Children's Home run by Keys Nhcc Ltd in Shropshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC020602 1 SC020602 Registered provider: Keys Childcare Limited

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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 and accommodation for up to six young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 21 to 22 November 2017

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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

 Young people make good progress in relation to their starting points.  Staff provide young people with nurturing relationships. Inspection report children’s home: SC020602 2  Staff are highly motivated and determined that the service will make a difference to young people’s lives.  The new registered manager has high aspirations for each young person.  Managers and staff try hard to identify all relevant help for young people.  Staff contact with other organisations is excellent.  Young people are consulted about all aspects of their care planning and the running of the home.

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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

 Small areas of the home require attention.  A small number of staff are not familiar with the policy about how to report allegations.  Slabs in the garden are not secured and present a hazard.  Not all staff have obtained their level 3 diploma in line with regulation.  Staff have not ensured that they have all the details of young people’s background and legal status.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 21/06/2016 Full Good 19/01/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness 14/07/2015 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children’s home: SC020602 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

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12(2)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to the slabs on the patio at the rear of the house. 08/12/2017

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an individual who works in a care home in a care role has the appropriate qualification by the relevant date. This is if the individual has attained the level 3 diploma for residential childcare (England) (‘the level 3 diploma’). The relevant date is, in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016. (Regulation 32(4)(a)(5)(a)) 30/12/2017

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Recommendations

 The policy for the protection of children from abuse or neglect should be available and explained to children and their families as well as to all staff, whatever their role. The registered person must make sure that all staff are familiar with this policy and act in accordance with it, in particular how to use it to report a concern. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraph 9.21)  Ensure young people live in an environment that meets their basic day-to-day needs. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7). In particular, continue to make the home a comfortable and homely environment.  The home’s records on each child represents a significant contribution to their life history. Children and their parents should be supported to understand the nature of records kept by the home and how to access them. Staff should understand

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Recommendations

Inspection report children’s home: SC020602 4 their important role in encouraging the child to reflect on and understand their history, according to their age and understanding. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.5). In particular ensure that information is correct regarding young people’s background and legal status.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people make good progress in relation to their starting points. They benefit from well-planned care that is closely monitored. Young people receive personalised care and nurture that meets their individual needs. A social worker told the inspector, ‘Staff have made good relationships with him, and helped him to feel safe and supported. They have made a big difference.’ Another social worker said, ‘Staff offer young people a five- star service.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Relationships between young people and staff are positive. Staff take time to get to know each young person and understand their particular needs. Young people know how to make a complaint and can see an advocate if they wish to. This ensures that issues or concerns young people may have are appropriately raised and resolved.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All young people are registered with local services. This includes having access to specialist health services. Staff work closely with specialist services to provide young people with individualised health support when required. One health professional told the inspector, ‘I have nothing but praise for the staff. The young person trusts staff and they offer constant reassurance, which makes a difference to him.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most young people attend school or college. Taking into account their starting points, they make good progress in their educational attainment. If young people are not attending school, the registered manager and staff make contact with relevant services, including local authorities and virtual school heads, to identify suitable services as quickly as possible.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are encouraged to develop and maintain healthy lifestyles. Staff promote exercise and an active routine. Staff help young people to take every opportunity to enjoy their lives. They enjoy a fantastic range of activities in the home and in the community. This includes football, cinema, movie and pamper nights, as well as attending local clubs. Young people value these opportunities. One young person told the inspector, ‘There is always something to do or get involved in.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage young people to prepare for their future. They develop key skills in cooking, caring for themselves and budgeting. Where applicable, young people benefit from custom-made plans that help them to prepare for moves to new placements. As a result, young people feel ready and confident to move on in a planned manner.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have their certificates of achievements and photographs proudly displayed Inspection report children’s home: SC020602 5 throughout the house. Young people value their home and look after it. Since the last inspection, managers and staff have worked diligently with young people to improve the home environment. Despite the hard work of the staff and young people, a few areas of the house still require attention.

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

Staff are carefully vetted and determined to do their best for each young person in their care. Staff ratios are carefully considered and staff risk-assess young people’s free time to make sure that they have all the support they need.

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

Missing from care episodes have significantly reduced since the last inspection. When young people do go missing from care, staff are proactive in looking for them. One-to- one sessions focus on helping young people understand the risks of going missing and how to keep themselves safe. Managers and staff have good links with local police. Police officers visit young people to talk to them about their safety. For example, police officers have undertaken some work with young people around the risks associated with drugs.

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

Risk assessments are detailed and effective. Staff are skilled in recognising the triggers that cause young people to self-harm. Staff get together with agencies and with this multi-agency approach work hard to keep young people safe.

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

The relationships between young people and staff are good. Staff are skilled and listen to young people. Staff recognise when young people become anxious or upset. Staff step in and use a variety of de-escalation techniques to help young people to manage their emotions safely. Since the last inspection, incidents of physical intervention have decreased significantly. When physical invention is used, it is only used as a last resort.

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

Most staff are familiar with aspects of safeguarding arrangements in the home. However, a small number of staff are not familiar with the organisation’s policy on reporting allegations.

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

Managers and staff get together with local authorities when there are concerns about young people’s safety. Each young person completes a ‘keeping yourself safe’ booklet with staff. This raises young people’s awareness about safe relationships and helps them with decision-making. Since the last inspection, there have not been any incidents of young people being at risk of radicalisation or child sexual exploitation.

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

Health and safety checks are regularly undertaken. These ensure that equipment works well and presents no risks to young people. Fire drills are undertaken in line with the organisational policy and this ensures that all young people are conversant with the need to evacuate from time to time and the reasons for this. However, managers have not identified the risks associated with loose and uneven slabs in the back garden.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Inspection report children’s home: SC020602 6 The registered manager has worked at the home for a number of years. She is currently working on her level 5 diploma in leadership and management. The registered manager is highly motivated and wants to support all young people to achieve their potential in readiness for adult life.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is a positive role model for young people. One young person told the inspector, ‘She has made a real difference here.’ The registered manager has a clear focus on the needs of each young person. She analyses the steps needed to help young people to progress. For example, she has identified a bereavement service to help young people manage their feelings of loss. She has also ensured that staff have received training in understanding the impact on young people who have experienced trafficking. This joined-up approach means that young people have every support they need to enjoy their life and to look forward to their future.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All staff receive regular supervision. This helps them reflect on their work with young people and on their own professional development. When staff have completed 12- months service, they have an appraisal that helps to identify areas for development and progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All staff receive a broad range of essential training, which is refreshed in line with organisational expectations. The organisation supports staff to receive specialised training, such as supporting young people who self-harm. This approach ensures that staff are skilled and knowledgeable about young people’s needs. Most staff have either gained or are working on the level 3 diploma in working with young people in residential care. However, a few staff have not gained their diploma within the required period.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager makes sure that documentation is well organised and that records are up to date. However, one young person’s records are missing details, including their legal status and background information.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and staff have formed good links with a wide range of other professionals. The registered manager challenges other agencies if young people do not have the support and services they need. A social worker told the inspector that, ‘Communication with all staff at the home is very good. Managers and staff have gone above and beyond with him.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers consider all aspects of young people’s diverse needs and these are embedded in the service each young people receives. For example, the manager analysed barriers to one young person’s education. She ensured that services are in place to support his learning needs prior to his attending school or college. This holistic approach means that young people have the necessary support to enjoy and achieve.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Young people participate in all aspects of the home’s running and in their individual care planning. Staff support young people to attend their review meetings and contribute their views. Young people help to make decisions about the home, activities and meal planning. Inspection report children’s home: SC020602 7

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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: SC020602 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Keys Attachment Centre, Hurstwood Court, New Hall Hey Road, Rossendale BB4 6HR

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Inspector

Julia Wright, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC020602 9 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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