Children's Home run by Keys Specialist Residential Children's Services Ltd in Worcestershire

Inspection report children’s home: SC481312 1 SC481312 Registered provider: Keys Specialist Residential Children’s Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private company. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to two children who have been subject to early life trauma, causing attachment disorder and social and emotional difficulties. The current manager was registered with Ofsted in July 2017 and is in the process of completing her level 5 qualification.

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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: 28 February 2018

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC481312 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

28/02/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 02/08/2017 Full Good 15/02/2017 Interim Not judged 02/08/2016 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children’s home: SC481312 3

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Recommendations

 Ensure that there are enough suitably trained staff (including someone in a management role) on duty to meet the assessed needs of all children in the home, and that those staff are able to respond to emergency placements, where accepted. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 51, paragraph 10.1)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is warm and comfortable and furnished to a high standard. At the time of the inspection, the home was undergoing a complete refurbishment to maintain high standards for young people to enjoy.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the young person to make good overall progress. They support her in school and promote learning by working in partnership with teachers. Consequently, the young person has recently sat and passed her examinations. The headteacher commented, ‘I can’t give staff credit enough. It’s amazing what they are doing.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work closely with the young person to help her to develop the independence skills that she will need in adult life. As a result, she is making very good progress and beginning to take responsibility for decisions that she makes on a day-to-day basis.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff engage well with the young person and have developed trusting and nurturing relationships with her. This enables an environment where significant progress can be made. As a result, the young person is growing in self-esteem and in confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young person is encouraged to share her views. Staff regularly talk to her about issues regarding the home and about other issues that are important to her. The young person told the inspector, ‘I’m happy and it’s great.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the young person to have regular contact with family and friends. Staff facilitate contact well and welcome friends into the home.

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

Staff understand and manage risks to the young person well and work hard to keep her safe. The quality of risk assessments is good. They contain clear information for staff about the control measures that they should adopt to safeguard the young person.

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

Staff have been effective in preventing the young person putting herself at risk of Inspection report children’s home: SC481312 4 exploitation. She has not gone missing since the last inspection.

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

Positive behaviour is reinforced, and achievements recognised and celebrated. Consistent boundaries help the young person to feel secure and the level of challenging behaviour has reduced.

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

Safe recruitment practice ensures that anyone employed in the home is safe to work with young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

An enthusiastic and motivated manager leads this home. She is committed to improving and developing her staff team. For example, she uses supervisions and team meetings to good effect to develop staff knowledge and skills. As a result, staff are motivated and feel well supported.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has good oversight into the running of the home. Strong monitoring systems support the home’s development. This enables the manager to have a clear understanding of the home’s strengths and weaknesses and to be able to take effective action when needed.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff work successfully with partner agencies to promote positive outcomes for the young person in the home. The young person’s social worker said, ‘Communication is excellent. We are working well together… Staff are moving her on well, looking at her transition and promoting her independence skills.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Adequate staff provide the young person with safe and effective care. Some staff are not yet qualified to level 3 in residential childcare and are lone working with the young person. This potentially could compromise the quality of care that they are able to give to the young person. The manager is fully aware of this and is acting to strengthen the experience and expertise of the staff team.

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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 Inspection report children’s home: SC481312 5 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: SC481312 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Keys Specialist Residential Children’s Services Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Sue Young: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC481312 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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