Children's Home run by Keys Care Limited in Buckinghamshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC421063 1 SC421063 Registered provider: Keys 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 is run by a large private organisation. This home is one of a group of six that comprises a project commissioned by six local authorities to provide a residential service for children and young people within their local area.

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Information about this children’s home

The statement of purpose specifies that the home specialises in caring for up to four young people who have a variety of complex needs. Young people living in the home may attend a school also run by the provider and have access to in-house therapeutic support.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager’s post has been vacant since 2 April 2018. A manager is now in post who has applied to register with Ofsted.

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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: 13 September 2017

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC421063 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/09/2017 Full Good 17/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 27/07/2016 Full Good 12/02/2016 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC421063 3

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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.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard 12.—(1) The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. (2) In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— (d) that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that the light switch in a child’s bedroom is securely fitted to the wall. 31/08/2018

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Recommendations

 Keep all children’s case records up to date. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.3)

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Recommendations

In particular, ensure that therapeutic needs assessments are up to date and complete, all documents are signed and dated, and strong representations are made to local authorities that do not provide up-to-date care plans and other paperwork for the children they have placed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Careful and well-considered planning for accepting referrals ensures that young people are well placed in this home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Sometimes, young people’s behaviour has become difficult for staff to manage. The manager and staff endeavoured to support these young people but were not successful. In the best interests and for the safety of all living and working in the home, these Inspection report children’s home: SC421063 4 young people were then supported to move to other placements.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people build good relationships with staff who respond to them with care and compassion. Staff listen to them and get to know them well. Staff help and guide young people to make the best out of their time in the home. Young people have developed a good sense of belonging.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people make progress in their education; some have made excellent progress. Staff encourage young people to take part in various activities and to make and maintain friendships. Young people get into good routines and take part in activities of their choosing.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people who are reluctant to develop the skills they will need to live successfully in the future begin to take part in this work with the support and encouragement of staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are in good health. They are supported to attend routine and specialist health appointments and make good progress, especially in their psychological and mental health. Young people have developed a more positive identity and sense of self.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

With staff support, young people develop and maintain appropriate relationships with family and friends. Staff understand the importance of family and support young people through any difficult feelings which may arise within these relationships.

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

There has been an unsettled period recently during which some young people were violent towards others and took part in bullying. This situation was the result of a succession of unexpected circumstances and resulted in some young people moving on from the home.

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

More generally, young people respond well to the clear and consistently applied boundaries. Staff use de-escalation techniques successfully, and young people understand the rules. As young people settle into the home, they begin to keep to the rules. Staff have worked closely with schools to ensure that young people have consistent boundaries across their day. A tutor said, ‘Staff are absolutely amazing. Communication is great, and they work side by side with me.’

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

There has been a reduction in missing from care. If a young person does go missing, there is a well-coordinated response to bring them home. Staff have worked closely with young people to try to support them to reduce their substance misuse, and this work has been effective in many instances.

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

Staff are trained in child protection and safeguarding young people and put their training into practice where required.

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

The home is in the process of being refurbished. A light switch in one of the bedrooms is ill fitting and poses a potential risk should a young person tamper with it. Inspection report children’s home: SC421063 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Senior managers have provided hands-on support to the new manager and her team through a difficult period.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager knows the young people well. She has developed good working relationships with other professionals and is passionate about making sure that the young people grow and develop the skills they will need to live as successful adults.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There are some new staff who are going through the induction process. The staff team is very child centred and shares the manager’s passion about supporting young people to achieve the best they can. Staff talked about the children with warmth. One said simply, ‘I love them [the children]; I love this job.’ Staff champion young people’s needs and challenge other professionals if they feel that a child’s best interests are not being served. A professional said, ‘This home is one of the best, if not the best home I work with.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Support to staff is good. Staff have regular supervision and training opportunities and use these to develop their practice.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All but one of the shortfalls found at the last inspection have been addressed. The shortfall relates to keeping all records up to date and making sure that they are signed and dated. Additionally, one of the therapeutic needs assessments for a child was not fully completed and not all local authorities have provided the staff with up-to-date plans. Overall, case records will provide young people with a good account of their time in the home and of the decision-making about their care.

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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: SC421063 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: The Soloist Building, 1 Lanyon Place, Belfast BT1 3LP

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Inspectors

Rosie Dancer, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC421063 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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