Children's Home run by Keys Care Limited in Norfolk

Unique reference number SC370949 Inspector Michael Mulvaney Type of inspection Interim 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 Michelle Louise Bingham Date of last inspection 13/08/2014 2 of 5 Inspection date 29/01/2015

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Previous inspection good Enforcement action since last inspection none

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This inspection

This home was judged good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judge that it has sustained effectiveness .

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This inspection

This home continues to offers a good standard of care to young people. The home has met the four requirements made at the last inspection. Young people continue to make progress in all aspects of their lives, some have returned to full- time education and have attended regularly since they have been in this home. Staff communicate well with schools and seek alternative provisions for those young people who do not have an educational placement when they arrive. This helps promote their educational attainment and provides a peer group outside of the home. Young people participate in range of positive activities such as roller skating and horse riding. These contribute towards their physical and emotional wellbeing. There is encouragement for good behaviour and this helps young people to understand how to behave in a way that is reasonable. This has reduced the number of sanctions and increased the number of positive rewards for the young people.

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This inspection

There are warm relationships between the staff and young people which help them to feel a sense of belonging in the home. There are regular key- work sessions which focus on helping young people to develop awareness of themselves and of others as well as look at specific individual needs. These sessions help to build trusted relationships with adults and to help young people to understand the issues in their lives. Risk taking behaviour has reduced and in some cases has been eliminated, this is due to regular monitoring of the young people as well as positive relationships with staff. Staff monitor young people to ensure that they are safe and well at all times. The home gives time to young people to talk about the quality of their care in young people's meetings and in their individual key- work sessions. Staff include these views into the day to day running of the home. This means that the young people

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This inspection

are regularly involved in contributing to the home and their views are taken seriously. 3 of 5 Young people are helped to prepare for adult life and pathway plans are designed to develop independent skills. These are important to provide skills and confidence for young people so that they will be able to look after themselves when they leave the home.

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This inspection

There are times when experienced staff from this home are redeployed to other homes within the organisation. As a result this home sometimes has to rely on inexperienced and agency staff. Relationships with young people are well maintained during these periods but there is an impact on the level of expertise in the staff group. The home is personalised with each young person choosing colours for the décor of their room. There are young people’s photographs and soft furnishings which help to promote a homely feel. The home is in reasonable order with no outstanding repairs, however some of the carpets, particularly on the stairs, are worn and could be a trip hazard. The fire services have recently completed their checks and fire drills are regularly completed. There are clear procedures for monitoring the home. There has been an improvement in the way the home has responded to the independent visitor. An

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This inspection

action plan is in place to consider how well the home is meeting the needs of the young people. The manager has reviewed the system for internal monitoring and has recently completed a report for this purpose. This monitoring of young people’s care ensures that standards remain good and provides them with a service that gives them the best opportunity to progress. Appropriate training is provided to staff so that they have the skills to look after these children. There is an easily understood, and up to date, Statement of Purpose for young people, local authorities and parents which details the home's aims and objectives and shows how the service will meet outcomes for children. 4 of 5

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Information about this children’s home

This children's home is owned by a large private organisation and provides long- term placements on behalf of local authorities. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people who may have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/08/2014 Full good 24/10/2013 Interim satisfactory progress 03/06/2013 Full good 22/08/2012 Interim satisfactory progress

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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 the overall number, competence and deployment of staff, both as a staff group and on individual shifts, can fulfil the home’s Statement of Purpose and meet the individual needs of all children resident in the home. (NMS 17.1) Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Recommendations

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What inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspections we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the Inspection of children’s homes: framework for inspection.

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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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