Children's Home run by Keys Care Limited in Buckinghamshire

Unique reference number SC421063 Inspection date 23/10/2013 Inspector Clare Davies Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 29/01/2013 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Brief description of the service

This service is run by a private organisation. The home is registered to provide medium to long-term care for up to three young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. Young people living in the home can attend a school also run by the provider and have access to in-house therapeutic support.

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The inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding : a service of exceptional quality that significantly exceeds minimum requirements Good : a service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements Adequate : a service that only meets minimum requirements Inadequate : a service that does not meet minimum requirements

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Overall effectiveness

The overall effectiveness is judged to be good .

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Overall effectiveness

Young people thrive and make excellent progress. This home offers a caring, supportive environment where young people feel settled and secure. Young people are valued as individuals and their placement plans reflect their diverse needs. Staff promote the importance of cultural identity and foster an understanding and celebration of difference.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people are engaged in their care planning and the running of the home, staff ensure that the views of young people are heard. Some strong relationships between the staff and young people enable good communication and develop trust and respect.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people are safe at this home and, on occasion, when they are involved in risk- taking behaviour the staff work effectively with other agencies to ensure their safety and well-being. Young people recognise the measures that are in place to keep them safe.

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Overall effectiveness

Members of staff are provided with regular supervision, team meetings and training opportunities, through which they are equipped with the appropriate skills to support young people in achieving their personal aspirations and meeting the objectives contained in individual placement plans.

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Overall effectiveness

The manager and the organisation understand the strengths of the service and the areas for development. There are two minor shortfalls relating to target setting for young people, and a revision of the Statement of Purpose.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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Recommendations

 ensure that young people are encouraged to take responsibility for their behaviour, in a way that is appropriate to their age and abilities. In particular, ensure daily targets are small in number and achievable (NMS 3.6)  ensure that the aims and objectives of the Statement of Purpose are child focused and show how the service will meet outcomes for young people. In particular, ensure that the qualifications and experience of staff members is included. (NMS 13.2)

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Outcomes for children and young people

Outcomes for young people are outstanding .

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people make exceptional progress, benefitting from consistent support from the staff team and other social care professionals. Staff actively promote and celebrate the achievements of young people and, as a result, young people develop a positive self-view and emotional resilience. The therapeutic environment supports young people in understanding their background and childhood experiences.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people have good relationships with the staff team, this leads to increased confidence to explore their own social and emotional development. Social workers report very positively on this home enabling young people to have some excellent outcomes. One social worker reported that the young person 'has made progress in how they manage situations; their confidence has definitely improved.' Another social care professional reported, 'I couldn't have asked for a better placement.'

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are supported to access community health services for routine appointments and also to access specialist resources regarding sexual health, smoking and drug use. Young people who smoke are encouraged and supported to stop; this has been successful with some young people.

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Outcomes for children and young people

A nutritious diet is followed, supported by growing some produce in the garden. Healthy eating plans assist young people in choosing low sugar and low fat options. Home cooked meals are routinely provided and young people engage with the preparation and cooking. Meal times are social occasions where young people chat with staff about their day. This develops social skills and equips young people to transfer this behaviour into other social situations, such as restaurants and cafes. Young people engage with education. The manager and staff recognise the need for a creative approach to provide education that will meet the needs of individuals. The provider's own school, local college and home tuition are accessed by young people. An alternative curriculum to classroom-based education allows some young people to connect with their learning in a different environment. Through good attendance, young people settle to achieve and respond well with opportunities for vocational

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Outcomes for children and young people

and formal learning. This positive outcome is significant for some young people who have had a disrupted education in the past. Young people achieve in taking GCSE’s and are able to gain alternative recognised qualifications.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people are generally happy living in this home. Young people have interests and friendships in the community and feel secure to invite friends to the home. This reduces some barriers from being in care and promotes peer friendships. A young person reported, 'staff are supportive to what I do.' Young people join in with activities such as; swimming, drama club, horse riding, helping at local stables and working towards the Duke of Edinburgh Award.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people make outstanding progress in developing practical and life skills to help them to prepare for independence. They learn transferable core skills in cooking, budgeting and washing, and some young people are going on to develop skills in independent travel. This means that young people are very well-prepared for the challenges of life as a young adult.

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Outcomes for children and young people

Young people maintain regular contact with people who are important to them. This helps to sustain key relationships which offer not only valuable insights about their backgrounds, but possible long-term options for support. Parents and relatives report good relationships with the staff team and are satisfied with the quality of care their child is receiving. A parent reported, 'The staff are all friendly and take good care of my child. They make me very welcome when I go to my child's reviews.'

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Outcomes for children and young people

Photographs and memory boxes encourage young people to keep a record of their childhood and their experiences living in this placement. This helps young people to make sense of their lives and capture significant events for them to refer to when they are older.

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Quality of care

The quality of the care is outstanding .

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Quality of care

Young people benefit from a structured environment and the security of a stable placement; some young people have lived here for more than two years. The staff establish positive and effective working relationships with young people through being consistent and open in their interaction. This leads to young people being confident to raise issues directly with the staff team. For example, asking for more sports equipment for the garden and expressing a wish to have more male staff. The manager regularly reads the minutes of the young people's meetings, this ensures their views are known and any matter requiring a management response can be agreed. There are some tensions amongst young people. Staff are perceptive; they anticipate these difficulties and work with young people to equip them with strategies to manage living together. This supports young people to develop their social skills and tolerance of others. Young people generally speak positively of this home and the

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Quality of care

support and guidance from the staff team. Young people enjoy outings and holidays together and like to refer to the many photographs of such fun events displayed around the home.

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Quality of care

There is a strong emphasis on including young people in decision-making about their personal plans and also in the development of the home. Key work sessions, house meetings and daily discussions provide regular opportunities for young people to express their views and influence the running of the home. Young people are encouraged to bring issues to these forums and know how to make a complaint if they are not happy with the response. Records show that young people have made complaints and these have been resolved to their satisfaction.

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Quality of care

This home adopts a secure base model to provide a therapeutic environment. Staff are trained in this model of care, supported by the manager and a therapist which enables them to deliver this effectively. This leads to daily reflection on care practices and a learning environment for staff to raise standards. The therapist is available to work directly with young people and provide advice and support to staff. This ready access to a therapist enables young people to receive prompt support and not rely on a referral to community health services.

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Quality of care

Young people gain significant benefit from regular individual key working sessions. This time together focuses on current issues as well as on the targets and their support needs as outlined in their personal care plans. The regular review of these ensures that any changing needs are addressed; this is managed in collaboration with other professionals while maintaining the central focus on the young person.

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Quality of care

Young people develop their identity as staff enable them to research their birth place and understand their cultural reference. This may be through an internet search or by arranging trips to significant places. There are discussions on equality issues such as disability, gay rights, or cultural differences. This occurs through the media, discussion and events. This is an effective way of broadening young people's experience and understanding of the world, providing opportunities to explore their own identity and that of others.

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Quality of care

Young people benefit from living in a comfortable and well-maintained home, they report that they like the house and recognise how they have contributed by choosing the decoration and furniture. Decorative plaques and pictures add to the warmth and welcome of the home. The home is located in a rural setting relying on transport to the nearest town; however some public transport is available.

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Safeguarding children and young people

The service is good at keeping children and young people safe and feeling safe. Young people feel safe at this home as evidenced in a significant reduction in the number of incidents of anti-social behaviour. Young people recognise that staff work together to keep them safe and provide a safe environment. Even when young people do not like the restrictions placed on them, regarding mobile phones and the use of the internet, they understand why and therefore they are more accepting of the situation.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Young people have reduced the risks to their personal safety by going missing less often. Procedures are in place for staff to actively search for any young people who do go missing and refer to the police as required. Similarly, incidents of behaviour that require physical intervention by staff have significantly reduced with only one incident since the last inspection in January 2013. This is excellent progress for the young people in placement and demonstrates personal development in managing their own behaviour without the need for physical intervention, responding well to low level support from staff.

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Safeguarding children and young people

Staff strive to be consistent in their responses to young people; this enables young people to feel secure and be fully aware of the expected boundaries. Negative consequences are known as 'encouragement' and may include loss of television, financial reparation or loss of an activity. Young people are encouraged to suggest a suitable consequence for themselves, this level of consultation encourages young people to take greater responsibility for their behaviour. The records capture the effectiveness of such consequences at team meetings, this enables staff to learn and determine whether to use such a consequence again.

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Safeguarding children and young people

In contrast, positive behaviour is rewarded, promoted and recorded in the 'awesome' log book. Young people have created tokens of rewards that they would like to earn such as, later bedtime or half payment towards a cinema ticket. Staff identify positive behaviour and young people are offered a lucky dip in the token box. Young people respond well to this scheme as they have been instrumental in devising it. There are individual targets for each young person to work towards daily. These provide a focus but have become too lengthy and have not been recently reviewed for achievability in order to promote success and encouragement onto the next.

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Safeguarding children and young people

There are some reports of incidents of bullying. While young people acknowledge this has occurred, they report that the staff 'sort it out'. Young people's meetings are used to discuss any difficulties; this ensures that there is open discussion about any tensions of group living. Staff encourage young people to find ways of getting along, they praise and reward young people for making an effort to be kind and tolerant of others.

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Safeguarding children and young people

This organisation has consistently demonstrated robust and thorough vetting procedures for the employment of new staff. This ensures that there are adequate safeguards for the protection of vulnerable young people. Matters of health and safety, and fire detection and prevention are given serious attention. This is underpinned by policies, procedures and training that alert staff to their roles and levels of responsibility. As a result, young people benefit from a safe environment and this has a positive impact upon their welfare. The requirements of health and safety legislation are met without compromising the comfortable homely appearance.

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Leadership and management

The leadership and management of the children's home are good .

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Leadership and management

The Registered Manager is experienced and provides leadership to the staff team. Staff report positively about the manager and the support that he provides. Similarly, social workers comment on the effectiveness of the manager. The manager and staff team are proactive in contacting professionals within safeguarding, health services, the police, education and social care teams. This inter-agency working ensures that there is a team approach in meeting the needs of young people.

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Leadership and management

The staff team are enthusiastic about their work and demonstrate a commitment to helping young people in achieving good outcomes and beyond. Staff members feel supported in their work through regular supervision, a good training programme and clear policies and procedures to underpin their practice. Within the organisation there is a training department and key people with skills and expertise in education, therapeutic practice and safeguarding. This provides ready access to support and guidance as required by the manager and staff team, to benefit young people. The team function well considering it is a relatively new team and many have yet to complete their formal qualifications.

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Leadership and management

The manager is keen to promote the service and strive for improvement. This is evident through effective monitoring and an awareness of the strengths of the home and the areas for development. Since the last inspection there has been one complaint; this has been dealt with promptly and effectively. This organisation is striving to improve and ensures that any issue highlighted from monitoring and inspection activity is made known across all services; this ensures that best practice is disseminated.

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Leadership and management

The home is sufficiently staffed and resourced to meet the needs of the young people currently in placement. The full staff team is predominantly female and young people have requested that more male staff are employed. The organisation is aware of this request for any recruitment in the future.

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Leadership and management

External monitoring is effectively used by the manager; ensuring action is taken to address any shortfalls. Ofsted receive notification of any significant incidents, these have been minimal since the last inspection in January, reflecting how the young people have settled and reduced incidents of disruptive behaviour.

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Leadership and management

Young people's case records are generally well maintained and structured; this better enables young people to be included with the compilation of their records. These documents contribute to an understanding of a young person's life if they want to access them, now or in the future. Parents and social workers report very good working relationships with the staff and management of this home where communication is regular and reliable. A social worker commented that communication is so good, 'It is the best I have had from anybody.' Parents, young people and placing authorities are clear about the aims and objectives of the home and what service it provides. However, the Statement of Purpose does not outline the qualifications and experience of staff members, therefore not providing a full picture of the provision made by the home.

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About this inspection

The purpose of this inspection is to assure children and young people, parents, the public, local authorities and government of the quality and standard of the service provided. The inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service and to consider how well it complies with the relevant regulations and meets the national minimum standards.

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About this inspection

The report details the main strengths, any areas for improvement, including any breaches of regulation, and any failure to meet national minimum standards. The judgements included in the report are made against the Inspections of children’s homes – framework for inspection and the evaluation schedule for the inspection of children's homes.

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