Children's home run by Keys Group Progressive Care & Education Limited in Birmingham

Inspection report children‟s home: 1249031 1 Registered provider: Keys Group Progressive Care & Education Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is one of several children‟s homes operated by a private company. The home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to three children or young people who have learning disabilities. The manager was registered with Ofsted on 2 December 2016.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 30 April to 1 May 2019

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children‟s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children‟s home: 1249031 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

05/06/2018 Full Good 08/02/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 08/05/2017 Full Good 23/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children‟s home: 1249031 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 leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children‟s home that— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard requires the registered person to— understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home; and use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

With reference to regular managerial review of children‟s files, including medication records and behaviour support plans. 03/06/2019

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children receive effectively planned care in or through the children‟s home; that arrangements are in place to manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and that each child‟s relevant plans are followed.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)(ii)(c)) 03/06/2019

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees receive practice-related supervision and have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must complete a review of the quality of care provided for children (“a quality of care review”) at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 45 (1)) 03/06/2019 Inspection report children‟s home: 1249031 4

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all incidents of control, discipline and restraint are subject to systems of regular scrutiny to ensure that their use is fair and the above principles as set out in 9.35 are respected. („Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟, page 46, paragraph 9.36)

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improvement to be good

The home has been through an unsettled period since the last inspection. Staff have experienced difficulties in managing young people‟s unpredictable and aggressive behaviour. Consequently, one young person‟s placement ended earlier than planned, as staff were unable to meet his needs. Despite staff acting to keep all young people safe, the risks remained too high. As a result, staff were unable to successfully devise appropriate strategies to manage the difficult behaviours and the ongoing risks.

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improvement to be good

The home‟s admission procedures failed to fully consider the impact of new admissions on the existing group of young people. This resulted in a deterioration in young people‟s behaviours. There was an increase in aggressive and destructive behaviour displayed by all young people. This had an impact on the overall experiences and progress of the young people. The provider‟s senior leadership team has made a commitment to address the shortfalls found at this inspection, before accepting any new young people into the home.

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improvement to be good

Despite identified shortfalls, positive interactions between the young person currently living at the home and staff were observed during the inspection. The young person described staff as „the best‟, „good‟ and „nice‟.

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improvement to be good

Careful planning takes place to prepare young people for transitions from the home. Since the last inspection, one young person has been supported to move from the home to supported living accommodation. As part of this transition, staff ensured that the young person was fully involved in the planning and moving process.

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improvement to be good

Young people access education that is best suited to their individual needs. For one young person, this has led to 100% attendance. The young person commented, „I like going to school. It‟s good.‟

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improvement to be good

Young people are supported well to maintain and improve relationships with their families and significant people in their lives. Staff understand that good and well- supported contact with parents and family members can form the basis for the development of positive relationships that will be helpful to the young people in the future. A parent commented, „The staff were really considerate during our visit and I Inspection report children‟s home: 1249031 5 hope for more time with my son.‟

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improvement to be good

The practice in relation to helping and protecting young people needs to improve. This inspection has found failings. While there is nothing to show that these have led to young people suffering harm, unchecked they have the potential to do so. Despite the shortfalls identified at this inspection, the young people living in the home report that they feel safe.

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improvement to be good

In some instances, the staff‟s attentive approach means that their de-escalation and distraction techniques are successful. This means that young people learn to manage their emotions better. Despite this, in other examples, staff struggle to support young people during periods of crisis and this has resulted in the need for physical restraint for some young people. The manager‟s oversight of physical intervention is of variable quality. For example, incidents are not always reviewed within the required timescales and the details of actions taken as part of the review are not always clear.

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improvement to be good

Young people‟s health and well-being are promoted in the home and their individual health needs are being addressed. Staff spend time talking to young people about their health and general well-being and provide support to attend all appointments, such as dental and optician appointments.

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improvement to be good

Management oversight of the medication records is not robust. Although there were no errors in administration of medication, the management recording of audits to the files was incomplete. Therefore, some shortfalls may not have been addressed.

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improvement to be good

Staff have a good awareness of young people‟s needs. Young people‟s risk assessments are clear about the control measures that staff need to take to safeguard them. Staff follow the guidance set out in these risk assessments to promote young people‟s safety and welfare.

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improvement to be good

High staffing ratios, coupled with good organisation and planning, ensure that young people do not go missing from the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The manager is experienced in residential care and appropriately qualified for the role. He understands the strengths and areas for improvement identified at this inspection. The registered manager was absent from work for six months and the management arrangements for the home were not robust and have led to the shortfalls found in this inspection.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

Staff feel valued and supported by the registered manager. However, in his absence, some staff have not received regular supervision or appraisals in recent months. The lack of regular supervision does not enable staff to reflect on their practice and to Inspection report children‟s home: 1249031 6 identify any further training that they need to support their continued professional development. Lack of appraisal means that the staff, particularly those with limited experience, do not access the appropriate support and guidance that they need to carry out their roles effectively.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The monitoring of incidents by managers lacks rigour and evaluation. Staff do not always complete behaviour management records, including records relating to physical interventions, to an acceptable standard. Managers have failed to note that these documents do not always specify that debriefs have taken place. To date, these weaknesses have not had an impact on the safety and welfare of young people but have the potential to do so if not rectified. Furthermore, the interim manager has failed to complete a six-monthly review of the quality of care provided for young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: requires improvement to be good

The registered manager and the director of residential care fully acknowledge all shortfalls raised at this inspection. They recognise how they impact on the day-to-day running of the home and the outcomes for young people. They show the capacity and enthusiasm to make all the required improvements, including more robust systems to ensure that young people‟s care planning, safety and well-being are prioritised.

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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: 1249031 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Keys Group Progressive Care & Education 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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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Melanie McGuinness

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Inspector

Elaine Allison: social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: 1249031 8 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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