Children's home run by Keys Group Progressive Care & Education Limited in Birmingham

This inspection

The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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This inspection

This home was judged Good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness .

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This inspection

Not all of the requirements made at the full inspection have been met. The requirements that have not been met relate to the leadership and management of the home.

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This inspection

The registered manager has failed to effectively scrutinise an incident that staff report as poor behaviour. This incident relates to low level challenge by a young person who believed that staff responses to them have been inappropriate or unfair. As a result poor practice has not been identified. This has resulted in the young person receiving inconsistent and, at times, poor levels of care.

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This inspection

The registered manager fails to have systems in place to make sure that any concerns raised by young people are taken seriously. Consequently, young people who raise concerns verbally, do not feel listened to. Their complaints are not recognised as such by the staff or the manager and are therefore they not looked into.

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This inspection

Leaders and managers have failed to effectively address poor practice and inappropriate behaviour by one member of staff that was identified at the full inspection. Their challenging approach to young people and the undermining of colleagues has a negative impact on young people’s care experiences. It leaves some staff unnecessarily questioning and doubting their abilities.

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This inspection

The registered manager has failed to make sure that staff receive regular and effective supervision. There is a reliance on group supervision. This prevents the manager from effectively monitoring and professionally challenging staff. This practice of group supervision has also acted as a barrier for staff to raise concerns. As a result, some negative dynamics within the staff team have not been tackled. The registered manager has recently implemented a supervision matrix to try and ensure supervision is regular and meaningful for the staff.

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This inspection

Young people are not helped to keep their bedrooms clean and tidy. Delays in repairing or replacing damaged or broken items results in one young person’s bedroom and bathroom looking neglected. One young person told the inspector that they felt staff have better facilities than them.

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This inspection

Young people have restrictions on their free time outside of the home. This prevents them from undertaking some activities with their peers. Not all young people are supported to take age appropriate risks to prepare them for their transition into adulthood. These restrictions are about staff anxieties rather than risks for young people. Young people told the inspector that this feels suffocating and unfair. They state that they feel that they are not trusted by the staff who care for them.

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This inspection

Young people regularly attend and engage well in education. They hold clear aspirations for their futures and are working hard to achieve their goals. They are proud of their achievements and talk with excitement about their future career plans. Staff rotas have recently not been child focused. This means one young person does not always arrive at school on time. This was discussed with the registered manager during the inspection and immediate changes were made.

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This inspection

The independent visitor has built up good relationships with young people in the home. He understands issues that are important to them and young people seek him out to talk to him about their care experiences. As a result, some improvements have been made to the quality of care young people receive. For example, one young person now has free time outside of the home without constant staff supervision.

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This inspection

The excessive use of consequences for young people identified at the last inspection has been addressed. There have been no sanctions given to young people since the last inspection. Likewise no room searches have taken place and young people appreciate this change to their care.

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Information about this children's home

This section should outline:  the home is registered to provide care for up to 2 children and young people who may have emotional and behavioural difficulties  the home is part of a large national organisation

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

26/03/2015 CH - Interim sustained effectiveness

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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 (England) Regulations 2015 and the Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards. The registered person(s) must comply with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

7: The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the children’s views, wishes and feelings standard the registered person must ensure that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

(1)(a) develop positive relationships with them; (1)(b) engage with them; and (1)(c) take their views, wishes and feelings into account in relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

(i) ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare; (ii) help each child to express views, wishes and feelings; (iii) help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child 01/04/2016

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard the registered persons must enable, inspire and lead a culture in relation to the children's home that-

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Requirement Due date

(1)(a) helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and (1)(b) promotes their welfare. 01/04/2016 In particular the registered persons must ensure- 2)(e) the home's workforce provides continuity of care; (2)(f) that the registered person understands the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the leadership and management standard the registered person must demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on;

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Requirement Due date

(h) use of monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. 01/04/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that –

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Requirement Due date

(1) no measure of control or discipline which is excessive, unreasonable or contrary to paragraph (2) may be used in relation to any child;

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Requirement Due date

In particular, children should not have restrictive and/or excessive restrictions placed on their unsupervised time that do not reflect the current risks posed for them 01/04/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees –

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Requirement Due date

(4)(a) undertake appropriate continuing professional development;

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Requirement Due date

(4)(b) receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience 01/04/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that –

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Requirement Due date

(3) a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. 01/04/2016

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection 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

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 focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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 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

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Information about this inspection

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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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