Children's home run by Keys Educational Services Limited in Rossendale

Inspection report children’s home: SC386651 1 SC386651 Registered provider: Broadwood Education Services Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is a part of a large national organisation. It is registered to care for up to three children and young people.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate Inspection report children’s home: SC386651 2

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

Due to the serious and significant shortfalls identified at the last full inspection, this service was served with compliance notices and a number of requirements.

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Key findings from this inspection

This children’s home requires improvement to be good because:

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Key findings from this inspection

 Following the last inspection the registered manager of this service resigned from post. An interim manager has been in the home for around six weeks. Inspectors could see that there have been significant improvements since that interim manager has been in day-to-day control of the home. The positive action taken now needs to be embedded in practice and progressed further.  A new permanent manager has been appointed and is due to join this organisation in the new year. These managerial changes, coupled with four members of staff leaving and four more being appointed, have created some instability.

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Key findings from this inspection

 Senior leaders within this organisation have demonstrated that they are committed to making the necessary changes to ensure that this is a better home for children. Additional support and training have been delivered for staff and they have been provided with muchneeded clarity in respect of expectations of them and the care that they provide for children.  The interim manager comes with the appropriate skills, knowledge and experience to continue to move this service forward until the permanent manager is in post.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/07/2017 Full Inadequate 04/11/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 08/06/2016 Full Good 08/03/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC386651 3

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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

13: The leadership and management standard

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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— (2)(f)(f) understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; (h) use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. In particular, progress already achieved needs to be built upon and embedded into practice. 31/01/2018

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improvement to be good

There have been a number of aesthetic and decorative changes made to the presentation of this home since the last inspection. The once chaotic and yet sparse appearance has been replaced with a more homely and nurturing environment. Each of the rooms in the house has its own purpose and any institutionalised decor has now been removed. Children now have a nicely furnished and welcoming house to come home to.

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improvement to be good

Children are making progress in many aspects of their lives. They now attend full-time education, and are motivated to do well. One of the children who takes part in work experience has made great strides; this has been recognised by the employer and they have been given additional responsibilities. This has supported them to feel more confident and motivated.

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improvement to be good

Children are provided with a number of opportunities to have their views, wishes and feelings heard and acted upon; these include house meetings. It is evident that the Inspection report children’s home: SC386651 4 acting manager has ensured that house meetings are taking place on a regular basis, and that the content of the meetings is appropriate and varied. Action points made at these meetings are followed through and reviewed.

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improvement to be good

Children benefit from good-quality, regular conversations with staff. These conversations cover a diverse range of subjects, including issues that appear in the news. These conversations support children to build better relationships with the staff who care for them, and allow the opportunity for specific conversations to be tailored to individual children’s needs.

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improvement to be good

Children benefit from staff having a better focus on and understanding of their needs and risks. Records in general have improved. Records provide staff with threads of information that can be identified throughout each document. This provides them with consistent and clear messages about how they are expected to care for children and what this care should look like and achieve in practice.

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improvement to be good

Worryingly, immediate steps were not taken following the last inspection in respect of the concerning relationship between one of the children and her ‘boyfriend’. This relationship continued to be supported by staff and therefore provided the young person with a message that the relationship was appropriate. This arrangement continued until the current manager came into post. These arrangements did not prioritise the safety of the child.

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improvement to be good

The acting manager was able to demonstrate that she understands and will act upon any safeguarding concerns in respect of children. She has instigated appropriate links with other key agencies, such as the police, to ensure that the safety of children who live in this home is a priority. An arrangement is in place for the police to have regular contact with the manager in respect of risk and exploitation.

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improvement to be good

Incidents where staff have struggled to manage behaviours within the home have significantly reduced since the last inspection. In part, this is due to a reduction in the number of children living in this home. The recent appointment of a temporary manager has ensured that clear structures and boundaries are now in place. There is good evidence that children are supported to consider their choices and the consequences that stem from their decisions. As a result, there is evidence that more positive and safer choices are starting to be made by children.

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improvement to be good

There is good evidence that children are being well supported to better understand how to keep themselves safe. External support has been accessed to support children to build up resilience and understand exploitation and keeping safe. This has supported a reduction in incidents of children going missing from home. Inspection report children’s home: SC386651 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The acting manager of this home comes with the skills, experience and knowledge required to safely care for young people. She recognised almost immediately that a relationship between one of the children and her ‘boyfriend’ was not appropriate. Robust and swift action was taken to ensure that staff were no longer supporting this relationship.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The acting manager has ensured that she is providing staff with regular and meaningful team meetings and supervision sessions that are purposeful and focused on children’s needs. There is good evidence of appropriate professional challenge. Expectations of staff guidance and direction for staff have improved. As a result, staff are clearer about their roles, and in particular about keeping children safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The acting manager has managed a complaint from a parent very well. A good investigation took place and the acting manager took time to meet the parent and talk to them in their own home. As a result of this process and the discussions that took place between the parent and the manager, the parent was better able to understand risks and put protective measures in place to keep their daughter safe when she is in their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

There is good evidence that the requirements made at the last inspection have been met, or that plans are in place to ensure that they will be met in the near future. It is concerning that staff were not provided with training linked to the key safeguarding concerns identified at the last inspection in a more timely way. Staff have now received this training, and are yet to have their learning tested in practice.

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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 differences 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 whom 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: SC386651 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Broadwood Education Services

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: New Hall Hey Road, Rossendale, BB4 6HR

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Inspectors

Tracey Ledder: social care inspector Paula Lahey: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC386651 7 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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