Children's home run by Keys Cwc Limited

Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1245569 1

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Information about this children’s home

The children‟s home provides care and accommodation for up to three young people, irrespective of gender, who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is run by a company that runs several other children‟s homes and a small, specialised school in the area. In 2013, the company was purchased by a larger national organisation, but it retains its local corporate identity.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 25/04/2017 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1245569 2

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet 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

Engaging with the wider system to ensure children‟s needs are met

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff seek to involve each child‟s placing authority effectively in the child‟s care, in accordance with the child‟s relevant plans; seek to secure the input and services required to meet each child‟s needs. (Regulation 5(a)(b)) 30/06/2017

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff help each child to understand how to keep safe and are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home‟s child protection policies. (Regulation 12(1)(2)(ii)(vii)) 30/06/2017

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children‟s home that helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to 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; ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; and use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(a)(c)(h)) 30/06/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the 30/06/2017 Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1245569 3 children‟s home a statement (“the statement of purpose”) which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. The registered person must keep the statement of purpose under review and, where appropriate, revise it; and notify HMCI of any revisions and send HMCI a copy of the revised statement within 28 days of the revision. (Regulation 16(1)(3)(a)(b)) Fitness of workers

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children‟s safety. The requirements are that full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32(1)(3)(d)) 30/06/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; are kept up to date; and are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36(1)(a)(b)(c)) 30/06/2017

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children‟s home. (Regulation 14(1)(a)) 30/06/2017

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Recommendations

 For children‟s homes to be nurturing and supportive environments that meet the needs of their children, they will, in most cases, be homely domestic environments. Children‟s homes must comply with relevant health and safety legislation; however, in doing so, homes should seek as far as possible to maintain a domestic rather than „institutional‟ impression. In particular, this relates to the living and communal areas that currently present as stark and lack personalisation. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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Recommendations

 The children‟s home must produce a children‟s guide. In particular, ensure that it is age appropriate, provided in an accessible format and takes into consideration children‟s differing learning abilities. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 24, paragraph 4.21)

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Recommendations

 When a child returns to the home after being missing from care or away from the home without permission, the responsible authority must provide an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. This must take place within reasonable timescales. („Guide to the children‟s homes Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1245569 4 regulations including the quality standards‟, page 45, paragraph 9.30)

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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.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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Information about this inspection

The home was judged as inadequate at the full inspection in April 2017. Seven requirements were raised in relation to the leadership and management of the home, the protection of children, the quality of care, care planning, recording and the fitness of the staff working in the home.

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Information about this inspection

Following the last inspection, the registered persons provided Ofsted with an action plan documenting how leaders and managers proposed to address the identified weaknesses.

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Information about this inspection

A number of monitoring visits by the local authority have since taken place. The acting manager and members of the senior management team have also provided regular updates to Ofsted during this period.

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Information about this inspection

This monitoring visit included the inspector speaking with a number of staff, the acting manager and the senior area manager. A number of records were scrutinised.

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Information about this inspection

The registered persons have taken prompt action to deal with the immediate safeguarding concerns relating to adults who visit the home. A contract ratified by the local authority ensures that staff have clear guidance on how to keep young people safe during visits from their families and friends.

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Information about this inspection

There is improved stability in the staff team. This includes the recruitment of an experienced, enthusiastic and motivated deputy manager. Records indicate that young people are pleased with the changes. They are now cared for by adults who they recognise and who know them well.

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Information about this inspection

The current staff members have been selected for their experience and knowledge of the young people. This means that the young people are cared for by a consistent workforce.

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Information about this inspection

The deputy manager supports the acting manager effectively. Coupled with the introduction of a number of new monitoring tools, there is now a more reliable approach to the monitoring and evaluation of the home. Managers will need to demonstrate a sustained improvement in monitoring and evaluation at the next full inspection. However, there is sufficient evidence that monitoring and reviewing are now taking place.

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Information about this inspection

A new computer security system means that young people can securely access the Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1245569 5 internet and usage can be monitored.

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Information about this inspection

Additional training in how to respond to the risks of children being sexually exploited has taken place. Staff members now have a greater understanding of how to help young people to stay safe. The staff have used training in how to write reports to improve how they record information.

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Information about this inspection

Relationships between the children‟s home and the local authority have improved. All of the professionals who work with the young people are fully involved in the planning of their care.

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Information about this inspection

Managers have improved a number of processes and procedures.

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Information about this inspection

Young people continue to present with challenging behaviours and there have been a number of serious incidents since the last inspection. However, the manager‟s and the staff team‟s responses are more considered and well thought out and young people receive the necessary support following a serious incident.

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Information about this inspection

Young people have worked with the staff to update and refresh the home. They now live in a home that is warm, homely and meets their needs.

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Information about this inspection

The manager recognises that a number of these improvements remain in their infancy. A further full inspection will be carried out within regulatory timescales to assess whether the manager has sustained these improvements. The requirements and recommendations made at the last full inspection will also be reviewed at this point. Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1245569 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Crossways Care Ltd, Unit B2, Elmbridge Court, Cheltenham Road East, Gloucester, Gloucestershire, GL3 1JZ

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Christine Cameron

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Inspector

Linda Bond, social care inspector Inspection report for children's home - monitoring visit: 1245569 7 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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children‟s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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