Children's home run by Keys Direct Care Limited in Southend-on-Sea

Inspection report children’s home: SC482380 1 SC482380 Registered provider: Direct Care Ltd

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is run by a private organisation. It provides accommodation for up to four children who may have experienced neglect or emotional abuse or had traumatic experiences which have left them vulnerable. The manager of the home was registered with Ofsted on 17 December 2014.

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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

Date of last inspection: 27 September 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC482380 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/09/2017 Full Good 07/02/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 09/05/2016 Full Good 21/01/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC482380 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

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a) applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, make sure that immediate arrangements are implemented to ensure that all of the fire doors close fully. 09/05/2018

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an independent person visits the children’s home at least once each month.

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Requirement Due date

When the independent person is carrying out a visit, the registered person must help the independent person—

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Requirement Due date

if they consent, to interview in private such of the children, their parents, relatives and persons working at the home as the independent person requires. (Regulation 44 (1)(2)(a)) 06/06/2018

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Recommendations

 Staff should be able to recognise and address bullying in day-to-day relationships in the home. Registered persons must ensure that staff intervene, protect and address bullying behaviours effectively. (See regulation 34(3) on the policy for the prevention of bullying.) (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.16)  The registered person should ensure that all incidents of control and discipline are subject to systems of regular scrutiny to ensure that their use is fair. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.36)  Regulations 35-39 detail the records that must be kept in children’s homes. Case records must be kept up to date and signed and dated by the author of each entry. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, Inspection report children’s home: SC482380 4

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Recommendations

page 62, paragraph 14.3) In particular, that signing and dating of missing from care records are completed and that there is a clear record of whether a return interview was requested for the child and whether it took place.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The overall experiences for children are positive. The children make good progress and benefit from a staff team that promotes their needs and cares about their well-being. The staff forge positive relationships with the children by communicating in an open, honest and consistent way.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There have been some changes to the staff team since the last inspection. Despite this, the staff remain consistent in their care of the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children attend the on-site school and make good progress in their education. There are a wide range of activities available to the children, including cinema trips, swimming, trips to the beach and eating out. There is a large garden, which has sporting equipment for the children to use.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The views and opinions of children are gained through weekly house meetings and individual key-working sessions. The good relationships between the staff and the children mean that the children will say something if there are any issues. The children know how to make a complaint and who to speak to if necessary.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home arranges and facilitates contact between the children and their families. This can involve travelling some distance to ensure that this happens. One family member said, ‘The staff always bring him to see me and are very kind and accommodating and bend over backwards to help.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home specialises in providing long-term placements for children. Children move on from the home as part of a planned and collaborative approach with their placing authority.

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

The children sometimes display aggressive and violent behaviours. Staff are skilled at de-escalating these behaviours and restraints are rarely used. Negative and unwanted behaviour from the children is discouraged by using incentives and rewards.

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

Positive consequences are used more frequently than negative consequences to encourage good behaviour. However, these measures are not scrutinised and analysed by the manager to assess their effectiveness. This means that the effectiveness of the responses to children’s positive and negative behaviours are not explored adequately. Inspection report children’s home: SC482380 5 Damage in the home is repaired quickly. The home is well decorated and has a welcoming and nurturing feel. However, essential fire safety measures were lacking, with three fire doors not closing securely. The manager made immediate plans to rectify the problems as this poses a risk to children and staff.

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

Staff are proactive in looking for children when they go missing or leave the home without permission. There are few incidents of children going missing from the home, with nine recorded incidents since the last inspection. However, the recording of these incidents requires attention. Records are not always signed and dated and it is not always clear whether a return from missing interview was requested or whether one took place.

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

All staff are trained in safeguarding children. The staff demonstrate a good understanding of their role and are effective in safeguarding the children. Bullying is discussed in the house meetings. However, staff do not record and address all forms of bullying; for example, name-calling is not always addressed.

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

The staff realise the value of effective multi-agency work with key professionals, such as social workers, police and health services, to monitor and continually meet the children’s needs. Feedback from professionals was consistently positive. One child’s independent reviewing officer said, ‘I wish there were more children’s homes like [the home]. It has a really good feel to it. I think they do brilliant work there.’

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

On several occasions, the police have been involved following incidents involving the children. The home responds appropriately to incidents, following which risk assessments and behaviour management plans are updated accordingly. The home notifies Ofsted of serious incidents.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager of the home has been registered with Ofsted since December 2014. The manager has a level 5 diploma in leadership and management in a residential care setting. The management team is committed to improving outcomes for children and leads a team of staff which is child-focused.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The management support the staff daily through their presence in the home. They are accessible and available and the children speak freely with them whenever needed. The manager ensures that the home operates within the statement of purpose and is aware of areas of development for the home and staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager consults with children, families, staff and stakeholders, and produces comprehensive internal monitoring, review and analysis of the quality of care the home provides. Monthly external monitoring visits are of a good standard. However, the independent visitor does not routinely get feedback from family members of the children. This feedback would provide a balanced and complete report.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Safe and comprehensive recruitment procedures ensure that all of the necessary Inspection report children’s home: SC482380 6 background checks are carried out before a member of staff begins working at the home. This helps to ensure that only suitable adults are employed to work with the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home provides an extensive range of training to the staff. The staff receive regular, practice-led supervision and annual appraisals in line with organisational policy. The staff value child-focused and personal development discussions in supervision meetings and they say that they feel well supported. Regular team meetings ensure that the children are discussed in detail and are at the centre of activities in the home. One staff member said, ‘We involve the children as much as possible in everything we do. We relay information to them following staff meetings to keep them informed.’ This is an inclusive approach to involving the children in the running of the home.

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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: SC482380 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Goldwyns, Rutland House, 90-92 Baxter Avenue, Southend-on-Sea SS2 6HZ

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Rebecca Ouellani

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Inspector

Ricky D’Arcy, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC482380 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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