Children's Home run by Keys Care Limited in Lincolnshire

Inspection report children‟s home: SC370899 1 SC370899 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

This home is one of a number of homes operated and managed by an organisation which is a national provider of care and education for young people. The home is registered to offer care and accommodation for up to three male young people who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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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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Key findings from this inspection

 This is a happy home with a staff team that has an in-depth understanding of the young people. A parent said: „My child is very happy, secure and has thrived Inspection report children‟s home: SC370899 2 while being at this home.‟ A young person said: „This whole house is like a family.‟  Young people make significant progress from their starting points, especially in their education, independence and emotional health.  Young people feel safe and secure. This means that they rarely go missing. Other risk-taking behaviours are reducing.  Staff are enthusiastic about providing a good service for young people and helping them to grow into successful, responsible adults.  The registered manager provides strong and supportive leadership. He has a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home, with plans in place to address identified shortfalls.

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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

 The registered manager should continue to develop the environment to ensure that it is homely.  There is a high staff turnover. Young people complained that staff keep leaving. They said it is difficult for them to get to know new staff. Staff who have been brought from other homes to cover vacancies are expected to return to their substantive posts shortly. Young people said they would like them to stay.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 25/10/2016 Full Good 10/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 10/06/2015 Full Good Inspection report children‟s home: SC370899 3

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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. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 15, paragraph 3.9)

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Recommendations

 The registered person must demonstrate every effort to achieve continuity of staffing so that children‟s attachments are not overly disrupted, including ensuring that the employment of any temporary staff will not prevent children from receiving the continuity of care that they need (regulation 31(1)). („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 51, paragraph 10.1)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people like living in this home. They see it as their home and consider themselves to be part of a family. A young person said: „The sign in the window: “Home is where our story begins” – that says it all.‟ When asked to rate the home, the young person said: „It shouldn‟t be even on the scale, it‟s that good.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people make significant progress from their starting points. A parent said: „They have guided my child on the right life track. They listen to him all the time and help him deal with his feelings.‟ Staff have warm and nurturing relationships with young people. Laughter is a big part of this home. Staff understand that this helps young people to feel safe and secure.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are very well supported in their education. Most are making good progress. Young people who have been in the home for some time have good attendance and are on track to succeed in their chosen subjects. A headteacher said: „There are indicators that he is making progress academically and in the self-regulation of his behaviour. He is building his emotional resilience. I think he has made significant progress.‟ Staff ensure that young people get to school on time. They are also there to pick them up on time no matter what the time of day, or where they are. A tutor said: „He went to Wembley and staff were willing to pick him up at 1am when we returned. They couldn‟t be more supportive and helpful.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are in good health. They are registered with healthcare professionals and have access to mental health services. They are also closely supported by the home‟s own therapeutic team. Staff are able to discuss strategies to support the young people within a therapeutic arena and young people have individual therapy sessions. This enables young people to build resilience and tackle trauma from their past. Inspection report children‟s home: SC370899 4 Young people are encouraged to participate in a range of activities. This is important because it helps to build self-confidence and self-esteem. Young people are offered a number of sporting activities and have been to seaside resorts and theme parks. They have been to the cinema and enjoy going shopping. One young person particularly likes to go out to buy his own designer clothes. Young people also have access to a pool table, a piano and games consoles within the house. Despite this, some young people complained that they are

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help young people to build and maintain good relationships with their families. A parent said: „Without them I would not have a relationship with my child. I cannot praise this home enough. It has made a life-changing difference to us as a family.‟ Staff understand that family relationships are important to the young people. A young person said: „They drive me three hours to my mum‟s.‟

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people learn skills that will help them when they move on to independent living. For example, they are also encouraged to carry out household chores, budget, shop and travel via public transport. Young people who have moved on to independent living continue to remain in contact with the staff. This provides young people with ongoing support and significantly improves their life chances.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is spacious and provides single, personalised bedrooms for young people. This ensures that they can have privacy if they wish. There have been some attempts to improve the overall presentation of the home. For example, there are photographs of young people on the walls and some new furniture has been bought. However, communal areas do not yet feel homely because most walls are sparse and the new furniture had not been fully built at the time of the inspection. In addition, a young person‟s room needs attention. He complained that tree branches knock on his window and a repair to the wall has not been completed well.

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

Young people feel safe in this home. Staff have a good understanding of how to keep young people safe. They have an in-depth knowledge of the young people and why they behave in the way that they do. A young person said: „They are the only adults who get me.‟

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

Young people feel safe and secure, and so rarely go missing from the home. Staff follow good procedures when young people do go missing so that any risk is minimised.

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

Positive behaviour is encouraged. Staff use incentives well to promote appropriate behaviour. Staff also use a range of de-escalation techniques that help the young people to calm. Incidents of aggression are reducing and physical intervention is rarely used. Any physical intervention has been used appropriately and effectively. Records are completed well.

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

Young people are reducing their intake of illegal substances. A young person said: „They helped me through my drug issue. I don‟t touch drugs now.‟ Offending behaviour is reducing because staff help young people to understand the serious consequences of their behaviour, Inspection report children‟s home: SC370899 5 and provide a therapeutic, multi-agency approach. However, some young people have committed offences, one of which was serious.

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

Young people have downloaded and played video games that are for only appropriate for adults. The registered manager has dealt with these incidents appropriately. Similarly, one young person has tattoos that were done while on free time. Again appropriate action has been taken to ensure that the young person understands that he is not yet old enough to have tattoos, and safeguarding agencies have been informed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is very experienced and has a registered manager‟s award. He is ably supported by his deputy manager. He provides strong and supportive leadership. He has a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. He has good plans to address shortfalls and move the home forward. All requirements made at the previous inspection have been complied with.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff work very closely with external professionals and parents to support young people to make good progress and have better life chances. A parent said: „Staff have always listened to what I have to say.‟

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are well supported through formal supervision, team meetings, sessions with the company therapist and informal discussions with managers. A member of staff said: „Supervision is always very in depth. I feel that I can confidently talk about the care of the young people, and am given constructive criticism so that I can improve my work and be a better care worker.‟ Staff are encouraged to reflect on their practice to help them improve.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have access to a good training programme. This includes training about sexually harmful behaviour, child sexual exploitation, autism and bullying. Although only a few staff are currently qualified, all are enrolled on an appropriate course.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Four staff have left the home recently for a variety of unforeseen personal reasons. This has made it difficult for the young people to rebuild relationships. A young person said: „We get new staff, get to know them and they go. It‟s hard to work with new people.‟ Staff who have been seconded from other homes have become popular with the young people, but are likely to return shortly to their substantive posts.

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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. Inspection report children‟s home: SC370899 6 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

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Information about this inspection

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: SC370899 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Bettercare Keys Ltd

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Joanne Vyas, social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC370899 8 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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