and is aware of strengths and weaknesses and how to address these. Inspection report for children’s home: 1259508 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that records demonstrate that children are listened to and enabled to report any allegations at the earliest opportunity. Any allegation of harm or abuse must be addressed in line with the home’s child protection policy. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraph 9.17)

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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: 1259508 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: Maybrook House, Third Floor, Queensway, Halesowen B63 4AH

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Inspectors

Jill Sephton-Wright, Social Care Inspector Becky Paradise, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1259508 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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