Children's home run by Keys Childcare Limited in Belfast

Inspection report children’s home: SC400219 1 SC400219 Registered provider: Bettercare Keys Ltd

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is registered to provide care for up to five young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is owned and operated by a private company.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Sustained effectiveness

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Enforcement action since last inspection

None Inspection report children’s home: SC400219 2

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Key findings from this inspection

 All young people make good progress from their starting points because of the individualised care and support that they receive.  Young people enjoy warm and trusting relationships with staff who genuinely care about their welfare.  The needs of young people moving into the home are carefully considered. Their introduction is carefully managed to help them settle.  Staff support young people’s educational progress. Young people are engaging well in their education and achieving their learning targets.  Young people who arrive at the home with a high level of risk are kept safe from harm.  Close partnership working with external agencies promotes young people’s safety and well-being.  Effective safeguarding practice means that any concerns are identified and responded to promptly and effectively.  Staff support young people to develop safe and appropriate behaviours.  The home is well led by a suitably qualified and experienced registered manager.

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Key findings from this inspection

The registered manager is approachable and encourages the views and opinions of young people, parents and carers and external professionals.  Young people receive their care from well-trained, well-supported staff.  The registered manager makes effective use of quality monitoring systems, which enable her to identify and address areas for development.

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Key findings from this inspection

The children’s home’s areas for development:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Clearer chronological records of action taken when young people are missing, and on their return, would help to ensure consistently effective practice.  The standard of recording and language used by staff in young people’s records should be carefully monitored to help ensure that it is consistent and helpful.  Staff should ensure that, when using consequences to assist young people in learning from negative behaviours, these are applied in line with the home’s behaviour management policy.  All staff should benefit from regular supervision within suitable timescales to ensure that they have the opportunity to discuss their performance, development and any concerns they may have.  Young people’s key-work sessions should be reviewed to ensure that they are of consistent quality and meaningful to young people. Inspection report children’s home: SC400219 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

23/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 30/11/2016 Full Good 24/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 13/08/2015 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC400219 4

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Recommendations

 Specifically in relation to records of key-worker sessions, children should be encouraged by staff to see the home’s records as ‘living documents’, supporting them to view and contribute to the record in a way that reflects their voice on a regular basis. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 58, paragraph 11.19)  A record of supervision should be kept for staff, including the manager. The record should provide evidence that supervision is being delivered in line with regulation 33(4)(b). (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.3)  Staff should be familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective, and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information

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Recommendations

about the child must always be recorded in a way that will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  Evidence should be maintained to demonstrate that, when a child returns to the home after being missing from care, or away from the home without permission, the responsible local authority has provided an opportunity for the child to have an independent return home interview. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 45, paragraph 9.30)  The behaviour management strategy should be understood and applied at all times by staff. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.34)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are making good progress because of the high-quality, individualised care that they receive from staff. Young people themselves describe how they have been helped to achieve and set positive goals for the future. One young person commented, ‘I’m doing well at school and on my pathway plan. It’s all working out. They [the staff] have made me who I am.’ The registered manager carefully considers young people’s needs before agreeing to offer them a place at the home. This is to help ensure that the young person’s needs can be safely met and that they will not have a negative impact on the young people already living there. New young people are introduced to the home in a sensitive way. Staff Inspection report children’s home: SC400219 5 ensure that young people have all the information they need and have the chance to find out about life at the home. This helps young people to settle quickly and means that

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

their care can be planned effectively at the point of their admission. Young people develop warm and trusting relationships with staff. They describe staff in ways such as ‘awesome’, ‘amazing’ and ‘the best.’ Young people recognise that these positive relationships have helped them to feel safe and secure. One young person said, ‘I honestly don’t know where I would be without them.’ The positive relationships shared between young people and staff support the home’s stated aim, which is to create a therapeutic environment within which young people feel able to trust staff and be open about their feelings. A therapist works with young people on a regular basis and coaches the staff team to help staff understand young people’s feelings and behaviours. Staff carefully monitor young people’s emotional well-being through recognised assessment and review tools. One young person spoke at length about the emotional support that they had received in relation to a very complex and

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

sensitive matter. She said, ‘I feel like I have opened up so much here. I have told the staff things that I could never tell anyone before.’ Young people are consistently encouraged to express their views about their own care and about the general development of the home. The staff listen to young people and take time to understand the things that are important to them. Several young people benefit from the input of external advocates. This helps to ensure that young people are able to have a say and express their views about important matters. The registered manager supported one young person to raise a complaint about an external agency, which had a positive outcome. Enabling young people to share their views, and taking action to address them, gives young people the opportunity to influence their care and lets them know that they are valued. Staff have a good understanding of young people’s needs and the day-to-day support

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

they require. Young people’s care plans include clear goals, and their progress against these goals is carefully monitored. However, some aspects of young people’s daily support needs could be more clearly described. For example, one young person’s dietary preferences were not clearly recorded in her care plan. A recommendation is raised in relation to this matter. There is evidence of some positive direct work being undertaken by staff with young people, which includes one-to-one key-worker sessions. Some records demonstrate that meaningful discussion has taken place, during which young people have been encouraged to share their thoughts and wishes. However, some records of key-worker sessions do not describe a two-way discussion and read more like a report written by staff. In addition, staff do not consistently address all areas identified in young people’s care plans through one-to-one work. This could lead to important opportunities to

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

support young people in significant matters being missed. A recommendation is raised in relation to this matter. From their starting points, all the young people have made positive progress in their education. They have achieved improved attendance and are performing well against their set targets. They have been supported to make positive plans and set goals for the future. One young person spoke very happily about a college course she is due to start. Inspection report children’s home: SC400219 6 She commented that she never thought she would be at such a stage and said it was ‘amazing’. Supporting young people to achieve in education promotes their confidence and self-esteem and increases their future life chances. Young people’s good health is consistently promoted due to the support they receive. Each young person has an individualised healthcare plan in place, which addresses their routine healthcare needs and any specific support required around individual health

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

conditions. Staff are quick to recognise any health issues and take prompt action to ensure that young people receive medical advice. Staff work closely with community healthcare professionals, who visit the home on a regular basis to provide advice and guidance on health-related matters and safe relationships. Young people’s medication is carefully managed to ensure that they receive the correct medicines at the correct times. One young person recently raised some concerns about her medication regime and was quickly supported by staff to discuss these with the relevant professionals. Young people are supported to lead healthy, active lifestyles. A balanced diet is provided in line with young people’s individual needs and preferences. For example, one young person has recently chosen to eat a vegetarian diet. She confirmed that staff always ensured there was a good range of vegetarian food available for her.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are encouraged to take part in a wide range of enjoyable and fulfilling activities. Their individual interests and talents are recognised and supported. For example, one young person attends regular dance lessons. Young people are also encouraged to learn new skills. One young person has recently learned to knit and was very proud of her ongoing project to knit herself a lovely winter blanket. Supporting young people to engage in valued activities helps them to achieve and meet new friends and, in turn, increases their confidence. Staff support young people to develop their skills in line with their age and ability. They ensure that young people have the opportunity to gain the practical and social skills necessary to succeed in future independent settings. One young person described the work they had been doing as part of their ‘pathway to independence’ plan. They were very pleased with their progress and recognised that the skills they were acquiring would

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The young people who live in this home are safe because of the care and support that they receive from the staff team. Staff are vigilant and understand how to keep young people safe. They demonstrate a good understanding of the complexities that can be involved in maintaining young people’s safety and upholding their rights, or in circumstances where a young person is making an unsafe choice. This helps to ensure that careful consideration is given in a situation where a young person’s choice may be restricted. High levels of concern were identified for each young person, prior to their arrival at the home. They had histories of high-risk behaviours, such as being missing from home. These behaviours have now significantly reduced or, for most young people, ceased Inspection report children’s home: SC400219 7 completely. The registered manager works closely with external agencies to manage identified risks to young people’s safety. Professionals from these agencies speak highly

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

of the registered manager’s proactive approach and describe positive, partnership working. One police worker commented that the registered manager regularly initiated professionals’ meetings to help ensure that a coordinated approach was in place to safeguard the young people. There are clear safeguarding procedures in place. All staff receive training in safeguarding at the start of their employment, which is regularly updated. Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities and are confident to report any concerns in line with the home’s whistle-blowing policy. Strong safeguarding practice helps to protect young people from harm. Effective risk assessment and care planning means that staff have a clear understanding of the risks to individual young people in their care. Staff are confident in explaining the measures in place to maintain young people’s safety and well-being. Staff regularly

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

review risk assessments in line with any relevant changes or new information. This means that young people’s changing needs and circumstances are taken into account and that staff have up-to-date information about how best to support young people in a safe way. Incidents of young people being missing from this home do not occur on a frequent basis. However, there have been increased risks recently identified in relation to one young person. The registered manager has been extremely proactive in ensuring that this young person receives multi-agency support. On occasions when young people are missing, staff take effective action to help ensure their safe return, for example, by conducting local searches and making contact with the young person’s known associates. Some records of this action could, however, be recorded in a more detailed way and include information about support provided to the young person following their return home.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff are skilled in understanding young people’s emotional responses and in de- escalating potentially volatile situations. This is reflected in the low numbers of situations that reach crisis point. Records providing a detailed account of any situation where a staff member has been required to use physical intervention to protect a young person are maintained. The registered manager carefully reviews these. This ensures that the response has been appropriate and to extract any potential learning for the staff team. In some circumstances, young people may be requested to undergo some reparation or a consequence to help them understand the impact a negative behaviour has had on others. Records show that consequences used are not always relevant to the behaviour in question. This was discussed with the registered manager, who acknowledged that in some examples, the consequence could have been more relatable. As such, a

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

recommendation is raised to ensure that practice is consistent and in line with the home’s behaviour support policy. Robust recruitment procedures require all prospective employees to undergo a range of background checks prior to an offer of employment. The checks include full employment histories and police records. This helps to ensure that young people receive their care Inspection report children’s home: SC400219 8 from people of a suitable character.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home benefits from the leadership of a suitably qualified and experienced registered manager. The registered manager demonstrates an in-depth understanding of the young people’s needs and the ability to monitor their progress effectively. The registered manager works positively with external agencies. Feedback from community professionals, including social workers and police personnel, is consistently positive. A social worker commented that the registered manager was very quick to identify and inform her of any concerns. This positive joint working helps to ensure that young people receive well-planned, responsive care. The registered manager ensures that young people receive effective care that is planned in with their individual needs. She is able to demonstrate that the home is centred on the young people’s needs. This includes the careful consideration of the needs of young people who may join the home, and how they may impact on those young people

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

already living there. Records are well maintained and of a generally good standard. However, a small number of examples of records written by staff contain language that could be more positive. This was discussed with the registered manager, who recognised more careful use of language as a development area for some staff. A recommendation is raised in relation to this matter. Young people receive their care from a stable staff team. This provides consistency and means that young people are familiar with the staff supporting them. The home is adequately staffed and additional resources are available when required. Staff are well motivated and positive about their roles. They report a good level of support and guidance from the registered manager. There is a detailed training programme in place, which begins with a comprehensive induction for new employees. The induction includes a variety of mandatory training

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

including safeguarding, positive behaviour support and first aid. Staff benefit from ongoing training in a variety of areas. The registered manager is able to provide examples of additional training courses that are provided in line with the young people’s needs. Staff are encouraged to complete their diplomas in caring for young people. This positive approach to training helps to ensure that young people receive their care from skilled and competent staff. Staff confirm that they benefit from regular supervision, during which they have the opportunity to discuss their development and work performance, as well as any concerns they have. However, records of supervision show some minor shortfalls in terms of the time scales of some staff members’ supervision. A recommendation is raised to ensure that all staff benefit from supervision at suitable intervals. Three requirements were made following the last inspection of the home. These were in

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

relation to ensuring that young people’s accommodation was suitable and accessible, and ensuring that notifications of significant incidents were made in a timely manner. Inspection report children’s home: SC400219 9 During this inspection, the registered manager was able to demonstrate that she had taken suitable action to address all the requirements made. Effective systems are in place to notify Ofsted and other relevant persons of any significant events. This means that people are kept informed and young people’s welfare is promoted. Adverse incidents are suitably reviewed. As a result, the registered manager is able to reflect and learn from events that occur in order to minimise risks and prevent reoccurrence. Systems are in place to enable the registered manager to monitor quality and safety across the service. The registered manager uses these systems effectively, which enables her to identify areas for development and address any shortfalls. This helps to

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

ensure that the quality of care provided to young people constantly improves.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the difference made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and 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.

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Information about this inspection

Using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, 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’. Inspection report children’s home: SC400219 10

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Bettercare Keys Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Keys Group, Laganwood House, Newforge Lane, Belfast BT9 5NW

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Inspector

Marie Cordingley, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC400219 11 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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