Children's Home run by Keys Care Limited in Buckinghamshire

Unique reference number SC421063 Inspection date 03/03/2014 Inspector Kenneth Smith Type of inspection Interim Provision subtype Children's home

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Date of last inspection 23/10/2013 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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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

Good progress The children’s home has demonstrated continued improvement in quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the large majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Satisfactory progress The children’s home has maintained quality of care and outcomes for children and young people and where appropriate has addressed all requirements and the majority of recommendations that were raised at the previous inspection. Inadequate progress The children’s home has failed to address one or more requirements and/or has not met the majority of recommendations and/or the quality of care and outcomes for children and young people have declined since the last full inspection.

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Progress

Since their previous inspection the service is judged to be making good progress .

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Progress

This is well-managed and effective home that provides excellent stability to young people and has consistently helped them to make progress in their lives. The home has been operational for a little over three years and has had one manager throughout this time. Staffing has been relatively stable and staff enjoy working the home. Only one young person has left the home since it became operational (after turning 18) and all young people have benefited from the continuity and security of stable placements.

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Progress

Educational attendance is a well-established certainty and all young people are fully engaged with their education plan: school, college or bespoke. The staff take a real interest in this aspect of young people's lives, for example, attending parents evenings on their behalf, regular liaison between the registered manager and headteacher at the linked school and helping a young person with a school project to incubate eggs. Within this good work it was noted that opportunities to further literacy and numeracy in the home are neither structured nor documented, and there are young people who could benefit from this. Young people are happy in the home and feel safe. The registered manager and staff have a very clear understanding of how to safeguard young people. They participate in multi-agency safeguarding forums, and take a very keen interest in the detail of young people's lives, showing care, providing guidance and being alert to

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Progress

safeguarding matters. This is keeping vulnerable young people safe. Behaviour has demonstrably improved over time for young people in the home. Staff intervene with high levels of positive reward, and when required sanctions (which are known as 'encouragement'). These are thought through and there effectiveness is meaningfully analysed. Staff in the home are trained in behavioural intervention including physical intervention, but this is very rarely used.

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Progress

Each young person's identity is respected and celebrated. Young people use the stability of this home to understand the journey their life has taken and feel more secure in who they are. This is a great strength of the home. The manager and staff understand and deal sensitively with a range of inclusivity issues, to the benefit of young people.

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Progress

The fabric of the home is in very good decorative order. It provides a pleasing family-style home, conducive to the nurturing ethos fostered. Young people have a genuine input into determining how the home is laid out.

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Progress

At the previous inspection there were two recommendations made; both of these have been fully complied with. The Statement of Purpose now contains fuller details of staff skills and qualifications. The targets set for young people to achieve reward points are now simpler and more obviously attainable for them. It was seen that young people have made continuous steady progress in their time here and in particular in the last six months. This has included progress in the self- management of behaviour, progress in social skills and becoming comfortable in a wider range of social situation, accepting the nurturing and comfort of the home and learning to build trust with the staff in home. This comprehensive progress is indicative of a home that has engaged all young people in a very thoughtful and evolving way. The registered manager and staff in the home are keen to reflect upon how they are doing, what has been successful and what they could do better.

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Progress

Information from others (inspection, commissioning and regulation 33 visitors) is used proactively to advance the home, and the stability the registered manager brings allows this to be used without diverting the longer term strategic direction given.

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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

 provide support, facilities and opportunities to maximise each child's achievement; in particular explore with educational colleagues how to have homework or directed home-based activities which build on the literacy and numeracy work within education. (NMS 8.4)

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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 progress made by the provider since the last full inspection, identifies any further strengths, any areas for improvement and makes judgements as outlined in the Inspection of children’s homes – framework for inspection.

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