Newlands

Inspection report for children’s home: SC415347 1 SC415347 Registered provider: Hillcrest Children’s Services (2) Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered with Ofsted in September 2010 and is operated by a large private provider. It offers care for up to 4 children who may experience social and emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

At the time of this inspection, 4 children were living in the home. The inspectors met all the children.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has been in post since 16 October 2019.

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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: 16 December 2025

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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

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/12/2025 Full Good 10/12/2024 Full Good 27/06/2023 Full Good 19/10/2022 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC415347 3

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Summary of findings

Staff provide children with a good standard of care. Children are supported to make progress from their starting points, helping to reduce overall risk. They are supported in their daily lives through predictable routines, responsive carers and a good level of oversight from senior managers. During the inspection, inspectors spoke with all 4 children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Developing relationships is central to staff practice. This approach helps children to feel safe and develop a sense of permanence, with one child having lived in the home for several years. Staff know and understand children’s individual needs. This has enabled children to develop trust in the staff team and seek support where needed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand and support children through their preferred method of learning. One child has a visual chart, which helps them understand the next task in their daily routine. This has enabled the child to transition from one task to another with ease.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support children’s education. One child has a keen interest in pursuing a career in the health and social care sector, while another has a clear aspiration to work in the information technology sector. When shortfalls are identified in children’s education, staff work effectively with the multi-agency network to advocate for children’s right to full- time education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Education is further promoted in the home. Children are supported to understand how to keep themselves safe in the community. They are provided with strategies to help them remove themselves from unsafe situations. For example, one child has been supported to walk away from situations that may place them at risk, develop an understanding of healthy peer relationships, and avoid locations that may increase their vulnerability.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s relationships with their families and friends are promoted. One child was supported to enjoy sleepovers with a friend, helping to create positive childhood memories. One professional commented on how the team goes ‘above and beyond’ in promoting family time, supporting parents who, due to their own vulnerabilities, have found travelling difficult. When challenges have arisen, staff have worked effectively with other professionals to address communication barriers and strengthen partnership working with family members.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s identity needs are further met through individual sessions. One child expressed curiosity about their heritage. In response, staff worked with the child’s social worker to help explain their family’s roots and journey. This practice enabled the child to build confidence around their identity, creating a greater sense of self. Inspection report for children’s home: SC415347 4 The physical environment is safe for children. However, repairs are not addressed in a timely manner. Additionally, the support provided to children to help them maintain clean and tidy bedrooms, as well as shared areas of the home, could be improved.

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

Children are protected from the various forms of abuse. Staff understand and work effectively with children who are at risk of extra-familial harm, with one child no longer being at risk of exploitation.

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

Staff know and understand how to respond to children who go missing from home. A coordinated approach and effective working with safeguarding agencies helps to reduce risks for children. Following significant events, staff work sensitively with children, helping them to talk about their feelings, offering reassurance and building their confidence through individual sessions.

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

Risks relating to self-harm are understood and responded to by staff. Staff have worked proactively with children to help them understand the need for specialist services. This practice has allowed one child to take an active role in the referral process to a local service that specialises in working with children who experience mental health issues, helping to develop a sense of ownership.

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

Children who display discriminatory behaviours are supported to understand the impact of their actions. The in-house clinical team provides staff with advice and guidance on how best to address these behaviours, helping to reduce the likelihood of future involvement with statutory services.

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

Staff help children to emotionally regulate themselves. Restraint is used proportionately. Incidents of this nature are recorded. Staff reflect on what they can do differently to reduce incidents. Children’s views are gathered to further understand how practice can be strengthened.

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

Children’s voices are captured through discussions and individual sessions. Their complaints are responded to promptly. The manager carries out a thorough fact-finding exercise, and a full investigation report highlights the various steps that are taken to determine an outcome. When shortfalls are identified, the manager takes accountability and ensures that processes are reviewed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by a permanent, suitably experienced and qualified registered manager. The manager advocates for children to ensure that they experience a positive childhood. One child benefited from the manager’s challenge to partner agencies to secure extra support, enabling them to experience a holiday. Inspection report for children’s home: SC415347 5 The manager’s practice ensures effective oversight of all significant incidents. This enables learning to be identified from incidents and used to reflect on practice in the home. This practice ensures that staff continue to develop in their roles and respond effectively to children’s changing needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff say they enjoy working at the home and speak positively about the support they receive from the manager, who promotes a culture of learning.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff benefit from a range of support, including supervision, team meetings and training. Targets set during supervision help to ensure that staff continue to develop their skills. Training further supports this learning, with all staff receiving training on how to respond to children with neurodiverse needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff work collaboratively, and there is a clear sense of accountability and responsibility, helping to ensure that children receive consistent, good-quality care. Inspection report for children’s home: SC415347 6

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Recommendation

 The registered person should ensure that the home is a nurturing, supportive, homely and domestic environment that meets children’s needs. In particular, repairs to the home should be addressed in a timely manner, and children’s bedrooms should be clean and well maintained. (‘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 7

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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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Inspectors

Salma Ahmed, Social Care Inspector Helen Dunn, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC415347 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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