Children's home run by Keys Group Progressive Care & Education Limited in Birmingham

Inadequate

There are serious and widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and their care and experiences are poor and they are not making progress in some aspects of their lives.

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The children’s home’s provision is inadequate because:

 Staff do not demonstrate that they have the skills, experience and confidence to take control and to robustly deliver the quality of care that young people require. As a result, the home is unsafe and young people are being placed in circumstances of unnecessary risk.  Staff do not have the confidence required to reinforce appropriate boundaries to manage young people’s behaviour effectively. Young people are not supported to reflect on their challenging and risky behaviour and how it has an impact on themselves and others. For example, one young person was seen on a mobile telephone during class. The member of staff did not challenge the young person or ask them to put the mobile telephone away. As a result, at times the young people hold the balance of control in the home and in the school.  A number of institutionalised and inappropriate rules and strategies have been put in place to try to support staff in their role. These have been

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The children’s home’s provision is inadequate because:

introduced since the previous inspection. These have largely been unsuccessful.  The organisation’s response to the previous inspection was to make a number of changes in the overall management of the home. This included recruiting a new manager and putting in place arrangements for other managers in the company to support him. This arrangement has not been effectively reviewed. As a consequence, there are weaknesses in care practices, including key information about young people and details of their care are not being shared between managers or with other agencies. In one case key information has been lost all together.

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The children’s home’s strengths

 A recent visit by local authority commissioners left the organisation hopeful that positive change could be made based on their assessment of the new manager and the quality of his practice.  Regular team meetings take place. This has allowed senior leaders to share the concerns stemming from the previous inspection and to use the time to discuss concerns regarding the care of the children and young people living in the home. Staff spoken to consider these meetings to be helpful. Young people live in a well-furnished and comfortable home. The staff take pride in keeping the house clean. There are three living spaces that young people use frequently. The kitchen is the hub of the house and there is always someone in there cooking, playing games or just talking and relaxing.

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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

6: The quality and purpose of care standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet this standard the registered person must ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

(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. (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; (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; (v) help each child to understand and manage the impact of any experience of abuse or neglect; (vi) help each child to develop resilience and skills that prepare the child to return home, to live in a new placement or to live

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Requirement Due date

7: The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet this standard the registered person must ensure:

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Requirement Due date

The children’s views, wishes and feelings standard is that children receive care from staff who: (a) develop positive relationships with them; (b) engage with them; and (c) take their views, wishes and feelings into account in 30/04/2017 relation to matters affecting the children’s care and welfare and their lives. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to: (a) ensure that staff: (i) ascertain and consider each child’s views, wishes and feelings, and balance these against what they judge to be in the child’s best interests when making decisions about the child’s care and welfare; (ii) help each child to express views, wishes and feelings; (iii) help each child to understand how the child’s views, wishes and feelings have been taken into account and give the child reasons for decisions in relation to the child; (v) help each child to understand how the child’s privacy will

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Requirement Due date

be respected and the circumstances when it may have to be limited; (e) ensure that the views of each relevant person are taken into account, so far as reasonably practicable, before making a decision about the care or welfare of a child.

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet this standard the registered person must ensure:

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Requirement Due date

(1) The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on: (a) mutual respect and trust; (b) an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and (c) positive responses to other children and adults. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure: (a) that staff: (i) meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans; (ii) help each child to develop socially aware behaviour; (iii) encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding; (iv) help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone; (v) 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) help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual 30/04/2017 and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful; (vii) help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship; (viii) strive to gain each child’s respect and trust; (ix) understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children; (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; (xi) de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children;

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Requirement Due date

(xii) understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable; and (xiii) have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them; and (b) that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others.

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet this standard the registered person must ensure:

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Requirement Due date

(1) The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure: (a) that staff: (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; (ii) help each child to understand how to keep safe; (iii) have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; (iv) manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other; (v) understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person; (vi) take effective action whenever there is a serious concern 05/04/2017* about a child’s welfare; and (vii) are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s

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Requirement Due date

child protection policies; (b) that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm; (c) that the premises used for the purposes of the home are located so that children are effectively safeguarded; (d) that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health; and (e) that the effectiveness of the home’s child protection policies is monitored regularly.

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet this standard the registered person must:

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Requirement Due date

(1) The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that: (a) helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and (b) promotes their welfare. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to: (a) lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose; (b) ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate; (c) ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; (d) ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; (e) ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; (f) understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child

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Requirement Due date

and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; (g) demonstrate that practice in the home is informed and improved by taking into account and acting on: (i) research and developments in relation to the ways in which the needs of children are best met; and (ii) feedback on the experiences of children, including complaints received; and 05/04/2017* (h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. In particular, managers are given the autonomy to manage the day-to-day care of the home and oversee the care provided to children.

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet this requirement the registered person must ensure that:

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Requirement Due date

(1) No measure of control or discipline which is excessive, unreasonable or contrary to paragraph (2) may be used in relation to any child. (2) The following measures may not be used to discipline any child: (a) any form of corporal punishment; (b) any punishment involving the consumption or deprivation of food or drink; (c) any restriction, other than one imposed by a court or in accordance with regulation 22 (contact and access to communications), on: (i) a child’s contact with parents, relatives or friends; (ii) visits to the child by the child’s parents, relatives or friends; (iii) a child’s communications with any persons listed in regulation 22 (1) (contact and access to communications); or (iv) a child’s access to any internet-based or telephone helpline providing counselling for children; (d) the use or withholding of medication, or medical or dental treatment; (e) the intentional deprivation of sleep;

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Requirement Due date

(f) imposing a financial penalty, other than a requirement for the payment of a reasonable sum (which may be by instalments) by way of reparation; (g) any intimate physical examination; (h) withholding any aids or equipment needed by a disabled child; (i) any measure involving a child imposing any measure against another child; or (j) any measure involving punishing a group of children for the behaviour of an individual child. (3) Nothing in this regulation prohibits: (a) the taking of any action by, or in accordance with the instructions of, a registered medical practitioner or a registered 30/04/2017 dental practitioner which is necessary to protect the health of the child; or (b) taking any action that is necessary to prevent injury to any person or serious damage to property.

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet this requirement the registered person must ensure that: 32. (1) The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety. (2) The registered person may only: (a) employ an individual to work at the children’s home; or (b) if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the home, if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3). (3) The requirements are that: (a) the individual is of integrity and good character; (b) the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform; (c) the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and (d) full and satisfactory information is available in relation to

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Requirement Due date

the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. 30/04/2017

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet this requirement the registered person must: (a) ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction; (b) ensure that each permanent appointment of an employee is subject to the satisfactory completion of a period of probation; (4)(a) undertake appropriate continuing professional development; (4)(b) receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. 30/04/2017

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Requirement Due date

35: Behaviour management policies and records

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet this requirement the registered person must ensure that: 30/04/2017 35. (1) The registered person must prepare and implement a policy (‘the behaviour management policy’) which sets out: (a) how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and (b) the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home. (2) The registered person must keep the behaviour management policy under review and, where appropriate, revise it. (3) 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

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Requirement Due date

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 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; (b) within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to 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. (4) Paragraph (3) does not apply in relation to restraint that is planned or provided for as a matter of routine in the child’s EHC

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Requirement Due date

plan or statement of special educational needs.

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to statutory requirement notice.

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Information about this children’s home

Gem Cottage is an attractive detached building set in its own grounds. There is ample space inside and out for the young people to enjoy. The countryside provides a multitude of wildlife in the garden and a peaceful space for young people. The home is registered to care for up to two young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is a part of a large national organisation that has both children’s and adult homes.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 14/12/2016 Full Inadequate 04/02/2016 Interim Declined in effectiveness 08/10/2015 Full Good 26/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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Inadequate

The staff do not demonstrate that they have the skills and confidence to manage incidents effectively. The staff have at times called the police to support them in managing the behaviour of young people. This approach to parenting is supported by leaders and managers as an acceptable course of action that is written into the care planning documentation. This creates additional tension between the staff and young people and undermines any efforts to cultivate meaningful relationships between the young people and staff.

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Inadequate

Young people are cared for by staff who are worried and anxious about incidents occurring in the home. Unacceptable behaviours go unchallenged by staff. During one incident that lasted 26 hours, staff had numerous opportunities to intervene and defuse the situation but failed to do so. This resulted in young people barricading themselves into one bedroom overnight. As a response, senior leaders directed that the young people’s bedroom furniture be fixed with screws to the floor to prevent further incidents. One young person stated to the inspector that ‘the home already felt like a prison and that this decision just made things even worse for them’.

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Inadequate

Care practices are inappropriate. For example, at times the electricity and access to the internet are cut off to gain compliance from the young people. New house rules agreed within days preceding this inspection direct staff to switch off electricity if young people refuse to undertake household chores such as washing up. This results in young people experiencing a punitive approach to their care and restricts the development of meaningful relationships between young people and those caring for them.

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Inadequate

The arrangements in place to support young people learning new skills required for when they leave care and live on their own are unsatisfactory. This is due, in part, to staff feeling anxious about the risks young people face in the community. Restrictions placed on young people to protect them are not reviewed. This leaves young people who are approaching adulthood having very little time in the community without an adult being with them. They are not always supported to spend time with their friends or enjoy opportunities to be alone. A meeting facilitated by the inspector, manager and one young person during this inspection lead to the manager agreeing to review this practice and the young person being allowed to spend time with a child hood friend.

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Inadequate

At a recent multi-agency meeting, discussions were held concerning the behaviour presented by one young person. The outcome of the meeting was not shared with managers. This meant that the discussion and any new strategies put in place to support the young person were not shared with staff. No consideration had been given to how a change in approach may support more positive behaviour from the young person.

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Inadequate

Young people who live in this home are supported to access education. When full- time education is not in place, staff spend time undertaking educational tasks with them. During this inspection, both young people were positively engaged in learning. One young person showed the inspector their art work with great pride.

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Inadequate

Not all staff have the skills and confidence to deal with challenging and disruptive behaviour. Staff have reported that at times they feel intimidated and anxious. One member of staff reported this to a visiting social worker. When the social worker asked staff to accompany her to the young person’s bedroom the member of staff refused stating that she was fearful of the consequence of this. Due to this shortfall, young people have gained the balance of power in the home and have taken control. This creates an unsafe environment for young people and members of staff.

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Inadequate

The current care arrangements do not robustly take into account the risks that young people may pose to each other. During an incident when young people barricaded themselves into a bedroom, the staff failed to monitor and supervise this situation effectively. They did not ensure that the young people were safe.

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Inadequate

There is an agreement in place that allows for the young people to spend time in each other’s bedrooms. The arrangements in place to reduce the risks when this happens are not always implemented. This means that any potential risk for young people is not managed safely.

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Inadequate

Staff are able to manage some incidents well, particularly those perceived to be less challenging. For example, there has been one missing from home incident since the previous inspection. There was good communication between the police and family. This joined-up approach ensured the early and safe return of the young person to the home. Following this incident, the young person was provided with a return from missing interview with an independent person to ensure that they had an opportunity to raise any concerns they might have about their care. Judgement grade

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Inadequate

Leaders and managers have failed to ensure that the requirements made at the previous inspection have been met in full. Ofsted undertook a monitoring visit to consider progress in respect of compliance. While some progress had been made at that visit, there are now new concerns in the same areas of practice previously highlighted. This demonstrates the difficulty leaders and managers are experiencing in implementing and sustaining positive change.

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Inadequate

Increased management oversight of this home has led to some confusion and a lack of clarity in respect of accountability and decision-making. The newly appointed manager was not fully aware of the content of the care planning documentation as the most recent plans have not been shared with him. He does not yet have the level of independence required to move this service forward in a more child-focused way.

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Inadequate

The current managerial arrangements are also having a negative impact on support and supervision of staff. Not all staff receive supervision in line with the company’s policy. Staff have supervision from a number of managers and the varying quality and content of these meetings lead to some confusion and a lack of consistency in the approach to meeting the needs of the young people living in the home.

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Inadequate

The managerial out-of-hours arrangements in place to support staff do not always provide them with good advice. During one incident the advice to staff was inappropriate and resulted in the police being called unnecessarily to support behaviour management. This reinforces the message to the young people that staff are not confident and are unable to manage some tricky situations. The lack of a written audit trail could leave some confusion in respect of accountability when out- of-hours advice is obtained.

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Inadequate

The consequence of poor behaviour affects all the young people negatively regardless of whether they were involved in an incident or not. Leaders and managers do not have good oversight of the use of restrictive practice and the application of sanctions. This is, in part, due to there being no recording system in place until very recently. In addition, rules and restrictions are put in place for young people prior to any negative behaviours taking place and therefore not as a result of unacceptable actions. This leads to restrictive practice becoming the norm for young people.

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Inadequate

Leaders and managers have endorsed these new punitive house rules since the previous inspection. For example, one rule states, ‘If you do not go to school there will be no TV and no games as the power to your room will be switched off and no going out on activity for that day’. The rules are restrictive and are used on a regular basis. As a consequence of such a punitive approach, there is continual tension between the young people and staff.

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Inadequate

A new manager has been appointed who comes to this home with the experience, knowledge and the training that is required to be the registered manager. He comes from a therapeutic background of working with very vulnerable and challenging young people. He shows determination to address the shortfalls in practice.

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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 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 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

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

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

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