Children's Home run by Keys Care Limited in Durham

Unique reference number SC423407 Inspector Bill Drumm Type of inspection Full Provision subtype Children's home

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Registered person BetterCare Keys Limited Registered person address Laganwood House 44 Newforge Lane Belfast BT9 5NW Responsible individual Heather Ann Laffin Registered manager Melanie Dobbin Date of last inspection 10/12/2013 2 of 11 Inspection date 14/07/2014

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Previous inspection good progress Enforcement action since last inspection none

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Overall effectiveness good

Outcomes for children and young people good Quality of care good Keeping children and young people safe good Leadership and management good

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Overall effectiveness

This is a good home that provides a good quality of care to children and young people. This means that outcomes for young people are good and they are able to make good progress in their lives. Leadership and management is strong and the staff team are well supported.

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Overall effectiveness

Some aspects of the home’s risk assessments are not as good as they should be. A requirement has been raised to ensure improvements are made. Young people are not placed in a position of significant risk as a result of this shortfall and their welfare is safeguarded.

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Overall effectiveness

Young people and staff have very good relationships. Staff work very hard to understand the young people and to provide them with individualised care, based on effective care planning systems. The home provides a nurturing environment with high staffing levels. This provides young people with the support they need to make progress in many aspects of their lives. Care plans for each young person are regularly reviewed to ensure they still meet young people’s needs. This child focus is impressive and leads to significant improvements in young people’s self-esteem and resilience.

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Overall effectiveness

Behaviour management is positive and proactive which means that young people’s 3 of 11 behaviour improves significantly over time. Staff are very alert to small signs which may indicate young people are anxious or upset and step in to divert or de-escalate. This reduces the need for young people to be held or to receive sanctions for negative behaviour. On occasions when young people do challenge staff, this is handled well and safely. Full written records are retained of all occasions when restraint has been used and these records comply fully with regulations and national minimum standards.

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Overall effectiveness

The support for young people’s education is good. Young people all attend school and make good progress despite any difficulties they may be facing in other aspects of their lives. This helps improve their future prospects. Young people’s health is well supported and consequently their physical and mental health is improved. Young people have a say in their own care and the home’s routines. Activities and community events are based on young people’s individual preferences.

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Overall effectiveness

In addition to the home’s risk assessments, other areas for improvement relate to the general upkeep of the home and its decoration; the home’s development plan and the supervision of staff temporarily redeployed from another home in the same organisation. None of these areas for improvement have a negative impact on the safety and welfare of young people. 4 of 11

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Information about this children’s home

The home accommodates up to eight children and young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties, and is owned by a private company. It is dually registered with the Department for Education as an independent boarding school.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/12/2013 Interim good progress 17/06/2013 Full good 28/11/2012 Interim good progress 03/05/2012 Full good

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Statutory Requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person/s meets the Care Standards Act 2000, Children's Homes Regulations 2001 and the National Minimum Standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Reg. Requirement Due date

(2001) promote and make proper provision for the safeguarding and welfare of children. (Regulation 11 (1)) 30/09/2014

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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 a comfortable and homely environment that is well maintained and decorated (NMS 10.3) 5 of 11  write a development plan for the home that is reviewed annually (NMS 15.2)  ensure that all staff are properly managed, supported and understand to whom they are accountable (NMS 19.2)  ensure there are clear effective procedures for monitoring and controlling the activities of the home which includes any complaints about the provision of care. (NMS 21.1) 6 of 11

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people living at the home make good progress. Their self-confidence increases and they become more emotionally resilient. Young people develop very strong relationships with the staff team, they learn how to relate to one another better and their behaviour improves.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people’s physical and emotional health improves while they are the home. All young people have access to primary health services and any specialist support they require. Their emotional health is well supported and this helps them grow in confidence and self-esteem. Young people receive any medical help they need and are helped to accept treatment they may have refused or been unable to access previously. In a questionnaire one young person said nothing more could be done with their health and they were happy.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people living at the home make very good progress in their education. All attend full-time education even though they may have histories of inconsistent attendance. Young people make progress at school despite the difficulties they may face in other areas of their lives. Young people’s motivation to succeed improves while they live at the home and some have recently completed exams. One young person who completed and inspection questionnaire said they would like to get homework to do. The good progress they make from their starting points is marked and significantly enhances their opportunities for the future.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Young people are very involved in their own care. They have their say over matters such as activities, daily routines and their own care plans. The very good relationships young people have with staff members, who understand them well, means that they are central to all decisions made in the home.

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Outcomes for children and young people good

Where appropriate, young people benefit from positive contact with their friends, families or relatives. They receive very good support from staff to ensure that this contact is a positive experience for them. This helps young people retain important links to their own communities and cultures. It also supports improved relationships with their family members.

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Quality of care good

The home’s manager and staff develop strong relationships with the young people living at the home. These relationships are based upon an open and honest dialogue and a mutual respect. The staff team are child focused and work hard to understand young people, their often complex needs, their strengths and the difficulties they 7 of 11 face. This understanding is supported by good advice and guidance from social workers, education providers and any therapists working with individual young people. This helps to promote positive relationships and young people enjoy spending time with the staff team.

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Quality of care good

The positive relationship that exists between young people and staff helps to improve young people’s behaviour. The home’s staff use their good understanding of the young people, to work proactively with them and to prevent or reduce negative behaviour developing. Care provision in the home is individualised and high staffing levels allow for one-to-one work with young people. This helps them to understand and manage their own feelings and behaviour. Incentives and praise are frequently used to reinforce positive behaviour. Sanctions are seldom used and physical intervention is only used where absolutely necessary. The staff team talk with young people about their lives, experiences and the care they receive on a frequent basis. Young people know how to voice their concerns or anxieties about the home and the service they receive. This includes how to make a formal complaint. When children do raise concerns, these are responded to promptly

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Quality of care good

Care planning in the home is good. Young people’s individual needs are identified and are well monitored. Care plans set out young people’s individual situations and the care provided is in line with these plans. For example, a great deal of work is done to help young people develop their own sense of self-esteem and worth. Care planning in the home is overseen by the manager and the staff team with reviews being undertaken on a regular basis. Team meetings include discussions about each young person and strategies are developed for encouraging positive behaviour and minimising risks. However, in one instance the risk assessments associated with one young person did not fully consider all the risks they might face. Young people are not placed in a position of significant risk as a result of this shortfall and their welfare is safeguarded.

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Quality of care good

Where appropriate, staff work positively and proactively with the parents, friends and relatives of young people and develop positive working relationships with them. This improves the quality of the care provided to young people and helps them to maintain important family and cultural links.

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Quality of care good

The home provides young people with good support for their health. Young people’s emotional and physical health is a key component of their care plans and the care delivered promotes young people’s improved health. Young people are registered with all primary health services and are encouraged to attend for check-ups and treatment. Staff use their good relationships with young people to encourage them to access services or treatment they have not taken up before.

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Quality of care good

The home also provides young people with good support for their education. Staff are committed to encouraging young people to attend school, work hard and have high aspirations for their future. One young person said, 'I'd like someone to work 8 of 11 with me on my own as that would help me concentrate more.' The support and encouragement that young people receive ensures that they attend school regularly and continue to make progress.

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Quality of care good

The home’s premises are generally well-maintained, homely and comfortable. Any repairs necessary are undertaken promptly which helps to maintain the positive environment for the young people. However, several areas of the home have been damaged or de-faced by young people which detracts from an otherwise pleasing environment.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Staff are good at keeping children and young people safe. Expectations and boundaries are made clear to children and young people from the time they are admitted to the home. Observation showed staff are proactive and calm in their responses to distressed children and young people who put themselves at risk. This means that overall the atmosphere in the home remains calm and that the needs of other children and young people are not overlooked. Over time children and young people build meaningful relationships and begin to trust staff. This increases children and young people’s sense of safety, freeing them up to participate in ordinary activities of daily life, like going back to school, developing hobbies and other interests.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Residential workers are trained in how to physically hold children and young people if necessary. ‘This is only used as a last resort, I try all sorts to talk them round and distract them first’ said one member of staff. Staying safe and how to protect children from sexual exploitation are live topics staff talk about with children and young people. Certificates of training in these areas are retained on staff files. There are good working relationships with protective agencies, including the police, Barnardos and local authority safeguarding services. A young person said, ‘This the safest place to be. In my last place staff weren’t bothered if I left but here they follow you in the car and ask you to get in.’ Children and young people are helped to recognise the differences between behaviour that is acceptable and behaviour that puts them and others at risk. Proactive responses by staff to inappropriate risk taking

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Keeping children and young people safe good

means that children and young people are supported to think about the differences between safe and unsafe adults.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Staff are knowledgeable about the signs and impact of abuse. They get to know children and young people well so they notice changes in behaviour. They speak to children if they are concerned, ‘You just know when something is wrong,’ said a residential worker. They know how to reassure children and young people who choose to share sensitive information with them. They are informed about child protection procedures and how to work with local authorities to ensure children and young people are safe. This approach encourages children to seek support because they know staff will be understanding and can help them. This means children and 9 of 11 young people are looked after by staff who are aware of the impact that traumatic experiences can have on their current behaviour and relationships.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

Children and young people’s behaviour management plans identify known and possible triggers for negative behaviour. This information shapes the approach of staff in dealing with those triggers and this information is recorded clearly in the behaviour management plans. ‘We identified that she was at risk and needed one to one support and got agreement for this’ a senior member of staff said in explaining how risk assessments are used to identify any patterns of concern. Staff use child centred activities aimed at helping young people learn about the long term impact of bullying. The lengths to which staff go to keep them safe helps children and young people reflect on their actions and to develop empathy for others. This means children and young people learn that their personal safety is an important priority for those looking after them.

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Keeping children and young people safe good

References for staff are taken and followed up and gaps in the employment histories of staff are explored. Induction procedures for permanent members of staff are in place. Young people who feel aggrieved by the actions of staff members are listened to and their concerns are taken seriously. The outcomes of complaints raised by children are recorded clearly. However, this could be further improved by making clear the details of what action was taken, how this is shared with the child or young person and by making clear what if any changes have been made as a result to care practice or the running of the home. The manager looks at all complaints with the aim of resolving any issues as quickly as possible. Children and young people know they are able to raise complaints and that their complaints are taken seriously.

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Leadership and management good

The Registered Manager has been registered since February 2011. She has the appropriate qualifications to be the Registered Manager of a children’s home, as well as a suitable management qualification.

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Leadership and management good

This is a well-managed home. Its practice and quality of care is well managed and monitored on a day to day basis by the manager. Formal periodic monitoring by the home’s external visitor is effective. The home’s manager has a development plan in place for the home. However, the development plan does not clearly show where reviews have taken place. This means that progress in meeting objectives is not easily monitored and new objectives set.

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Leadership and management good

Staffing levels at the home are high and allow for individualised work with young people. The staff team is generally well supervised and supported by effective supervision, team meetings and handover arrangements. However, some staff have recently been redeployed to the home from another in the same organisation. Staff who have been temporarily redeployed do not receive regular supervision from the home’s manager. This means that their practice is not routinely monitored and they 10 of 11 may not feel fully supported.

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Leadership and management good

The staff team is experienced and provided with good training. All staff have undertaken the necessary mandatory training. They continue to receive refresher training as and when necessary. This helps to keep their skills and competencies up to date. Staff focus on understanding and meeting the needs of the young people in their care. This is reflected in the good relationships which exist between young people and staff.

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Leadership and management good

Young people's individual placement plans are detailed, regularly updated and monitored. The quality of recording in these records is of a good standard. Plans set out young people’s care needs and how they will be met. Statutory reviews of young people’s overall plans of care take place on time. The home contributes effectively to these and ensures that outcomes from reviews are incorporated in young people’s residential placement plans. Young people are involved in discussions about the care provided to them and are able to access their records and record their comments if they wish. Records are stored securely and confidentiality is maintained. Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Leadership and management good

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Judgement Description

Outstanding A service of exceptional quality that significantly exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Good A service of high quality that exceeds minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Adequate A service that only meets minimum requirements.

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Judgement Description

Inadequate A service that does not meet minimum requirements.

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Information 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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Information 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 framework of inspection for children's homes.

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