Children's home run by Keys Education Ltd in Rossendale

Inspector Hannah Bates

This monitoring visit . On 12 December 2016, Ofsted completed an interim inspection and judged that the setting had declined in effectiveness. Ofsted raised significant concerns regarding the safety and well-being of young people and a lack of rigorous leadership and management of the setting. Due to the concerns, Ofsted issued a compliance notice, because the provider had not met previous inspection requirements, and there are further failings in the leadership and management of the home. The purpose of this monitoring visit was to monitor the provider’s compliance with the notice.

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Inspector Hannah Bates

On occasion, management guidance lacks rigour. Systems for recording and documenting decisions continue to be poor. Management guidance relies heavily on staff being verbally informed and is not written down. This has led to important information not being passed on, and young people having the opportunity to engage in risk-taking behaviours. Staff handovers do not provide staff with enough guidance as to how to manage the shift productively and how to reduce opportunities for any incidents to happen.

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Inspector Hannah Bates

Management oversight of safeguarding information continues to lack rigour on occasion. For example, on one occasion, the manager had not referred safeguarding information to the local authority in line with the organisation’s child protection policy. The manager had failed to document the information appropriately, meaning that there was no clear documentation regarding decision- making. The lack of a clear paperwork system means that potentially important information may get missed.

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Inspector Hannah Bates

Since the last inspection, there has been an improvement in the management oversight of significant incidents and key working sessions with young people. The manager completes an evaluation of all incidents and physical interventions. The manager evaluates and questions staff actions and completes investigations where necessary into staff practice. This is starting to improve the quality of care that young people receive. Staff’s documenting of physical interventions and incidents is improving and staff practice is more child-focused.

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Inspector Hannah Bates

The manager has been quick to start to implement new guidance for staff regarding missing incidents, and staff actions if young people are suspected of having weapons. The guidance is clear and is related directly to staff practice. The manager has started to have new ideas about how to ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills they need to be able to manage young people’s complex behaviours. For example, the manager is going to be looking at case scenarios with staff during team meetings, and supervisions are much more question-based so as to test the skills and knowledge of staff.

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Inspector Hannah Bates

The manager is aware of the areas for development in the home and in staff practice. He is committed to improving the experiences and progress of the young people, as well as the quality of care which young people receive. The staff team is dedicated to the young people that they care for and continue to engage in training. New systems and structures are starting to be integrated into the home.

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Inspector Hannah Bates

While the provider has met the compliance notice, it is very early days. A further requirement has been raised from this compliance monitoring visit. This is in relation to staff understanding their roles regarding child protection and acting in accordance with the organisation’s child protection policies.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to eight young people with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home runs a 12-week programme which focuses on engaging young people with activities. As part of the programme, young people spend periods of time away from the children’s home, either camping or in bunkhouses.

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that 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

In order to meet the protection of children standard, the registered person must: (1) ensure that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe; (2)(a)(i) 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; (v) understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; (vii) are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. 20/02/2017

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the positive relationships standard, the registered person must ensure that staff: (2)(a)(x) are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same. 20/02/2017

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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 20/02/2017 registered person must ensure that staff (2)(b)(iv) 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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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000. out in 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 this guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Information about this inspection

to 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

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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