Children's home run by Keys Cwc Limited

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

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Crossways Care Ltd

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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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.

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Information about this children’s home

In February 2018, the home was acquired by a national organisation.

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This monitoring visit

The home was judged as declined effectiveness at the interim inspection in February 2018. Following that inspection, a compliance notice was raised in relation to the quality and purpose of care. Since the interim inspection, the home has been acquired by a national organisation. Prior to this acquisition, insufficient action had been taken to meet the actions listed on the compliance notice.

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This monitoring visit

In the short time since the home has been acquired, the new senior leadership team has appointed a new manager, completed an audit of the staff’s skills and training needs, introduced new admissions procedures and secured specialist training courses for the manager and his team.

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This monitoring visit

Since the previous inspection, the manager has recognised that the needs and behaviours of two children could not be met at this home. In consultation with the senior leadership team and placing authorities, it was agreed that alternative placements should be sought. Both children have since moved from the home. One child remains living at the home.

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This monitoring visit

New admission procedures have been introduced. Early signs show that these procedures are being used effectively. In recent weeks, senior leaders have asked the Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1245569 2 manager to consider offering care and accommodation to four children. The manager assessed the children’s needs and concluded that their needs could not be met and that the compatibility of children was inappropriate.

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This monitoring visit

The manager confirmed that senior leaders are proposing to introduce new recording and reporting systems. The manager has completed a full audit of the staff’s learning needs and has confirmed the dates on which they will attend specialist training. This includes training in understanding harmful sexual behaviour and anti-bullying.

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This monitoring visit

The one child who lives in the home has benefited from a period of stability. Records indicate that in recent weeks there has been a significant reduction in incidents of poor behaviour, the use of physical interventions, police involvement and injuries caused to staff.

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This monitoring visit

The manager recognises that the improvements achieved to date are in their infancy. He has completed a comprehensive action plan that details actions to be taken with realistic timescales. The manager confirmed that he is being provided with appropriate support from his line manager and the senior leadership team in order to make the required improvements at the home.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14 February 2018 25 April 2017 Interim Full Declined effectiveness Inadequate 25 July 2017 Full Requires improvement Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1245569 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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(2)(a)(c)(f)) 31/05/2018

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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 staff—

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Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if 31/05/2018 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1245569 4 necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vii)) *The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

understand and apply the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

that the care is delivered by a person who—

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Requirement Due date

has the experience, knowledge and skills to deliver that care;

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) and (2)(b)(iv)(3)(b)(c)(i)) 31/05/2018

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1245569 5

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Recommendations

 14.4 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 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)  11.4 The registered person should only accept placements for children where they are satisfied that the home can respond effectively to the child’s assessed needs as recorded in the child’s relevant plans and where they have fully considered the impact that the placement will have on the existing group of children. The Statement of Purpose is an important document in the process of care planning as it sets out the needs of children the home is set

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Recommendations

up and equipped to care for. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 56, paragraph 11.4)  5.12 Children’s home staff should act as effective advocates for or on behalf of a child who may be experiencing difficulties with education or training matters including, but not limited to, attainment, admissions, attendance or behaviour, as a good parent would do. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.12 )

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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. Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 1245569 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Keys Group, Maybrook House, Queensway, Halesowen, Worcestershire B63 4AH

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Inspector

Sharron Escott, 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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