Children's Home run by Keys Cwc Limited in South Gloucestershire

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:

 The staff team is led and managed by a compassionate registered manager who is suitably qualified, experienced and effective in his role. The support and guidance that he provides to staff are effective and valued by the team. Collectively, the team is enthusiastic, motivated and focused on providing a high level of individualised, nurturing care to the two young people in their care.  The registered manager’s oversight and monitoring of the home are robust. He has vision and ambitions to develop the services further. The young people are actively encouraged to contribute to the development of the home. One young person is interested in small animals. In recognition of this interest the staff provided the young person with an area in the garden where they are now looking after four ducks and three chickens.  Young people feel safe. Staff educate young people about the risk and impact of sexual exploitation and going missing, a behaviour which has

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The children's home provision is good because:

been significantly reduced for one young person as a result.  External agencies are positive about the staff’s work with them. A headteacher has provided written feedback to the staff saying how the young person is treated with care and consideration, and how well her complex needs have been met by the manager and his team. Moreover, her safety has always been paramount, and the manager has worked tirelessly with other agencies to ensure that this occurs. In addition, the local police said; ‘when concerns have been raised over a young person’s welfare and any perceived risk to her safety has been identified, prompt contact with us has been made.’ An independent reviewing officer and social worker acknowledge that a young person’s healthcare needs are well met and staff have a good understanding of the complexity of these needs. Communication and information sharing with others is 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 (England) Regulations 2015 and ‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

46: Review of premises The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children's home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard) (Regulation 46)(1)). 29 July 2016

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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 any sanctions used to address poor behaviour should be restorative in nature, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, the staff caring for them and the wider community (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38).

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Recommendations

Ensure that if it is likely that there might only be one member of staff on duty at any time the manager should make a formal assessment of the implications for children’s care, including any likely risks. In particular, ensure the assessments and are individualised and identify risk management strategies (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.18).

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Information about this children's home

This privately-owned home is registered for up to three young people of either gender, who may have emotional or behavioural difficulties, or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children's home

Two young people remain in placement since the last inspection.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

21 December 2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

21 January 2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Good

Young people are thriving, they are happy, and live in a safe and homely environment. High staffing levels mean that the young people receive individualised care by a team of staff who have an exceptionally good understanding of the young people’s differing needs and abilities. Staff are good at identifying and managing young people’s anxieties and behaviour. Some incidents have necessitated the use of physical intervention. These interventions are used for a limited time and are gradually being reduced. The manager reviews all incidents reports. He ensures that the young person and staff involved are provided with the opportunity to share how they feel after the intervention, and to identify strategies to prevent recurrence.

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Good

Overall, staff have an encouraging attitude towards promoting positive behaviour. They recognise when young people are doing well and make every attempt to reward these steps, for example praise, financial rewards, days out, new items purchased and so on. Sanctions are rarely imposed for negative behaviour. However, when they are used, one young person is not always helped to understand the impact and seriousness of some behaviours. At times reparation and/or follow up work has not taken place.

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Good

The manager and staff team work cohesively with a wide range of healthcare services to ensure that the young people’s health and well-being is given high priority. Regular medication reviews ensure that the young people are receiving the correct dosage to manage their medical conditions. All staff have received training in first aid and the safe administration of medication. Additional training provided to staff includes epilepsy, self-harm, attachment and autism. As a result, young people are looked after by a team of staff who are well trained to meet their healthcare needs. Feedback from a social worker confirms that they are happy with the healthcare support a young person receives from staff.

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Good

The support and guidance provided by staff to the young people has helped them to achieve their targets and personal goals. As a result, they are more able to identify barriers that they may face, and are learning to keep themselves safe and make safer choices. For one young person, one-to-one discussions have provided valuable support in raising her awareness of and helping her to identify strategies to prevent her being at further risk of sexual exploitation. The young person said, ‘The staff really help me. I do know how to keep myself safe and I can talk to any of the staff, but I also know that I am impulsive and sometimes make decisions that place me at risk. I can speak to all the staff. They are helping me to identify how I can manage my impulsiveness better.’ Young people live in a well-furnished home that provides enough room for them to have personal and private space. Young people have personalised their rooms, and

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Good

there is a strong sense of identity in each bedroom. Pictorial memorabilia displayed throughout the house are testimony to the relaxed and homely style of living that the young people are enjoying.

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Good

Young people are safe and protected, because the registered manager and care staff give the highest priority to their safety and well-being. Since the previous inspection, there have been two significant safeguarding concerns. The manager took immediate action, alerting without delay the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board, police, Ofsted and other agencies. The registered manager maintained a comprehensive audit of the actions taken, agencies spoken to, strategy meetings attended and agreed outcomes. Records are comprehensive and informative. They demonstrate that the safety of young people is paramount.

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Good

All staff have been assessed for their suitability to work in the home. The comprehensive two-week induction, ensures that new staff are developed and supported well into their role. Bespoke training is given to staff to ensure that they have the skills to meet the complex and unique needs of the young people. All staff spoken with had a good understanding of child protection and how to safeguard the young people who they are caring for.

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Good

Positive feedback was received from one young person’s social worker and one young person’s independent reviewing officer. They confirmed that one of the manager’s strengths is his close working relationships with safeguarding agencies, the local authority and police. The manager consults regularly with other agencies about their views on the home. Education services, parents and social workers also acknowledge the positive working relationships that the home maintains. Missing from home records state that there has been one incident since the last inspection, when a young person was reported as missing. Staff took appropriate action, effectively using the young person’s missing from home protocol. Staff searched known areas and maintained regular contact with the organisation’s ‘on call’ service and the police., On the young person’s return home, she benefited from having time to talk with a trusted member of staff, the independent visitor

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Good

and the local community police officer. As a result, staff have a better understanding of how to help the young person. The manager regularly reviews environmental risks which may impact on the young people’s safety and well-being. The home’s locality risk assessment is regularly reviewed. It identifies risks in the wider community. However, the manager has not considered the emergency services response times if an emergency should occur, or the operational hours of the emergency services in the area. In addition, the risk assessment for lone working is not individualised to each member of staff. The actions identified on the assessment fail to consider the preventative strategies that staff should take in the event of a significant safeguarding incident when they are working alone with young people.

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Good

The home is led and managed by an enthusiastic, committed and experienced registered manager. He is suitably qualified and is proactive in sharing his knowledge and experiences with the staff team. Supervision and team meetings occur regularly and provide good opportunities for staff to reflect on their work and learn from each other.

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Good

A key strength of the registered manager is his ability to recruit and select a team of staff who share his vision and values, for example commitment, warmth, compassion. The young people respond well and benefit from this approach. Shift leaders are consistent in their approach, which the young people respond well to. Inclusion and consultation with young people are central to the running of the home. This has significantly helped young people to share their worries and concerns.

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Good

There have been some changes in staffing since the last inspection. The registered manager and three long-term staff continue to provide continuity of care for both young people at the home. New staff have benefited from undertaking a reviewed and improved induction programme. The registered manager recognises the importance of a skilled staff team. He seeks ongoing learning opportunities for the team to develop their knowledge and skills. He has been instrumental in identifying a bespoke training programme. This has resulted in young people being cared for by a team of staff who understand their diverse and complex needs.

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Good

The manager’s monitoring of records is rigorous. He regularly scrutinises reports and highlights gaps in records, requesting that staff provide greater clarity and/or information. In the main, the reports completed by staff give a good overview of the young people’s day, their achievements, and the areas where they may require further support and guidance. The registered manager has met the one requirement set at the previous inspection. All significant incidents are now reported to Ofsted and shared with supporting agencies.

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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’. 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

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What the inspection judgements mean

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 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 ‘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 0300 123 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, work- based 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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