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

Inspection report children’s home: SC016124 1 SC016124 Registered provider: Keys Group Progressive Care & Education Limited

p.1

Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This children’s home is operated by a private organisation and is registered to provide care and accommodation for three children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 24 to 25 September 2019

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 13 February 2019

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC016124 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/02/2019 Interim Sustained effectiveness 31/07/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 16/03/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 14/12/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: SC016124 3

p.2

Recommendations

 The children’s home must produce a children’s guide. The children’s guide must be made available to all children when their placement in the home is agreed (or on arrival at the home if the placement is made in an emergency) and must be age appropriate, provided in an accessible format and explained to each child to make sure they understand it. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 24 paragraph 4.21)  The children’s guide should help children to understand: – what the day-to-day routines of the home are (‘what happens in the home’); – the Statement of Purpose of the home (the care they can expect to receive while living there); – how to make a complaint in line with the home’s complaints procedure; – how they can access advocacy support or independent advocacy if eligible; and – how to contact the Office of the Children’s Commissioner. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 24 paragraph

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children develop excellent relationships with the staff, who know them well. The kind and caring approaches used by the experienced staff team help the children to form positive friendships. Children’s feedback throughout the inspection confirmed this. One child spoke of how the manager always listens to him, and how he ‘loves’ the adults that look after him.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have opportunities on a day-to-day basis to learn, meet friends and have fun. Staff demonstrate a very good understanding of each child’s likes, and together they design structured, well-planned activities.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s progress is good. Staff use innovative and creative ways to match their interests to educational activities, encouraging children’s engagement with learning. Children are helped to go to school or college, and as a result attendance is 100%. Staff have high aspirations for the children and they believe that the children can achieve.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children develop independence skills that prepare them for being adults. Children’s progress is recognised and rewarded with certificates and celebratory events, which give them a sense of pride. Inspection report children’s home: SC016124 4

p.3

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

Staff help children to understand risk and how to stay safe. They understand the need for children to become independent and to take appropriate risks, and help them to manage their behaviours and regulate their responses.

p.4

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

The registered manager and the staff team know the children well and identify potential risks and triggers. Plans to reduce these risks are detailed and highly effective. As a result, the children are supported positively whenever they are worried or upset. Physical interventions do not take place and children do not go missing.

p.4

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

Children are encouraged to build their independence skills by using ‘free-time’, independent travel and the internet and mobile phones. Trusting relationships exist between the children and staff. This means that children have adults they can speak with in the event that they see anything inappropriate or concerning when using the internet.

p.4

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

The regular checks carried out by staff mean that children live in a home that keeps them safe. This includes checks on visitors to the house and the locality of the home.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is qualified and very experienced. She knows the children and her staff team well. She has a strong commitment to improving the outcomes for children and leads a team of staff who have equally high aspirations for the children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff team has, in the main, remained stable since the previous inspection. This has provided the children with continuity of care. The staff have developed a good understanding of the children’s needs and they are motivated and passionate in the support they provide. Relationships between the children and staff are sincere and positive.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager provides staff with regular, effective supervision. This is in addition to monthly meetings where the manager recognises the positive work of the staff. Staff feel supported, valued and motivated as a result. Staff were overwhelmingly positive about the support they receive from the registered manager.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff team advocate well for children. Well-written reports are presented at local authority meetings, demonstrating that children are helped and supported to share their views, and that challenge takes place when necessary.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children are helped to take part in daily activities, for example preparing and cooking meals and planning activities. The registered manager recognises the importance of children’s participation, and plans are in place to include the children in the improvement of the children’s guide. Inspection report children’s home: SC016124 5

p.4

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.

p.5

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: SC016124 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Keys Group Progressive Care & Education Limited

p.6

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Maybrook House, 2nd Floor, Queensway, Halesowen, Worcestershire B63 4AH

p.6

Inspector

Linda Bond: social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC016124 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.

p.6

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspector

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

p.7