Children's home run by Keys Child Care Limited in Rossendale

Inspection report children's home: SC005204 1 SC005204 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 children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to six children who may have complex needs associated with recovery from trauma and attachment difficulties. The registered manager has been registered since January 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 outstanding

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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: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/06/2017 Full Good 19/01/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 10/05/2016 Full Good 03/12/2015 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children's home: SC005204 2

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Recommendations

 Ensure that children’s bathrooms are pleasant places for them to use and meet their physical necessities. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7) In particular, make sure that a shower curtain is fitted over the bath, and children have containers for their toothbrushes, toothpaste and toiletries.  Ensure that records of direct work with children are detailed, analytical and reflective and represent a significant contribution to understanding children’s needs, experiences and outcomes. Each record should show clearly the outcome that the work is trying to achieve; how it fits in with the child’s plan; the child’s views, wishes and feelings; an evaluation of the effectiveness of the work; and set out what needs to happen next to support the child. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.5)

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Recommendations

 Ensure that the independent person’s assessment of the home’s arrangements for safeguarding and promoting children’s welfare includes an evaluation of the impact of the quality of care and staff practice on children’s experiences and outcomes. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.5)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a very nurturing and supportive home where they get the help that they need to recover from trauma and harmful experiences, and to grow. An independent reviewing officer said, ‘[Name of child] has flourished during his time there and is really making progress at home and at school.’ The staff give children the stability, structure and continuity of care that they need to feel safe. The reliable and consistently good quality of care helps children to build trusting relationships with the adults who are caring for them. Children have a strong sense of safety. They feel safe enough to accept help, engage in therapy and talk about difficult experiences. Staff know the children extremely well and understand what is important in each child’s life. They consistently follow in-depth and well-informed plans that are tailored to meet each child’s personal needs. They work effectively with therapists and social workers to

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

check on children’s progress and to make sure that children continue to get the right support. Staff make sure that children get the necessary help and encouragement to support their education. All of the children go to school every day and actively take part in education. They enjoy school and work hard to achieve pleasing results. When a child struggles in school, staff, therapists and teachers work together positively to make sure that the child Inspection report children's home: SC005204 3 gets the support to help them do well. Children have every opportunity to have fun and take part in activities with children in the community. They enjoy drama and performing, playing rugby, scouts, going to skate parks, horse riding and games clubs. These activities help them to develop their interests and talents and build self-esteem and confidence, and they provide the chance to make new friends. Children’s health and emotional well-being continue to improve. Staff have an excellent

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

understanding of children’s specific health and emotional needs. They make sure that children are healthy, and that they always get the medical advice, treatment and psychological support that they need. Children live in a homely environment. The house is currently being refurbished. Children’s bedrooms have been decorated and furnished to a good standard and to suit their interests and personal needs. However, the bathrooms do not have shower curtains in place, and children do not have containers for their toothbrushes, toothpaste and toiletries.

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

The manager and staff have created an open and transparent culture that protects children from harm. They listen to children and respond appropriately to their worries. A child said, ‘My key worker is good at listening and sorts the problem out.’ Staff provide children with a suitable level of supervision and are alert to any signs of harm. The manager and staff take prompt and effective action in line with the guidance when they have concerns about children’s safety. This includes when they have any concerns about a member of staff’s practice. The manager works successfully with the local safeguarding team and social workers to identify the risks facing children and takes appropriate action that protects them. Staff identify and understand the risks for each child, including risks associated with previous trauma, attachment difficulties and emotional development. They have a clear insight into the reasons behind children’s behaviour. Staff work positively and confidently

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

with children to find the best ways for them to express their emotions and moderate their behaviour when they are upset. For example, a nurturing bedtime routine and meditation are helping one child to get a good night’s sleep, and staff are helping another child to feel able to ask for a hug when they are upset. Staff encourage positive behaviour through clear and consistent boundaries. They involve children in restorative approaches that help children to understand acceptable behaviour and develop empathy towards other people. For example, when a child said unkind things, he was asked to write down 10 nice things to say to other people. He received a reward when he had finished it. Staff’s calm approach helps them to support children when they are having a difficult time. They use well-planned strategies that help children reduce and manage their unsafe and violent behaviour. Staff have found that a change of face can quickly and

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

successfully calm things down. The number of times children have needed to be restrained to keep them safe has reduced significantly since December 2017 Staff use restraint appropriately, and only when it is necessary to keep a child safe. They Inspection report children's home: SC005204 4 follow the agreed plans for intervention and use the least intrusive way possible to support the child. The manager thoroughly reviews each incident, identifies effective practice and responds promptly to emerging issues or concerns. Children always have the opportunity to talk about what happened following an incident. However, the records of these discussions do not always clearly show what is going well, what staff and the child are worried about, the child’s understanding of the issues, and what needs to happen next to help the child and sort out the problem.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is very experienced and is suitably qualified. She is a highly effective, inspirational and confident leader. She has created an extremely positive and aspirational culture that is improving the lives of children with very complex needs. An effective therapeutic approach is thoroughly embedded in the running of the home and professional practice. Staff and therapists work closely together to understand children’s needs and to provide them with the best possible support. Leaders and managers use very thorough and evaluative monitoring systems to understand the quality of care that children receive. They take effective action to make necessary improvements that benefit children. The manager has an extremely accurate understanding of the progress each child is making and the priorities for their care. The manager is quick to identify when children are struggling. She has taken appropriate and effective action to reduce the number of

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

times children have needed to be restrained. Highly effective staffing arrangements ensure that there are always enough knowledgeable, experienced, well-trained and qualified staff available to meet children’s needs. The staff team works together cohesively, and the day-to-day care of children is exceptionally well planned, to provide them with the best possible support and supervision. Leaders and managers provide each member of staff with excellent support, guidance and encouragement. Staff use practice-related supervision, team meetings and consultation with therapists extremely well to reflect on children’s progress and ways of improving the support they give to children. These are also important opportunities to develop staff’s skills and knowledge and to consider the emotional impact of their work. However, the independent person’s scrutiny of the home does not always provide a detailed assessment of the quality of the direct work with children or show the difference

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

that this work is making to children’s lives.

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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 Inspection report children's home: SC005204 5 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: SC005204 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Keys Childcare Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Nick Veysey, social care inspector Inspection report children's home: SC005204 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.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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