Children's Home run by Keys Care Limited in Buckinghamshire

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 established staff team develop very good relationships with young people that effectively engage them in securing positive outcomes. Young people feel safe and this provides them with a foundation on which to build and make good progress.  Young people’s voices are central to the plans for their care. Their active involvement influences them to make positive changes, for example in how to express and manage anger.  Young people appreciate the planning of their move into the home, which promotes smooth transitions. Staff support young people to gain the independent living skills necessary for adult life.  Staff benefit from good support and training that equips them for their roles. They apply the therapeutic ethos outlined in the home’s statement of purpose in their practice and in self-evaluation.  Staff are confident in identifying and managing risks to young people, for example self-harm, substance misuse and going missing. They are

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The children's home provision is good because:

knowledgeable about and implement the safeguarding strategies needed.  The house is well furnished and equipped to provide a homely living environment that young people are happy to share with friends and family.  The team works very effectively in partnership with professionals.

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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 within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard: In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered provider must ensure that staff— assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child. In particular, ensure that all identified risks are included in individual risk assessments and that the documents cross reference effectively. (Regulation 12 (2)(a)(i)) 18/09/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  For children looked after, the registered person should seek to ensure that the local authority regularly consults the child and the home about the child’s relevant plans, in particular ensure that staff know the review recommendations and record progress in achieving these. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 11.11)  The registered person must have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care, in particular develop systems for team review of incidents to formally identify and record learning points. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the

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Recommendations

quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 13.2)  A record of supervision should be kept for staff, including the manager. The record should provide evidence that supervision is being delivered in line with Regulation 33 (4)(b), in particular ensure that staff learning and development opportunities are maximised through good use of supervision and staff meeting minutes. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 13.3)  The registered person should ensure that staff can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs and should understand the key role that they play in the training and development of staff in the home. In particular, develop systems to ensure that staff receive refresher training within the desired timescales. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 10.11)

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Recommendations

 The children’s guide should help children to understand: • what the day-to-day routines of the home are (‘what happens in the home’); • the statement of purpose of the home (the care that they can expect to receive while living there); • how to make a complaint in line with the home’s complaints procedure; • how they can access advocacy support or independent advocacy if eligible; and • how to contact the Office of the Children’s Commissioner, in particular update the young people’s guide to include information about the therapeutic ethos of the home. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 4.22)  The registered person should actively seek independent scrutiny of the home and make best use of information from independent and internal monitoring (including under Regulations 44 and 45) to ensure continuous improvement. In particular, improve the quality of the analysis in the Regulation 45 reports

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Recommendations

to inform the development of the service. (‘Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 42, paragraph 10.24)

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Information about this children's home

 The service is run by a large, private organisation that operates a range of services. This home is one of a group of six that comprise a cross-regional project commissioned by six local authorities to provide a residential service for children and young people within their local area.   The home is registered to provide medium- to long-term care for up to four young people with emotional and behavioural difficulties. Young people living in the home can attend a school also run by the provider and have access to in-house therapeutic support.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

12/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

19/03/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Good

Young people can articulate the difference that living in the home has made to them. One said, ‘I have changed. This house is the best one I have lived in.’ Staff have enabled the development of strong relationships with young people, who say that staff are available and interested in them. There is mutual warmth and affection in their interactions. A social worker noted, ‘The staff are very engaged with X.’ Young people are learning how to share sensitive information with staff, confident that staff will not judge them and will know how to support them. One young person wrote about a key work session, ‘I am happy now to explain my feelings to the staff. I have no fears about getting hurt or anything.’ A professional said, ‘X was able to share with staff what X wanted in terms of the long-term care plan, which was undoubtedly difficult for X but clear that the staff had laid the foundations to allow this vulnerability.’

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Good

Young people benefit from highly personalised care that builds on their strengths to support progress. Their voices inform their care planning and the running of the home. Staff encourage and support young people to celebrate personal achievements, big and small. This is underpinned by the targets identified through a recognised assessment process with progress towards achievement measured and recorded. Young people make good progress and recognise this for themselves. One young person said, ‘I’ve changed. I used to kick off about the smallest things.’ A social worker observed, ‘Staff address issues as they happen and explore with X the reasons behind them and how to adapt these. This has provided strides for X in relation to behaviour.’ Young people are confident that staff would act if they had a complaint. Staff are mindful of the needs of young people and actively advocate on their behalf. One young person said, ‘They do what they say they will. They fight for what’s right for

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Good

me.’ Another young person gave the example of staff enabling him to stay overnight at a friend’s house. A professional said, ‘X’s needs are at the heart of it’. Staff address cultural and religious needs meaningfully. They share their own differences and experiences constructively in their support of young people. Staff maintain a focus on education, even during the holidays, to ensure that all young people will have the right education placement with any support needs in place ready for the start of term. Young people maintain existing activities and try new ones, enthusiastically encouraged and supported by staff. A recent seaside short break was really enjoyed and another is planned. Where review recommendations are made in respect of activities the progress or otherwise in achieving these is not routinely recorded, particularly where young people have changed their minds. Staff promote the health needs of young people. They attend routine healthcare

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Good

appointments and check-ups and staff ensure that any identified actions are implemented. The team have established strong links with specialist health providers, in particular the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. Young people benefit from personalised planned transitions into the home. They appreciated the opportunity to visit, meet staff and make choices about bedroom decor. A social worker said, ‘The introductory visit lasted over two hours as X was reluctant to leave.’ A young person observed, ‘They try and make sure we all fit together, take time to make decisions about who moves in.’ Young people who have left the home do so in a planned way as far as possible. Unplanned moves have not been at the instigation of the staff. Those young people who have moved out contact staff to let them know of their continued progress, for example in securing a tenancy. Staff enable young people to maintain regular contact with parents, friends and

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Good

others who are important to them, in line with their care plans. Staff give young people frequent opportunities to develop practical independence skills. These include shopping, cooking, laundry and financial awareness.

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Good

Young people feel safe and are safe. One young person said, ‘Staff are reassuring and wouldn’t let anything happen to me.’ Staff are knowledgeable about the range of risks that young people might be subject to. They understand and apply effective risk management. Generally, this is underpinned by detailed and comprehensive risk assessments. There is one instance of a risk identified in referral information not included in a formal risk assessment. Some risks are referred to in the context of other issues, for example vulnerability to gang involvement is covered in a child sexual exploitation risk assessment, but there is insufficient linking of these documents. A protective factor that mitigates against this weakness is the strength of the communication of the stable and consistent staff team. A social worker said, ‘Risks are well managed and dealt with sensitively. The young person is not stigmatised.’ Key working provides young people with

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Good

opportunities to gain insights into their risk-taking behaviour. Staff work collaboratively with each other and with external professionals to provide young people with support tailored to individual need. One professional commented that staff worked well in partnership with other agencies to address the management of self-harm, substance misuse and going missing from the home. Professionals said that staff do all that they can to keep young people safe. In consultation with others, they employ a range of strategies to try to minimise and reduce the impact of young people’s self-injurious behaviour. Staff also recognise when a placement cannot be safely sustained and work closely with mental health professionals to ensure that young people’s safety and well-being is the first consideration. Staff are familiar with and implement effectively missing from home protocols that reflect the individual circumstances of each young person. Staff have managed the

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Good

low number of such instances well and in accordance with the plans for each young person. Staff understand that the development and maintenance of good relationships with young people is key to good behaviour management. Young people talk very positively about the team. Staff are skilled in engaging with young people and helping them to learn how to express their emotions safely. A social worker noted, ‘The staff are very engaged with X and are mindful of moods and needs.’ Another social worker said ‘They are good at seeing underlying causes to behaviour.’ One young person said, ‘Staff have shown me different ways to express myself. They give the same message. All know the deal in this house.’ This is supported by a written plan devised by the young person with the staff. Staff model their well- embedded approach to restorative justice and avoid the criminalisation of young people where this is appropriate. Young people appreciate this response. One

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Good

young person found this very helpful, ‘Staff emphasise what’s done is done. It’s over, let’s move on.’ A social worker noted, ‘There is a clear child-focus, which comes into force not only in relation to prevention of negative behaviours but also in the response, even when this has been particularly difficult for individuals. There is a wish to understand X’s experiences and how these are currently impacting on X.’ Young people say that staff use positive consequences far more than sanctions. They use physical intervention infrequently and young people say that staff only use this to keep them safe. There is evidence of staff discussion following an incident. However, there is not a strategic approach to monitoring and reviewing incidents as a team and identifying the learning points. Staff are trained in and have a good understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities. They know when they need to take action, what they need to do,

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Good

how to do it and apply this knowledge in practice when necessary. Young people enjoy a safe, comfortable and homely environment. This is achieved by staff completing regular health and safety checks and ensuring that servicing and maintenance takes place when required. This includes fire safety systems and drills so that young people and staff know what to do in the event of a fire. Where there has been heavy wear and tear, work is in progress to make the necessary improvements. There have been no new staff recruited since the last full inspection. The report of that visit noted that recruitment practice was robust. Judgement grade

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Good

At the time of this visit, there had been no registered manager in post for three months. Prior to the formal resignation of the previous post holder, there had been an unplanned absence of both the registered manager and the deputy manager. The organisation has made interim management arrangements, with the manager of a nearby home currently running both homes. An application has been made to be registered for this home in addition to the existing registration. The staff team and external professionals commented very positively on the significant improvements that the interim arrangements have achieved. This particularly related to communication, stability and conveying consistent messages to young people. One social worker said, ‘There is clear leadership and direction. The staff appear to work as one and there is good communication between them.’ The staff team is child-focused and uses its time effectively to ensure that the

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Good

needs of the young people are prioritised while keeping up with the other tasks required of them. This supports the development of positive relationships as young people feel that they are important to the staff. A social worker reported, ‘X has been blown away by what they’ve done.’ Staff benefit from support that is of a good standard. The systems that comprise this support include daily handovers, monthly supervision and team meetings and opportunities for reflection with a therapist for the cross-regional project. Minutes of supervision and team meetings do not fully evidence follow up from one session to the next. This misses opportunities to inform staff development. The interim manager is working to a plan to ensure that all staff have an appraisal. There is a good training programme for staff which equips them for their role. There is a weakness in the systems for ensuring that staff are up to date in all

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Good

areas, with some staff not receiving refresher training in the desired timescales. All staff have either achieved or are working towards a level 3 diploma in working with children and young people and will achieve this within the timescale required by regulation. The staff team is familiar with and is meeting the aims and objectives as described in the statement of purpose. The majority embrace the therapeutic aspect of their work and cite examples of how it has informed their practice with young people and promotes their own personal development. For example, one member of staff gained a better understanding of how her presentation could make a difference to young people, along with the skills and insight needed in how to change this. Other members of staff talked enthusiastically about the value of play and how the therapeutic component had encouraged them ‘to think outside the box’. The young people’s guide does not give information about the therapeutic ethos of the home.

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Good

The systems for recording information do not lend themselves to effective management monitoring. For example, records relating to physical intervention are maintained in separate logs for each young person and are also included in a central incident log, which records all incidents. The manager is developing an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home and is taking action where necessary. The management monitoring reports lack in-depth analysis and evaluation. This misses an opportunity to inform the development of the service. The manager and the staff team work proactively with a range of professionals and others important to the young people. They have developed positive relationships, which enable effective communication. One social worker appreciated the detailed weekly reports, another professional described communication as ‘fluid’. The good quality of the relationships enables active challenge in the best interests of young

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Good

people. For example, a social worker said, ‘They challenge me appropriately if they feel that I should be meeting X’s needs in a different way.’ There were no requirements or recommendations made at the last inspection.

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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 that 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

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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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