Children's home run by Keys Nhcc Ltd in Rossendale

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement at the full inspection. At this interim inspection Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection there have been no new admissions or transitions. The young person who arrived at the home during the last inspection has settled.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The young person has made some level of progress. She is attending education. The registered manager has sourced activities for her, such as attending a recording studio. The young person has recently been given more access to free time. However, this has presented some difficulties for the young person and has resulted in increased missing incidents. Key-working sessions continue to address the young person’s risk-taking behaviours, and suitable education, such as Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) training, is employed. Staff arrange key- working sessions after significant incidents. The young person has started to make progress in understanding risks. There have been occasions when the young person has effectively reported safeguarding matters to staff, and where she has taken appropriate action, such as around social media.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Overall, the young person’s risk-taking behaviours have decreased from her starting point. However, staff do not consistently follow the young person’s risk- management plan around free time. For example, staff do not ensure that they have written consent from the social worker, or that they learn from previous missing incidents and put into place strategies such as increased supervision, to reduce opportunities for her to go missing. This has resulted in the young person going missing. When the young person goes missing, staff search for her, and they are good at ensuring that there is a multi-agency response. The young person has made progress in that when she does go missing, she maintains contact with staff. This evidences some level of engagement with the placement. However, the young person does not have the opportunity to have an independent interview on her return from being missing. Consequently, important information regarding the

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

reasons for the young person going missing is not captured. A social worker said: ‘When my young person goes missing staff call her hourly, even through the night, and she responds to them. Staff are pretty good at de-escalating and giving her options around what they can do and what she can do.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

It is sometimes unclear as to who is accountable for decision-making regarding areas such as free time and the use of the internet. On occasion, when the registered manager has not agreed with the placing authority’s decision, it has not been escalated to senior managers quickly enough. This results in ambiguity around important decisions which affect the young person’s safety and well-being.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Partnership working continues to be a strength of this home. There is a well- coordinated response to risk-taking incidents, such as missing incidents and child sexual exploitation. The registered manager updates the young person’s risk- management plans and she is quick to organise and convene meetings with professionals. This means that risk-management plans are informed, and contain multi-agency strategies to manage the young person’s risk-taking behaviours. Staff are aware of strategies to use to disrupt the young person’s risk-taking behaviours. For example, they now have protocols in place with taxi companies so as to reduce the risk of the young person going missing. They work closely with the police and are open to seeking advice from agencies, so as to keep the young person safe.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Management oversight continues to be rigorous, and the registered manager is a strong manager. She attends risk prevention meetings with the placing authority and she has regular key-working sessions with the young person. The registered manager monitors the quality of practice and care provided to the young person.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager has met the requirements from the last inspection. However, two requirements from the last inspection have been raised again due to different circumstances. The requirements are in relation to the registered manager escalating concerns regarding placing authority decision-making, and regarding staff assessing the young person’s risks around free time appropriately, taking into account the young person’s recent risk-taking behaviours.

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Information about this children's home

This home is registered to provide care and accommodation for one young person who has emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 03/11/2016 Full Requires improvement 11/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 08/10/2015 Full Good 16/10/2014 Full Good

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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

5: Engaging with the wider system to ensure that children's needs are met

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Requirement Due date

To meet the engaging with the wider system standard, the registered person must ensure:

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Requirement Due date

(c) that if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. 31/03/2017

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Requirement Due date

To meet the protection of children standard, the registered person must ensure:

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Requirement Due date

(2)(a)(i) 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. 31/03/2017

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further the service should take account of the following recommendation:  Ensure that when a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority provides an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. Homes should take account of information provided by such interviews when assessing risks and putting arrangements in place to protect each child. ('Guide to the children's homes regulations including the quality standards', page 45, paragraph 9.30)

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What the inspection judgements mean

At the interim inspection we make a judgement on whether the home has improved in effectiveness, sustained effectiveness, or declined in effectiveness since the previous full inspection. This is in line with the ‘Inspection of children's homes: framework for inspection’.

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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 who it is trying to help, protect and look after. This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

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 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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