Newlands

Inspection report for children’s home: SC415347 1 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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SC415347 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

The home is operated by a large private provider and has been registered since 12 September 2010. It provides care for up to 4 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties. Four children were living in the home at the time of the inspection and all met with the inspector. Two children have left the home since the last inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since 16 October 2019. A new responsible individual has taken over since the last inspection, and they registered with Ofsted on 22 October 2025.

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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: 10 December 2024

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC415347 2 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/12/2024 Full Good 27/06/2023 Full Good 19/10/2022 Full Good 14/07/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC415347 3 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making positive progress and benefit from a wide range of enjoyable experiences. Staff recognise each child’s individuality, age and stage of development, and they use this to plan activities that children take part in together or on their own. For example, one child regularly visits a nearby theme park, while another attends weekly gaming clubs. These experiences support children’s confidence, interests and sense of enjoyment in their daily lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home provides a warm and welcoming environment. It is cosy and spacious, with large gardens where children can play and relax. Personalised touches throughout the home, including photos and keepsakes, celebrate current and former residents and reflect the positive relationships children build while living here. Children’s bedrooms are personalised and reflect their interests, and one child is developing their nurturing skills through caring for their pet rabbit.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Moves into and out of the home are well planned. Children are supported by familiar staff during visits, regardless of distance, which helps them feel settled and prepared. Children’s views are captured effectively, and the use of a child-friendly guide contributes to children experiencing positive moves. For one child, access to the guide reduced anxiety during the decision-making process and helped them agree to visit and move into the home. However, children do not have memory books containing photos and comments to celebrate and capture their progress and experiences while living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of family time, advocate for it and support safe relationships, including when families live far away. This supports children’s identity and history.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff champion education and support children’s attendance at school. Staff collaborate with other professionals to ensure children have individualised provision that meets their academic and social needs.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff respond promptly to children’s routine and more complex health needs, and recognise their physical and emotional impact, ensuring children receive the support they require.

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

The managers and staff understand their responsibilities to keep children safe. The children are confident to seek support from staff, who they trust. Children feel safe living at the home. Inspection report for children’s home: SC415347 4 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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

Staff are attentive to each child’s needs and provide nurturing care. Their responses are grounded in therapeutic sensitivity, demonstrated through small but thoughtful actions. These gestures help build positive and trusting relationships.

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

The use of physical restraint is seen as a last resort. When used, physical restraint is proportionate and necessary, and the circumstances are well documented. Discussions take place with staff and the child after restraint is used, but these records do not consistently evidence the discussion of the child’s experience of being held or identify practice learning.

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

The manager effectively investigates allegations against staff, in line with policy. Two complaints have been made by children since the last inspection, and both were taken seriously. However, one complaint was not recorded and the home’s protocol was not followed, including the outcome being shared with the child.

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

Since the last inspection, there has been one incident of a child going missing, and staff acted in line with plans that supported the child’s safe return. There was effective communication of the events, including discussions and formal notifications to agencies. However, the incident occurred when the child was out of area and there were some missed opportunities to reflect as a staff team on the circumstances before the missing incident.

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

The home’s statement of purpose explains that bedroom alarms may be used, and the initial rationale in relation to their use for each child is recorded. However, these decisions are not consistently reviewed to ensure the alarms remain necessary or to identify when they should be removed. Window restrictors are also in place, but children’s plans do not explain the reasons for these or how staff will help children understand the associated risks when the restrictors are not in use.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is aspirational and restorative in their approach and is committed to supporting children to succeed.. Their management of the home aligns with the aims and objectives set out in the home’s statement of purpose.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is reflective and increasingly confident in identifying the home’s strengths and weaknesses. However, systems for sharing these clearly and tracking progress are underdeveloped. Children’s plans do not contain specific actions, which limits the effectiveness of staff responses to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager ensures staff are well supported and works to build a cohesive staff team. Staff receive regular supervision, but there are missed opportunities to consistently improve practice, as actions set are not specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager recognises there has been a challenging period due to staffing sufficiency and understands the impact this can have on children’s stability. The manager has taken Inspection report for children’s home: SC415347 5 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

action to nurture a team lead by a sense of trust and commitment. The manager helps staff to recognise their roles and responsibility with autonomy effectively balanced with support in moments of need. Consequently, the staff feel well supported, able to raise issues and confident to seek guidance. Inspection report for children’s home: SC415347 6 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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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

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on—

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Requirement Due date

feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f)(g)(ii)(h))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that individual care and behaviour plans and records of supervisions are consistently outcome focused and include specific, measurable, realistic, relevant and timebound objectives, to support consistent practice and facilitate effective monitoring. 16 March 2026

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Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must establish a procedure for considering complaints made by or on behalf of children. 27 February 2026 Inspection report for children’s home: SC415347 7 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must supply to HMCI, at HMCI’s request, a statement containing a summary of any complaints made during the preceding twelve months and the action that was taken in response to each complaint. (Regulation 39 (1) (3) (5))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that all complaints are adequately recorded, to support children now and in the future to understand the action taken and the outcome.

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff keep and encourage children to keep appropriate memorabilia of their time spent living at the home and help them record significant life events. In particular, ensure each child has a memory book containing photos, tickets and captions that provide context. Children should be actively involved in creating and updating their books to celebrate achievements and preserve positive memories of their time in the home. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.5)  The registered person should ensure that they review the use of locks and alarms to ensure their use is necessary and proportionate. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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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: SC415347 8 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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

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Inspector

Ashley Arkless, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC415347 9 SENSITIVE-OFSTED USE ONLY

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Inspector

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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