Children's Home run by Keys Care Limited in Durham

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 improved effectiveness .

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager has continued to provide strong leadership and management, and the staff have continued to develop and improve their work. This is significant, as there have been quite a lot of changes at the home since the previous inspection, with six young people being admitted and four leaving.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Two young people were discharged after very short placements because of poor planning and communication by the placing authority and the provider organisation. The four other young people admitted have settled well and are making good progress in most areas of their lives. The three young people who have been living at the home for a longer time continue with their good progress. The two young people who left had mixed outcomes. One left to return home in a planned move, which has been successful. The other left after a violent incident with staff, following a placement in which progress had been poor.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff have supported the young people to attend education well, and most of the young people have achieved good attendance and good progress in their academic and vocational studies. The staff have also provided more in-depth and more frequent key work so that the standard of personalised work has also improved. Both these areas, together with good behaviour management, have been instrumental in ensuring that the home is more settled and that the experience of living in the home is improved for the young people.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

There have been some safeguarding concerns. One young person was missing in the area local to their family home for a prolonged period of time, and so was not adequately safeguarded. Another young person continues to go missing frequently, and there are ongoing concerns. The staff continue to work at improving this situation. One young person who had been going missing frequently has been supported to stop completely. Other young people have stopped self-harming as they have settled.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff have effectively addressed some less serious bullying issues within the home, and this has contributed to the home being more settled. This meets the requirement from the previous inspection. The other requirement made to ensure that staff were able to record progress more accurately has also been met.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

No requirements or recommendations have been made at this inspection.

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Information about this children's home

The home is run by a private organisation and is registered for the care and accommodation of up to eight children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 01/11/2016 Full Good 15/03/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 07/10/2015 Full Requires improvement 24/02/2015 Interim Improved effectiveness

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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

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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