Children's Home run by Keys Nhcc Ltd in Shropshire

children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good 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, a new manager has been appointed and is in the process of completing her registration with Ofsted. A young person said: ‘The new manager tries to get us to do more activities together. We have all been go-karting. She has done loads as manager. She has done up the house and it looks loads better.’ While the manager has made some changes to the appearance of the home, there continue to be some parts of the home that are in need of repair and decoration.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Overall, young people continue to make good progress. Despite some periods of unsettled behaviour, young people continue to engage with school and achieve their educational targets. However, one young person is not accessing education which meets his needs. The manager has not rigorously escalated this issue with the young person’s placing authority. The manager and staff are quick to convene meetings with young people’s schools if there are any issues. There is a joined-up approach to managing young people’s behaviours between the home and the school. This provides young people with consistency.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people say that they have good relationships with staff and that they feel listened to. A young person said: ‘I like the staff. They are all nice. I get on well with them all. They fight my corner and do everything to keep me safe.’ The manager has introduced individualised behaviour management plans. For example, one young person has a ‘traffic light system’ which enables him to tell staff how he is feeling by using different coloured cards. This enables staff to respond appropriately and manage his feelings before they escalate.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection, one young person has moved out of the home. Transition planning is good and the manager is innovative in the way that she enables staff to prepare young people for moving out of the home. One young person has moved into the home. While this was not a planned placement, the manager has liaised closely with the young person’s placing authority and is putting plans in place to be able to appropriately support the young person and meet his needs.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people’s risk-taking behaviours continue to reduce from their starting points. When young people’s risk-taking behaviours increase, for example in relation to substance misuse and missing incidents, the manager and staff look for any patterns of behaviours and triggers. Staff refer concerns appropriately and encourage young people to engage with other agencies, such as child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and substance misuse services. The manager encourages staff to understand young people’s behaviours so as to be able to manage them appropriately. Risk-management plans are clear and provide staff with guidance on how to manage young people’s risk-taking behaviours. Since the last inspection, the frequency with which missing incidents and physical interventions occur has reduced. However, physical interventions which have been implemented for a significant length of time are not rigorously reviewed or

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Communication with other professionals is good. A social worker said: ‘The manager communicates well. She is a very good team player. She has a good relationship with my young person and if you ask her anything about him, then she will be able to tell you.’ The manager has established good working relationships with other agencies, such as the police and CAMHS. There is a multi-agency approach to behaviour management. The manager has high expectations of her staff team. When there have been concerns regarding staff members, she has taken appropriate action and liaised with the designated officer. A member of staff said: ‘The manager keeps us on our toes. She is so clever and knowledgeable and she listens to us. In team meetings, which we have fortnightly, she keeps us up to date with training.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has met the requirements that were raised at the last inspection. This inspection has raised two requirements and one recommendation.

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to six young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 21/06/2016 Full Good 19/01/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 14/07/2015 Full Requires improvement 04/03/2015 Interim Sustained effectiveness

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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 with the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

In order to meet the engaging with the wider system to ensure children’s needs are met, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff:

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Requirement Due date

(c) 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. 28/04/2017

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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 registered person must:

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Requirement Due date

(2)(c)(i) ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to meet the needs of each child. 28/04/2017

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Recommendations

To improve the quality and standards of care further, the service should take account of the following recommendation:

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Recommendations

 Ensure that records of restraint are kept and that they enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. The review should provide the opportunity for amending practice to ensure it meets the needs of each child (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59).

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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 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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