Children's Home run by Keys Child Care Limited in Nottinghamshire

Requires improvement

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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The children’s home provision requires improvement because:

 The registered manager and a number of staff have left the home recently. The new manager has uncovered concerns about previous practice. This has included safeguarding concerns and staff not upholding professional boundaries. Staff do not have a good understanding of whistleblowing procedures as they have allowed poor practice to go unchallenged.  Children and young people, professionals, staff and the manager all agree that five children and young people living in this home is too many. It has an impact on their behaviour, the communal space and the availability of cars.  There is an institutional feel to some parts of the home. Communal areas are routinely locked, some furniture is damaged, there are instructional notices in communal areas and a carpet is in a poor condition. Furthermore, children and young people do not have keys to their own bedrooms.  Two staff sleep overnight, but both sleep in rooms that are on the first floor.

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The children’s home provision requires improvement because:

Children and young people said that they would feel safer if one of the staff slept on the ground floor where three of their bedrooms are. The sofa bed where staff sleep is dirty, old and uncomfortable.  A young person has not had a review of her prescribed medication, which she is refusing to take.  The new manager is qualified and very experienced. She provides supportive, strong leadership. There is a committed core staff team supported by bank staff, agency workers and staff from other homes within the company. The company is recruiting but the current situation does not offer children and young people continuity of care.  Despite the frustrations that children and young people feel at the moment due to staff leaving, a young person said: ‘This house is amazing.’

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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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The quality and purpose of care standard

6. (1) The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who: (a) understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children (b) use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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The quality and purpose of care standard

This is with particular reference to reviewing the number of children admitted to the home due to poor dynamics, the number of cars, staff sleeping arrangements and understanding of professional boundaries.

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The quality and purpose of care standard

(2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to: (a) understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose (b) ensure that staff: (i) understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose (ii) protect and promote each child’s welfare (vii) provide to children living in the home the physical necessities they need in order to live there comfortably (c) ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to: (i) meet the needs of each child. 25/11/2016

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The leadership and management standard

In order to meet the leadership and management standard, with particular reference to retention of staff:

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The leadership and management standard

13. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to: (e) ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. 25/11/2016 Ensure that (b) children can access all appropriate areas of the children’s home’s premises (c) any limitation placed on a child’s privacy or access to any area of the home’s premises: (i) is intended to safeguard each child accommodated in the home (ii) is necessary and proportionate (iii) is kept under review and, if necessary, revised (iv) allows children as much freedom as is possible when balanced against the need to protect them and keep them safe. (Regulation 21 (b)(c)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)) 09/09/2016

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The leadership and management standard

(3) Ensure that children are provided at all reasonable times with access to: (a) a telephone on which to make and receive telephone calls in private that they may use without reference to persons working in the home. (Regulation 22 (3)(a)) 09/09/2016

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendations:  Ensure that the design of the home provides staff that sleep in the home overnight with appropriate accommodation and facilities to do so. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.26)  Ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s internal whistleblowing procedures through the induction process. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.9)  Ensure that children are consulted regularly on their views about the home’s care, to inform and support continued improvement in the quality of care provided. This specifically refers to recording children’s comments within the record of consequences. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the children’s home is a nurturing and supportive environment that meets the needs of its children. They will, in most cases, be homely, domestic environments. Children’s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislations (alarms, food hygiene etc.). However, in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than ‘institutional’ impression. This specifically refers to damaged furniture, notices and rucked-up carpets. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.9)  Ensure that staff encourage children to take a proactive role in looking after their day-to-day health and well-being. Where children have specific health needs or conditions, they should be supported to manage these, subject to their age and understanding. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 34, paragraph 7.10)

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and is registered to provide care and accommodation for five young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The inspector was aware during this inspection that serious allegations of a child protection nature were being investigated by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate allegations of this kind, actions taken by the setting in response to the allegations were considered alongside the other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform inspector’s judgements.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

16/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness

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Recent inspection history

05/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Requires improvement

Children and young people complained that having five young people living in the home upsets the dynamics of the house. They say that this causes arguments and tension. Furthermore, children and young people only have access to two cars. A young person said: ‘Only two cars and five kids – it just doesn’t work and it’s even more of a struggle at weekends when everyone’s on contact.’ They complained that this means that they have to wait for cars to become available due to children and young people having one-to-one support and risk assessments stating that some of them cannot go out with others. The home has an institutional feel in some areas, due to heavy doors, damaged furniture, instructional notices and a carpet that is rucked-up. Some areas are nicely decorated and others are in need of attention. Communal space becomes cramped, because most children and young people have one-to-one staff support.

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Requires improvement

This means that there can be up to ten people in the house. Some rooms within the house are routinely locked, such as the kitchen at night and the pantry housing the fridge. This means that children and young people do not have free access to all communal areas or food and drink. During the inspection, the lock was taken off the pantry door and a notice was left for staff not to lock the kitchen door. Children and young people benefit from highly personalised bedrooms, which can be locked for privacy. However, they are not given a key to their room, which means that they have to ask staff each time they want to get into their bedrooms. Three of the five bedrooms are en suite, which provides extra privacy for those children and young people. The home has a phone room, which is kept locked. If children and young people wish to use the phone, they have to ask staff to unlock the room. This means that they are unable to make phone calls without staff knowing. Most children and

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Requires improvement

young people do not have restrictions on phone use and do not have a mobile phone. Therefore, their phone use is restricted unnecessarily. Children and young people are in good physical health. However, diagnosed medical conditions are not always reviewed with the doctor when young people refuse to take the prescribed medication. Most attend medical and dental appointments as required. Some children and young people have access to the home’s therapist, and other mental health services, which helps them to manage their emotional health. Children and young people make good progress with regard to their emotional health, education and risk-taking behaviours, such as going missing from care. Furthermore, young people have successfully transitioned to independent living. They enjoy cooking and shopping. Children and young people are catered for when they have special diets for religious purposes. They are fully supported to follow

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Requires improvement

their religious and cultural beliefs. Children and young people attend the onsite school or a college. They have good attendance and young people who took exams this year did well. Children and young people are looking forward to going back to school or college after the summer break. Children and young people say that they feel listened to and that their concerns are taken seriously. However, they say that this wasn’t the case when the previous manager was there. They are consulted about their day-to-day care, decor, activities and the menu. Children and young people are fit and active. They participate in a range of activities, such as trampolining, day trips to the beach, theme parks, roller blading, ice skating and the cinema. A social worker said: ‘They do a lot of activities that are led by the young people.’

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Requires improvement

Staff have not upheld professional boundaries with children and young people. This has meant that children and young people have been put at risk. The new manager is currently addressing these concerns and, so far, one member of staff has been dismissed. The manager also plans to complete further training to support staff to have a better understanding of professional boundaries. Staff have not had a good understanding of whistleblowing procedures. This has meant that some poor practice has gone unchallenged. However, the new manager ensures that whistleblowing procedures are discussed within staff meetings and staff supervision. She is also organising extra training for staff. Children and young people say that they feel safe because they know that staff are there to protect them and they know that no one can get in the house to hurt them. Safeguarding concerns are reported to the appropriate agencies. Staff work

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Requires improvement

closely with external agencies to help to keep children and young people safe. Positive behaviour is promoted. Children and young people are supported to manage their own behaviour. Staff use positive and negative consequences. Children and young people rarely comment on the records, which means that it is hard to understand what their view is of the consequence given. Staff use de- escalation strategies to help children and young people calm down when they are angry or agitated. Staff do use physical intervention appropriately, as a last resort and for the shortest possible time. The incidents of young people going missing have reduced dramatically from their starting points. A social worker said: ‘Before, she was at high risk of sexual exploitation and was going missing all the time.’ Staff follow good procedures when children and young people go missing. They will follow them and search for them if

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Requires improvement

they can’t see them. They will also take registration plate numbers if they see them get into unknown vehicles. Working closely with other agencies helps return children and young people safely. Regular direct work helps children and young people to understand the risks they put themselves at when they go missing. Staff have a good understanding of self-harming behaviour. Children and young people who self-harm have been helped to reduce this behaviour. Vetting procedures help to protect children and young people from unsuitable adults.

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Requires improvement

Children and young people, professionals, staff and the manager all agree that five children and young people living in this home is too many. It has an impact on their behaviour, the communal space and the availability of cars. A young person said: ‘There should be only four kids here. It’s too big. More arguments. I think there would be less running off as well as there is less tension.’ A large number of staff have left recently, including the registered manager. This has had a profound impact on the children and young people who are angry about staff leaving but also feel that they can’t get close to other staff in case they also leave. Children and young people are currently being cared for by a dedicated core team of staff, supported by bank staff, agency workers and staff from other homes within the company. The company is recruiting, but the current situation does not offer children and young people continuity of care. An independent reviewing

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Requires improvement

officer said: ‘The change of staff has been destabilising for her.’ Two staff sleep overnight, but both sleep-in rooms are on the first floor. Children and young people said that they would feel safer if a member of staff also slept downstairs, as three of the young people are located on the ground floor. Furthermore, staff have slept downstairs in one of the lounges as they refused to sleep on the sofa bed provided, as this is old, dirty and uncomfortable. This practice no longer occurs due to safeguarding concerns. However, the sofa bed has not been replaced, although funding was agreed during the inspection. The registered manager left the home in June 2016. The new manager came into post at the beginning of July 2016. She has made an application to Ofsted to be registered. She is a qualified and experienced manager who provides good leadership and management. Staff find her supportive, saying that she ‘actually

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Requires improvement

listens’ to them. The children and young people also appear to really like her. One said to her that she is ‘the best’. She has a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home and has plans to address the shortfalls. The current staff team is committed to providing a good quality of care for children and young people. Very few are qualified. However, all unqualified staff are either completing an appropriate qualification or are still in their probation period. They receive regular formal support from the manager or deputy manager. They say that they find this useful. Staff work closely with other professionals to ensure that a good package of care is provided for children and young people.

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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 children looked after 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, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It inspects services for children looked after 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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