Children's home run by Keys Specialist Residential Children‟s Services Ltd in Tewkesbury

Inspection report children’s home: SC434223 1 SC434223 Registered provider: Keys Specialist Residential Children’s Services Ltd Interim 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 with a variety of complex needs. The manager was registered with Ofsted in May 2018 and has completed her level 5 qualification.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has sustained effectiveness.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the time of this inspection, the registered manager was ill and an interim manager was covering. The home has faced significant challenges over the last six months and leadership and management of the home has not been effective. However, recent changes, implemented by managers, have brought about improvements.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff feel more supported and motivated. They have regular supervisions, and appraisals are taking place. The recruitment of staff, including agency staff, is now robust. Systems have been strengthened to ensure that all those who work with children are safe to do so.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The child currently living in the home is enjoying a positive relationship with staff and is Inspection report children’s home: SC434223 2 making progress. He has started to attend school regularly and is engaging well in his education.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the last inspection there has been a reliance on agency workers to fill shortfalls in staffing. This has contributed to inconsistencies in the management of children’s behaviour and an increase in incidents and restraints. A recent recruitment of new staff has taken place that managers expect will improve consistency for children.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Although some of the requirements made at the previous inspection have been met, shortfalls remain.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Concerns regarding staff awareness of safeguarding procedures continue. On two occasions, staff and on-call managers have not followed safeguarding procedures in a timely way. Although children’s safety was not compromised, this led to delays in reporting incidents and allegations to managers.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Health and safety checks have not included regular checks to ensure that emergency lighting in the home is working correctly. This has the potential to compromise children’s and staff’s safety should they need to exit the property with the aid of emergency lighting.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

Records are not completed adequately by staff. They are incomplete and do not give a clear indication of events that have occurred within the home. As a result, managers do not have satisfactory oversight into the quality of care being given to children.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The qualification levels of staff working in the home have not improved sufficiently. Although all staff are now enrolled on the required qualification in childcare, one member of staff remains outside of expected timescales to complete this qualification.

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and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home’s location risk assessment has been amended to include the nearby river but is still not robust or detailed to effectively safeguard children living in the home. It does not refer to nearby farm buildings that may pose a risk or detail crime rates in the locality.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

04/07/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 07/03/2018 Interim Declined in effectiveness 11/07/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good 30/01/2017 Interim Declined in effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC434223 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 is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard requires the registered person to ensure that staff take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12(2)(a)(vi)) 11/01/2019

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe. In particular, the standard requires the registered person to ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home are located so that children are effectively safeguarded. (Regulation 12(2)(c)) 11/01/2019

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that promotes their welfare. (Regulation 13(1)(b)) 11/01/2019

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This is in relation to managers’ effective oversight and scrutiny of practice within the home. 11/01/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must take adequate precautions against the risk of fire. (Regulation 25(1)(a))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that staff regularly check that the emergency lighting works correctly. 11/01/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (‘the Level 3 Diploma’); or a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma. (Regulation 32(4)(5)) This refers to permanent and agency staff. 31/03/2019 Inspection report children’s home: SC434223 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

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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: SC434223 5

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Keys Specialist Residential Children’s Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

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

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Alison Blyth-Bishop

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Inspector

Sue Young, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC434223 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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