Children's Home run by Keys Nhcc Ltd in Shropshire

Good

The children's home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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The children's home provision is good because:

 Young people make significant progress across all areas of their development from their starting points.  Young people are safe and become increasingly safe due to staff providing individualised and focused care.  Incidents of unsafe behaviour, missing and physical interventions are rare. Staff are proactive in talking to young people to help them manage their emotions safely.  Young people enjoy positive relationships with a committed staff team.  Staff help young people to develop independence skills appropriate to their needs and understanding.  Planned transitions help young people to have successful moves to semi- independent placements.  Partnership working is a strength of the home. Staff build positive relationships with other professionals in order to meet young people’s needs.  The registered manager is child focused and works hard to ensure that young people receive care from a stable and consistent staff team. Staff say

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The children's home provision is good because:

they feel supported.  Recommendations have been raised. This includes staff ensuring that young people are fully involved within the home’s care planning and that they have the relevant statutory information on file, such as pathway plans. Young people do not always receive return interviews by their placing authorities after they have been missing despite the registered manager requesting this. Research is not always used to inform practice.

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation(s):  Ensure that staff encourage children to see the home's records as 'living documents' supporting them to view and contribute to the record in a way that reflects their voice on a regular basis. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, Page 58, Para 11.19)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority provides an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, Page 45, Para 9.30)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the registered manager seeks independent scrutiny of the home and makes best use of information from independent and external monitoring, and also research about current practice, to ensure continuous improvement. (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, Page 55, Para 10.24)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that placing authorities provide the input and services needed, such as pathway plans and looked after review documents, to meet a child’s needs during their time in the home, the home must challenge them to meet the child's needs (Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, Page 12, Para 2.8)

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Information about this children's home

The home is privately owned. It is registered to provide care for up to three young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

02/03/2015 CH - Interim Sustained effectiveness

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good

Staff provide good quality, individualised care to young people. Young people are actively involved in drawing up their behaviour management plans. They identify what helps them to remain calm and the responses they find beneficial in times of crisis. This helps staff to be able to respond to young people in the most beneficial way. Young people make progress across all areas of their lives. Staff deliver key working sessions in ways which meet young people’s level of understanding. They talk openly with young people about issues such as sexual health, reproduction and safe relationships. Young people have part time jobs such as paper rounds and staff encourage them to find hobbies such as horse riding and cadets. Young people take part in voluntary work which they say they really enjoy. Staff are tenacious at promoting education for young people. They help young people to get back into education and work with other professionals to support

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good

this. For some young people who have not had a further education placement identified as yet which is able to meet their needs, staff ensure that they have a timetable of activities and work to maintain their stimulation. This includes areas such as going to the gym, learning for their driving theory test and volunteering. They encourage them to have aspirations for their futures. One young person who recently left the home has applied to university. Staff are proud of young people’s achievements. Young people have good relationships with a consistent and stable staff team. Young people identify that they feel able to talk about any concerns with any member of staff. A young person says: ‘When I moved here I didn’t want to call it home as it wasn’t; but now I do as it is my home. I don’t know what staff did but they made me safe. They talk to us all the time and are here for us. I feel that I am listened to and any problems I wouldn’t hide it from the staff here’.

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good

Young people enjoy positive relationships with one another. Care is taken regarding the matching of young people. Staff help young people to enjoy positive relationships with one another and address any issues quickly so as they are resolved. Young people experience well planned moves into semi-independence. Staff prepare young people for their transitions by visiting their new accommodation with them, completing independence work with them, such as paying bills, and talking openly with them. Young people who have recently left the home say they valued the input of staff around independence. A young person said: ‘If it wasn’t for the staff, then I wouldn’t have known anything now. When I was there I felt as safe as I have ever done in my life. There were times that were difficult but my needs were important to people. I wouldn’t have changed any of it as I needed what they gave me’. Young people recognise the progress they make during their

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good

time at the home and the part that staff play within that.

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good

Young people say that they feel safe. Staff understand how to keep young people safe; they know what the young people’s histories are and their risk taking behaviours. Risk management plans are in place although young people do not actively contribute to their own risk management planning or the review of them. Staff recognise that keeping young people safe is a priority but that young people need opportunity to increase their independence and start to learn how to make informed choices. Staff monitor young people’s free time and mobile phone use to ensure that they are safe. They know who the young people are friends with and encourage safe and positive friendships. Staff maintain an open dialogue with young people regarding keeping safe and young people speak openly to them about issues such as relationships and sex. Incidents are rare. Young people’s risk taking behaviours such as child sexual exploitation, substance misuse and missing incidents significantly reduce. When

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good

young people do leave the home without permission, staff follow them. They talk to young people and help them develop ways of managing their emotions whilst maintaining their safety and wellbeing. When young people have gone missing, return interviews have not always taken place. Some young people attend therapy and staff work with the provider’s therapist to promote young people’s emotional wellbeing. Staff feel confident in managing risk taking behaviours such as child sexual exploitation, due to training they have received and ongoing learning provided by the registered manager and her deputy within team meetings. A robust complaints system is in place. Young people know how to make complaints and the registered manager appropriately investigates and resolves them. The registered manager shares concerns and allegations with the relevant professionals including the Local Authority Designated Officer.

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good

Communication is a strength of the staff team. Young people say they know what the house rules are. Staff work consistently with young people and stick to boundaries. Young people say they are able to see the progress they have made and the impact staff’s care has had on increasing their safety and reducing risk taking behaviours. Judgement grade

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good

There is a registered manager in post. She is qualified up to National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) level 4 in leadership and management. The registered manager has been in post for a significant period of time and she provides stable and robust management of the home. The deputy manager, who is currently completing her NVQ level 5 in leadership and management, supports the registered manager. Staff say they feel well supported to, listened to and valued by both the registered manager and the deputy manager.

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good

The registered manager is child focused. She knows the young people and the progress they have made. A social worker said: ‘The registered manager is proactive – this is a word I use a lot in relation to this home. If something is suggested such as voluntary work, they break down any barriers to enable it to happen. When there is a barrier they look at ways of overcoming those barriers’. Young people make progress. The registered manager regularly monitors and tracks the progress they make. She works with the team to identify what work needs to be completed with young people in order to help them achieve their maximum potential. The registered manager is aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. She identifies that recording of incidents is an area of development. Partnership is a strength of the home. The registered manager is tenacious at building positive and robust working relationships with other professionals. She

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good

communicates any issues, concerns or updates to placing authorities. She ensures that there is a team of professionals working around the young people which fully incorporates all of their needs. She attends meetings at schools if there are concerns regarding possible bullying or if young people are struggling. This promotes good outcomes for young people as any issues are quickly resolved and a clear plan is in place for staff to work with. The registered manager is proactive. She chases placing authorities for relevant information needed to support young people on a daily basis, such as pathway plans. However, these concerns are not always escalated in a timely manner and young people have had to wait a considerable period of time without a pathway plan. Staff are skilled in delivering the care needed to young people. The registered manager ensures staff have good opportunities to develop skills in certain areas of

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good

working with young people, such as self-harm. She encourages staff to develop and to have areas of interest. However, the registered manager is not yet incorporating recent research regarding child sexual exploitation and self-harm into staff practice within the home and this is an area for development. She provides good quality, regular supervision to staff. Staff say they find supervision helpful. The registered manager ensures that the home delivers its aims and objectives as set out within its statement of purpose. The registered manager plans admissions and transitions of young people. She wants them to succeed and have aspirations for their futures but also to be safe. A member of staff says: ‘We do the best we can for all our young people. We provide a family home and not just a residential unit’.

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What the inspection judgements mean

The experiences and progress of children and young people are at the centre of the inspection. Inspectors will use their professional judgement to determine the weight and significance of their findings in this respect. The judgements included in the report are made against Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection.

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What the inspection judgements mean

An outstanding children's home provides highly effective services that contribute to significantly improved outcomes for children and young people who need help and protection and care. Their progress exceeds expectations and is sustained over time. A good children's home provides effective services that help, protect and care for children and young people and have their welfare safeguarded and promoted. In a children's home that requires improvement , there are no widespread or serious failures that create or leave children being harmed or at risk of harm. The welfare of looked after children is safeguarded and promoted. Minimum requirements are in place, however, the children's home is not yet delivering good protection, help and care for children and young people. A children's home that is inadequate is providing services where there are widespread or serious failures that create or leave children and young people being

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What the inspection judgements mean

harmed or at risk of harm or result in children looked after not having their welfare safeguarded and promoted.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people living in the children's home. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference adults make to the lives of children and young people. They read case files, watched how professional staff work with children, young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care given to children and young people. Wherever possible, they talked to children, young people and their families. In addition the inspectors have tried to understand what the children's home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This 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 Children's

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Information about this inspection

Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. the guidance raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

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, workbased learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for looked after children and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Information about this inspection

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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Information about this inspection

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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