Children's home run by Keys Nhcc Ltd

Inspection report children’s home: 1267650 1 Registered provider: New Horizons Childcare Limited

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Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a private organisation and is registered for the care and accommodation of up to three children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The manager was registered in December 2017 and is appropriately qualified.

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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: first inspection

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 1267650 2

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has been open for a little over six months and this is the first inspection. Four children and young people have been admitted, all in a planned way. Three of these children and young people remain living in the home. One young person’s placement was terminated as they decided they did not want to stay at the home. The admissions have been well planned and staff have looked closely at assessing the impact each admission might have and this has been positive and successful.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children and young people are all making progress. Two of them are clearly making good progress and one has only just moved in and is still settling down.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff have made appropriate arrangements for the children and young people’s education. All of them have improved attendance and are beginning to achieve academically. All of the children and young people had previously had poor attendance at school prior to arriving at this home. The staff have also attended to the health needs of the children and young people well.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All the children and young people have been supported to maintain and improve relationships with their families. The staff have carried out some good work and the parents spoken to by the inspector confirmed that this was the case.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some of the children and young people have been referred to external specialist workers for support with specific difficulties. This, along with some good-quality, individualised work carried out by the staff, is helping the children and young people to deal with their emotional difficulties and improving their well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children and young people have a clear say in both the day-to-day activities at the home and in their care planning. One young person was supported to return to their home area and to speak with a judge who was presiding over the care proceedings involving this young person.

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

The staff understand risks and have made good-quality assessments of risk. They have appropriate controls in place and as a result the children and young people are kept safe. The staff have been actively safeguarding the children and young people. There are high ratios of staffing in place and staff have been proactive when any child or young person has left the home without permission.

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

The first young person admitted to the home decided that they did not want to stay, and they went missing from the home throughout their short placement. Although the staff made good efforts to locate and return this young person to the home, they were unsuccessful and therefore were unable to keep them safe. The placement was terminated appropriately. However, all the children and young people currently living at Inspection report children’s home: 1267650 3 the home now have been kept increasingly safe. Some of the children and young people have been missing for short periods but they have now been supported to significantly reduce these incidents.

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

The staff have made good relationships with the children and young people and have put good routines and boundaries into place and the children and young people have largely responded to this approach. The staff have used a few appropriate sanctions and a few short appropriate physical interventions, but again these are not required at present.

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

One young person who had some involvement in taking drugs prior to arriving at the home has been referred to a drugs specialist and this is helpful. Another young person who ran off from staff during their initial settling-in period and placed themselves at risk has been supported to stop doing this, and again this is good work.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has been in post since the home was registered. She has previous management experience and is appropriately qualified. She has made a very good start to managing this home and is also well supported by the provider organisation. She is confident and wants the best for all the children and young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is very well organised and is efficient in her work. She has arranged good-quality recording systems and monitors the staff and the work they carry out effectively. She has overseen good-quality, safe recruitment and offers her staff good support through supervision and training. Her staff and placing social workers speak highly of her.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All the children and young people are making good progress, and this is in large part due to the detailed care planning carried out by the registered manager. She has good relationships with the children and young people and is able to both assess and meet their needs well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has been able to build good relationships with a range of external professionals and agencies and has used these to ensure that all the children and young people have the resources and services they need. She is clearly able to challenge others when this is required. Inspection report children’s home: 1267650 4

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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: 1267650 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: New Horizons 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

Colin Imrie, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1267650 6 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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