Children's Home run by Keys Educational Services Limited in Somerset

Inspection report children’s home: 2507631 1 Registered provider: Keys Educational Services 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 children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to four children, irrespective of gender, who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted to manage this home in January 2019.

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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: This is the first inspection of this home since it was registered in January 2019.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Inspection type Inspection judgement

Inspection report children’s home: 2507631 2

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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

8: The education standard The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff— help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans; support each child’s learning and development, including helping the child to develop independent study skills and, where appropriate, helping the child to complete independent study; understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers; help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment; promote opportunities for each child to learn informally; help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access

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Requirement Due date

educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible; and help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8(1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(viii)(x)) In particular, senior leaders are required to escalate concerns about the long-standing lack of education for a child, so that effective plans are in place for the child to return to school. 31/10/2019

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Requirement Due date

13: Leadership and management The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the 31/10/2019 Inspection report children’s home: 2507631 3 children’s home that helps children aspire to fulfil their potential and promotes their welfare. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13(1)(a)(b)(2)(h))

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Recommendations

 Any sanctions used to address poor behaviour should be restorative in nature, to help children recognise the impact of their behaviour on themselves, other children, the staff caring for them and the wider community (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 46, paragraph 9.38). In particular, the manager must ensure that all sanctions are restorative and monitored for effectiveness.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home voluntarily cancelled its registration with Ofsted in December 2017. Senior managers recruited a new staff team and manager, and applied to re-register the home in October 2018. This was approved in January 2019. This is the first inspection of the home since it was re-registered.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children living at this home receive good-quality care and support from a stable and consistent staff team. The manager and the staff clearly enjoy caring for the children and supporting them to succeed and make progress. Children are provided with positive opportunities and experiences. As a result, they are achieving and make good progress. There is a very vibrant and enthusiastic atmosphere in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health and well-being is prioritised by the team. Children are supported to enjoy a wide range of activities, hobbies and interests in the local community. For example, children enjoy meeting friends, bike riding, attending the gym and playing football. The manager and team ensure that children spend positive time with their families and friends. As a result of this, children are developing and maintaining relationships with people who are important to them. Parents and carers reported that they feel welcome at the home, and spoke positively about the care provided.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Two children are attending school and progressing well. However, a third child’s educational needs are not being met. Since this child moved into the home in April 2019, Inspection report children’s home: 2507631 4 the placing authority has failed in its duty to ensure he is provided with formal education. The manager has escalated his concerns with the local authority. Despite the managers efforts, the child continues not to receive an education. Further work is required to ensure that this concerning situation is rectified swiftly. The formats of internal care, behaviour and healthcare plans are under review. Behavioural risk assessments provide staff with information on how to identify, manage and mitigate most known risks. However, the manager has not included risks identified during recent behavioural incidents. All three children have individualised incentive targets, and these have recently been reviewed. However, not all targets reflect the

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

current individual needs of the children as well as they should.

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

Generally, staff are successful in helping the children to make safe choices and behave positively. Social workers and parents who contributed to this inspection all acknowledged how the children’s behaviour has improved since they arrived at the home.

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

The use of consequences for negative behaviour is rare. If consequences are used, they are usually, but not always, restorative. This reduces the opportunity for children to consider the impact their behaviour has on themselves and others, and to learn from it.

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

Restraint is only used as a last resort. Since the children moved in, there has been one recorded use of physical intervention. This intervention was carried out for a short time and was appropriate to keep the child safe. The manager’s oversight of this incident was good.

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

The manager and the staff have developed and maintained good links with safeguarding professionals and the police. Since the children moved in, there have been three missing-from-home incidents. Staff managed these episodes well. For example, staff searched known places, made frequent contact with the children and educated them about potential risks. Despite requesting it, the manager has not received information from independent return home interviews. The social worker has now agreed to send this important information to the manager.

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

Fire safety is managed well. All staff have received training in the actions to take in the event of a fire. All children and staff engage in regular fire evacuation drills.

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

Rigorous staff recruitment procedures are undertaken by the manager and the responsible individual. This ensures that only suitable people are employed in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is experienced and appropriately qualified to undertake the management role in the home. He provides strong leadership and management, and is well respected Inspection report children’s home: 2507631 5 by the staff team. He is successful in creating a culture in the home that encourages all staff to have high aspirations and expectations for the children they care for. Team meetings take place regularly and are well attended. The minutes of these meetings do not always reflect the actual depth of the discussions held. However, staff said that these meetings provide them with an opportunity to discuss the children’s changing needs, reflect on their practice and agree actions.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular, reflective supervision. The staff team is motivated and enthusiastic. Staff said that they feel very well supported by the manager, enjoy their job and feel that the home is a positive place to work.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

All staff are up to date with mandatory training and receive a variety of specialist training courses to meet the children’s individual needs. The manager has recognised that the team would benefit from having refresher training in online safety and understanding children who have attachment disorders. This training is scheduled.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback from the children, their parents and professionals about the quality of care provided at the home is entirely positive. Placing social workers value the services provided and stated that they would place another child there in the future.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is aware of the strengths and areas for improvement in the home. He responds effectively to recommendations made by the independent visitor. In addition, he has recently completed a detailed review of the quality of care that is provided. He has identified realistic targets for further improvement. However, these targets are not included in the home’s development plan.

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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: 2507631 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Keys Educational Services Limited

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspectors

Sharron Escott: social care inspector Joy Howick: HMI social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2507631 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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: http://www.gov.uk/ofsted

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