Children's home run by Keys Child Care Limited in Telford and Wrekin

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:

 There is a strong leadership team that is experienced at meeting the needs of young people in crisis.  Young people settle quickly and make good progress. They develop positive relationships with staff who proactively support them to re-establish normal patterns of day-to-day life in a very safe environment.  Well-informed assessments enable young people and social workers to identify clear plans for the young people to move on from the assessment unit back to their families or to long–term, stable placements.  Proactive partnership work with other professionals and agencies ensures that young people receive the help that they need to meet their assessed needs.  Staff support and educate young people to keep themselves safe. Strategies tailored to individual young people result in a significant reduction of historical high-risk behaviours.  Some requirements for improvement have been made as a result of this

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The children’s home provision is good because:

inspection. These include record-keeping, the statement of purpose, young people’s contact details and maintenance of the home’s kitchen/dining room area.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions which must be taken so that the registered person(s) meet(s) 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

6. The quality and purpose of care standard. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to – (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. This specifically relates to the refurbishment of the home’s kitchen and dining room area. 31/01/2017

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Requirement Due date

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. This specifically relates to Regulation 16, Schedule 1(12). 31/12/2016

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that— (a) within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes— (i) the name of the child; (ii) details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure; (iii) the date, time and location of the use of the measure; (iv) a description of the measure and its duration; (v) details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure; (vi) the name of the person who used the measure (‘the user’), and of any other person present when the measure was used; (vii) the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the 31/12/2016 measure; and (viii) a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure; and (b) within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to

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Requirement Due date

do so (‘the authorised person’)— (i) has spoken to the user about the measure; and (ii) has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and (c) within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35(3)(a) (1)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii)(c))

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records for each child which include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child. (Regulation 36(1) Schedule 3(16)) This specifically relates to the arrangements for, and any restrictions on, contact between the child, the child’s parents and any other person. 31/12/2016

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for four young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is operated by a private company. It provides a 12-week assessment to young people in crisis.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

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Recent inspection history

15/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Good

Young people receive all the necessary help and support that they need to optimise their well-being throughout their assessment period at this home. Young people often arrive at the home at short notice and while experiencing crisis in their lives. The staff team has good experience and knowledge of working with young people who come from different backgrounds with a wide range of difficulties. Young people are warmly welcomed to the home whatever time of day or night they arrive. Staff work proactively with other agencies to ensure that they have as much information as possible to inform their stay. Young people live at the home for 12 weeks. During this time, an assessment is undertaken, which is then used to inform their future needs. The management team is proactive in ensuring that this 12-week timescale does not drift. However, when a local authority struggles to identify the right next placement or this placement is delayed, they will consider

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Good

extending a young person’s stay. This decision is not made lightly. A decision is based on the young person’s needs and any risks or impact to other young people living at the home. Staff form meaningful relationships with young people. This enables them to complete detailed assessments based on their observations and discussions with young people, their families and other agencies. These accurately identify young people’s immediate and future needs and aspirations. Young people feel listened to and able to influence the care that they receive. The staff team is flexible and ensures that their practice is tailored to meet the specific needs of each young person. As a result, young people re-engage in positive day- to-day routines. They access education on the site of the home. They establish good attendance. They undertake assessments, which provide educators with a baseline to support future good academic progress. They lead healthy lifestyles.

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Good

They attend a range of health appointments. When it is identified that treatment is required, staff ensure that they access it. They eat a healthy diet and establish regular sleep patterns. They reduce high-risk behaviours, engage in age- appropriate hobbies and interests and focus on what they want to achieve in the future. Contact with family and others who are significant to them is promoted, when appropriate. Staff have an excellent understanding of the challenges faced by young people living away from home. They provide transport and supervise and host contact. However, current arrangements for contact in line with the placing authority’s plan of care are not clearly recorded in the young people’s files. Judgement grade

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Good

Staff effectively support young people who display emotional and behavioural difficulties as a result of previous experiences or placement breakdown. For some young people, the main focus of their placement is to immediately reduce specific high-risk behaviours and keep them safe. To achieve this, staff work proactively to identify strategies. The impact of this work is that young people significantly reduce their historical risk-taking behaviours of going missing, criminal activities, violence and self-harm. Young people engage in therapy and develop positive influential relationships with staff. They gain insight into the causes of and triggers to their actions. They learn to recognise feelings and develop strategies for managing emotions and situations that they find difficult. A social worker stated: ‘The placement is in an excellent location, and the staff team present as professional and child focused. They have

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Good

quickly got to know the young person and his behaviours, which [has] helped them to develop an individualised way of working with him. This has helped the young person reflect on his own behaviour and understand how he can manage difficult situations and emotions more effectively.’ For some young people, the use of consequences and physical restraint is a necessary part of managing immediate risks or dangerous behaviour. Generally, records reflect the required information about these events. Records do not include a debrief with the staff involved or a record of a conversation with the young person after an incident. This means that managers cannot effectively evaluate and assess the appropriateness of the measures used. They are also unable to fully evaluate staff practice or determine whether the measure was safely used. Young people’s protection may be not fully promoted in these circumstances. Young people begin to learn to keep themselves safe, accept responsibility for

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Good

themselves and understand the effect of their actions on others. Staff take their educational role seriously. They give young people the information, encouragement and access to resources and skills that allow them to develop and lead safe and healthy lifestyles. For example, they share information on the safe use of social media, healthy relationships, the criminal justice system and drug and alcohol awareness. Staff have a clear understanding of how to manage any safeguarding allegations. They receive regular safeguarding training, which includes a range of topics, including children missing from home and the identification of child sexual exploitation. Young people who are identified as at risk of going missing are monitored carefully. There have been six missing incidents since the last inspection. These were appropriately managed and referred to partnership agencies. The registered manager reviews all incidents and identifies with the staff

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Good

team any areas for improvement to future practice. Young people know how to raise issues and how to complain. They said that they feel safe and well supported. They have access to a range of staff and individuals whom they can go to if they have any worries. Young people's protection is also promoted through safe and careful selection and vetting processes for all new staff. The organisation has clearly defined systems that ensure that all necessary checks have been completed and are acceptable prior to someone starting work in the home. The standard of accommodation is generally good. There is a rolling refurbishment plan, which is proactively supported by the management and staff team. Young people have also been involved in choosing furniture and painting. Work remains ongoing, and particular attention needs to be given to the home’s kitchen/dining room. This is in a poor state of repair and looks tired compared to other areas of

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Good

the house. The kitchen cupboards and the cooker are in a poor state of repair. The kitchen table is small and only comfortably seats six people. This means that young people are not yet benefiting from a comfortable environment that enables them to relax and socialise.

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Good

The registered manager has managed this home since October 2014. He has a level 5 diploma in leadership and management. The home has a strong management team that includes a deputy and team of senior staff. They are all appropriately qualified. These aligned skills and experience result in a well- managed home. This includes the ability to create confidence, and to motivate and inspire others, so that the right outcomes are secured for every young person. The home has a statement of purpose, which is regularly reviewed. It is available, along with a children’s guide, to local authorities, parents and young people. The statement of purpose does not include the registered status of the education provision provided at the home. This does not ensure that a local authority is adequately informed to make a decision to place a young person at the home. Young people are effectively supported by the staff team. Young people stated that

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Good

the staff are a key strength at this home. They described them as ‘supportive’, ‘great fun’ and ‘firm but fair’. There is a core group of consistent staff and some new team members. All staff are qualified or within regulatory timescales of two years from starting work to obtain their qualifications. Staff are supported to develop their practice through training, clinician-facilitated meetings and structured team meetings. All of these enable them to reflect on their practice, discuss how well the young people are progressing and provide challenge. The home’s external and internal monitoring arrangements are detailed and are being effectively implemented to improve the quality of care and outcomes for young people. There were no requirements or recommendations made at the last Ofsted inspection. Quality assurance informs the home’s development plan. The organisation, registered manager and management team continue to review and

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Good

develop the service. For example, since September the education facilities at the home have significantly improved. There is now an established timetable, which is being led by a qualified teacher each day. This package continues to be developed with the additional recruitment of an education assistant who will be based at the home. Their role will be to coordinate education and to be a consistent presence on site. Staff have effective working relationships with partner agencies. All are positive about the quality of communication and commitment of staff. A social worker stated: ‘I have been pleased with the sharing of information and multi-agency approach of the registered manager and staff team. I feel I am kept updated [with] the young person’s progress, and his care plan is considered in respect of decisions made.’

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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 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 that 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 whom 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

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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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