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

Inspection report children’s home: SC430587 1 SC430587 Registered provider: Direct Care 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 home provides care and accommodation for up to four children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is owned and managed by a private company and provides services to local authorities.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 14 February 2018

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: improved effectiveness

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC430587 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

14/02/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 23/05/2017 Full Good 16/01/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 05/07/2016 Full Requires improvement Inspection report children’s home: SC430587 3

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outstanding

From their starting points, children make exceptional progress in all areas of their development. Incidents of challenging behaviour are managed well and reduce significantly. Staff are alert to the triggers for challenging behaviour and they ensure that they provide consistent and nurturing care. This helps children to stabilise and settle in quickly. Children benefit from the stability of longer-term placements at this home.

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outstanding

Staff promote positive educational outcomes and they have supported children to maintain long-term educational placements. Staff are skilled in engaging children in extra-curricular activities and homework activities.

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outstanding

Children’s participation in behaviour management plans and care planning is excellent. Children thrive on the clear boundaries and structures. One child said, ‘The house rules are good; strict but not too strict.’

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outstanding

Children are supported to engage in an extensive amount of fun activities both inside and outside of the home. Children take part in drama clubs, youth clubs, sporting activities and charity work. This promotes excellent teamwork between the children and staff. Children are developing positive self-esteem and a sense of achievement.

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outstanding

Key workers and managers track children’s progress regularly. Social workers receive comprehensive weekly update reports and looked after reviews are well prepared for.

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outstanding

Professionals from other agencies spoke highly of their relationships with the manager and staff, and the progress made by children. A social worker said, ‘The home is amazing. The progress [the child] has made has been massive.’

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

Staff know the children well. They work hard to ensure that children are safe. During the inspection, one child said, ‘I feel 100% safe here.’

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

Highly effective risk assessments and plans contribute to a reduction in risk-taking behaviours. Plans are thorough and are regularly reviewed as a team activity.

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

Children are supported to feel secure at the home and are helped to regulate their own behaviour. Incidents of self-harm, going missing from the home and challenging behaviours significantly reduce over time. Staff are well trained and are prepared for incidents.

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

The risks associated with online activity and social media are well understood. Staff are proactive in promoting safe and appropriate access to social media, in line with Inspection report children’s home: SC430587 4 children’s age and stage of development.

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

Staff recruitment is safe. Safeguarding processes are central to staff recruitment. Staff receive robust and regular training on safeguarding matters and staff inductions clearly centre on safe working practices.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is an experienced, strong leader. She has utilised her knowledge, skills and experience to promote positive outcomes for children in the home. The manager is passionate, confident and ambitious for the children in the home’s care. A member of staff said, ‘The registered manager has built us up. She has turned us around.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Children’s participation is threaded throughout all of the work. Children can express their views in a variety of ways and they can access independent advocates if required.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Training, staff supervision and team meetings are structured, well recorded and take place regularly. Staff feel able to share their experiences. The staff team works well together. A member of staff said, ‘What I love about here is that it feels like a family.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager recognises that training is transient and will source bespoke training when necessary. Staff are well supported and induction processes are thorough and effective. Staff are accountable and have additional responsibilities delegated to them. It is clear from speaking to staff that the service operates a whole-team approach.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff and managers demonstrate passion for their roles in supporting children in all areas of their lives. One child said, ‘The manager makes the home special. She makes it loveable.’

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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: SC430587 5 Inspection report children’s home: SC430587 6

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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

Bev Allison, social care regulatory inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC430587 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 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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