Children's Home run by Keys Nhcc Ltd in Shropshire

This monitoring visit

On 7 and 8 July 2016, Ofsted completed an unannounced full inspection and the judgement was that the home was inadequate in all areas. There were significant concerns regarding the safety of young people in the home and community, risk assessment and management, an increase in young people’s risk-taking behaviours, inadequate partnership working, poor leadership and management and a lack of robust management oversight. As a result of these significant concerns, Ofsted implemented a restriction notice and two compliance notices in relation to safeguarding and leadership and management. The purpose of this monitoring visit was to monitor the registered provider’s compliance with the notices. Since the last inspection, there has been a change in management. An experienced manager is overseeing the home and is in day-to-day charge of the home. She has started to implement changes in the structure of the home. The

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This monitoring visit

overseeing manager has implemented new boundaries and routines. While young people have stated that they are unhappy with the new rules, they are complying and their risk-taking behaviours have decreased. Management monitoring of staff practice has improved. The overseeing manager monitors staff implementation of young people’s risk management plans and free-time protocols. Staff have liaised with other professionals, such as the police, to share any relevant information to increase young people’s safety when they are in the community, and there has been an improvement in partnership working. The registered provider has met with placing authorities and escalated concerns appropriately when they have not received the appropriate response that would meet the needs of the young person. The registered provider’s response to the compliance notices and requirements raised at the last inspection has been positive. Senior managers have provided a

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This monitoring visit

robust and proactive response with increased support for staff and the overseeing manager. Since the last inspection, there have been improvements in young people’s safety and risk management. There have been no safeguarding concerns regarding young people’s free time since the last inspection. New care plans and risk assessments take into consideration young people’s historical experiences and needs. They provide staff with good, clear guidance as to what to do in order to keep young people safe. Staff have appropriately managed substance misuse incidents and missing incidents. When staff have not implemented young people’s risk management plans, the overseeing manager has been quick to respond to any practice concerns. After incidents, staff complete in-depth key-working sessions with young people. There has been an improvement in the quality of key-working sessions. This means that young people have more opportunity to learn from their behaviours.

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This monitoring visit

Staff’s understanding of safeguarding practices has improved due to better training and development from the overseeing manager. The overseeing manager is challenging staff practice and developing staff’s skills. Staff have had training in areas such as autism, child sexual exploitation, and recording and reporting practices. Communication with placing authorities is positive, and staff share any relevant information with them and other partner agencies, such as the police. Young people are starting to receive the services and input that they need to reduce their risk-taking behaviours relating to issues such as substance misuse and they are engaging. From this monitoring visit, Ofsted is satisfied that the compliance notices have been met. Ofsted found no regulatory or national minimum standard shortfalls at this visit. There are a number of requirements that are not met, and which the management team and staff are working towards. Thus, the judgement of

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned children’s home, registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that must be taken so that the registered persons meet 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 persons must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

6: The quality and purpose of care standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the quality and purpose of care standard, the registered person must ensure that

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Requirement Due date

(1)(a) children receive care from staff who understand the children's home's overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children; and who

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Requirement Due date

(b) use this understanding to deliver care that meets children's needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

(2)(b)(ii) staff protect and promote each child's welfare; (iv) staff provide personalised care that meets each child's needs, as recorded in the child's relevant plans, taking account of the child's background;

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Requirement Due date

(vi) staff help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live independently as an adult. 07/10/2016

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Requirement Due date

11: The positive relationships standard In order to meet the positive relationships standard, the registered person must ensure that (1) children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on (a) mutual respect and trust; 7/10/2016 (b) an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and (c) positive responses to other children and adults. (2)(a)(i) staff meet each child's behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child's relevant plans; (ii) staff help each child to develop socially aware behaviour; (iii) staff encourage each child to take responsibility for the child's behaviour, in accordance with the child's age and understanding; (iv) staff help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone; (v) staff communicate to each child expectations about the child's behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child's age and

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Requirement Due date

understanding; (vi) staff help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child's age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful; and (xiii) staff have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them. The registered person must compile in relation to the children's home a statement (‘the statement of purpose’) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. (Regulation 16(1)) 7 October

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification, the level 3 diploma for residential childcare (England) (‘the level 3 diploma’), by the relevant date. (Regulation 32(4)(a)) 7/10/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (‘case records’) for each child which include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child. (Regulation 36(1)(a)) 7 October

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and progress made by the home since their last Ofsted inspection.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. 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.

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

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Information about this inspection

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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