Children's Home run by Keys Education Ltd in Herefordshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC062074 1 SC062074 Registered provider: Keys Education Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home provides care and accommodation for up to four young people with a variety of complex needs. A private provider operates the home. The registered manager has managed the home since August 2017 and is currently on maternity leave. An interim manager has been appointed to manage the home during this period.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC062074 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/01/2018 Full Good 28/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 02/08/2016 Full Good 29/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC062074 3

p.2

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.

p.3

Requirement Due date

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must take adequate precautions against the risk of fire. (Regulation 25 (1)(a)) 31/05/2018

p.3

Recommendations

 All staff must have their performance and fitness to carry out their role, formally appraised at least once annually. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.5)

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are progressing well in their education. Even those who historically have struggled to attend school are attending and engaging well. Two young people are currently working towards their GCSE examinations.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work with young people to develop positive and trusting relationships with them. As a result, young people make good progress and are increasing in confidence and self- esteem.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help young people to develop the skills that they will need to be independent in adulthood. They learn how to budget, shop and cook for themselves.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people enjoy a range of activities of their choice. These include mountain biking, swimming and gardening. Staff also encourage young people to become involved in the local community. For example, one young person regularly helps out at a local youth club. As a result, young people make friends, keep fit and gain a sense of achievement, while having fun.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff promote positive contact effectively between young people and their families. Inspection report children’s home: SC062074 4 Consequently, young people increasingly enjoy the time that they spend at home with family and friends.

p.3

improvement to be good

The home environment does not adequately promote young people’s safety. This is because recommendations set out in the fire risk assessment have not been met in a timely manner. During the inspection, managers put measures in place to ensure that young people are safe until these recommendations have been met.

p.4

improvement to be good

Young people’s behaviour has improved significantly since their admission into the home. They do not go missing and instances requiring the use of physical intervention have reduced.

p.4

improvement to be good

Staff have a good awareness of young people’s needs. Young people’s risk assessments are clear about the control measures that staff need to take to safeguard them. Staff follow the guidance set out in these risk assessments to promote young people’s safety and welfare.

p.4

improvement to be good

Staff work well with young people on an individual basis to support them to make informed decisions that help to reduce risks. For example, young people engage in meaningful key-work sessions with staff, which help them to learn how to keep themselves safe.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

An experienced and consistent staff team has a clear understanding of the progress that young people are making. The home is well led by an interim manager who is currently applying to register with Ofsted.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and staff work closely with external professionals, such as teachers and drug workers, to promote good outcomes for young people. They advocate well for young people, and have successfully supported a young person to prevent him from being moved away from the home against his wishes.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home environment is warm and comfortable. Since the last inspection, the kitchen and bathroom have been refurbished. The kitchen and dining area, in particular, provides a warm, child-friendly space for staff and young people to eat and socialise.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Knowledgeable staff feel well supported by managers. They receive regular supervision and are appropriately qualified. However, staff do not receive annual appraisals to ensure that their performance and fitness are maintained. Inspection report children’s home: SC062074 5

p.4

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.

p.5

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: SC062074 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Keys Education Limited

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Maybrook House, 2nd Floor, Queensway, Halesowen, Worcestershire B63 4AH

p.6

Inspector

Sue Young: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC062074 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

p.6

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspector

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7