Children's Home run by Keys Direct Care Limited in Norfolk

The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

children and young people since the most recent full inspection. This home was judged good at the full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness . The home has met two of the three requirements set at the last inspection. The manager is monitoring the updating of documentation. The staff who provide supervision have had supervision training. The training takes account of the need to explore and reflect upon practice. Supervisions offer some challenge to practice and include reflection upon the quality of that practice. However, the manager has not met the requirement relating to training. While the manager has now attended health and safety training, the staff previously identified as needing training around self-harm have yet to receive this. This means that some staff have not received training in key issues that affect some of the children in the home. In addition,

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

some staff are not up to date with fire safety training. The home has been stable since the full inspection. No children have moved in and no children have moved out. This stability has allowed relationships between the staff and children to flourish. The strength of relationships means that staff rarely need to use physical interventions. The children report that this stability has been positive for them. They are very positive about the quality of care that they receive. One child said, ‘I think this care home teaches you to become a better person.’ The children feel safe in the home. They talk about the progress that they have made and the improvement in their lives since coming to live in the home. One child said, ‘When I first came here I was an angry child. Now I will say something rather than get angry. I am more chilled. It has changed me a lot. I am happier with the person I am today than the person I was two years ago. If I had not

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

come here I would still be the person I used to be.’ Another child said, ‘I’ve made a lot of progress and I’m not doing the things I was doing.’ External professionals also recognise the progress that children have made and the reduction in risk- taking behaviours. The number of incidents of children going missing is low. This is despite children having a history of going missing when they come to live in the home. On the one occasion a child did go missing, the staff responded appropriately. They maintained contact with the child throughout the duration of the incident and liaised with the police and the local authority. The police were positive about the work undertaken by the home during this period, with an officer stating, ‘The liaison with us was very good. They did everything that was expected of them.’ The home was proactive in ensuring a return interview took place. Three of the four current children are making good progress educationally.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

Education providers speak enthusiastically about the contribution that the staff make to the children’s academic achievement. One educational professional said, ‘The links are exceptional. Academically she has far exceeded our expectations. She is no longer the young person we met a year ago.’ One child has struggled in her school. This has led to a change in her educational arrangements. The staff have been active in challenging the school and her local authority to advocate on her behalf. The children see the staff as supportive advocates who will stand up for them. An independent person conducts monthly monitoring visits to the home. These include consultation with families and professionals. They offer challenge to the service and identify areas for improvement. The manager is very passionate about the quality of the service, but is realistic and recognises that the home needs to develop in some areas.

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

The home is in a rural location. The current location risk assessment does not sufficiently consider the risks posed by the nearby unlit, pathless road. Specifically, the fact that the children are able to access it unimpeded. There needs to be further consideration of any risk reduction measures to manage this. In addition, the assessment should explicitly state the location of the fluorescent jackets and the torch that staff are to take if a child goes missing in the dark. While staff were able to locate them during the recent incident, they were not certain as to their location. This could cause a delay in staff following children, which could in turn increase the risk that they face. External professionals consistently give highly positive feedback about the service. They talk of good communication, effective interactions and a focus on building relationships with children. Professionals state that the home makes a genuine

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The effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of

difference to the lives of the children. A social worker said of her child who she responsible of , ‘She is not running away, she is not disappearing and getting alcohol and drugs, she is not engaging in that life. She is not meeting up with males and the risk of child sexual exploitation has dropped enormously. She is positively engaging with school. She can actually talk about why she was doing that, which she could not do before.’ A placement officer said, ‘It is fantastic for her. She is a reformed young lady.’

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Information about this children's home

Owned by an independent provider, the home is registered for four children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

23/07/2015 Interim Improved 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

12: The protection of children standard In order to meet the protection of children standard the registered provider must ensure— (2)(b) that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. This is with particular regard to ensuring that the risks associated with the road are adequately assessed. 20/05/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees undertake appropriate continuing professional development. (Regulation 33 (4)(a)) 31/05/2016

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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

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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