Children's home run by Keys Educational Services Limited in Rossendale

Inspection report children’s home: SC363393 1 SC363393 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 home is operated by a large national private provider of care and education for children. It is registered to provide care and accommodation for three children who may have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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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 outstanding

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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: 16 January 2019

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: declined in effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC363393 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/01/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 14/08/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 13/02/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 01/11/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC363393 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people benefit from living in a home that provides them with a calm and nurturing environment. The staff do well in building trusting relationships with the young people. These positive relationships enable the young people to successfully work through past traumas and make progress in all areas of their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Moves of the young people into and out of the home are very well managed by the staff. Recently, one young person successfully returned to living with their family. Another young person was supported well by the staff to move to another home within the company. These moves were fully supported by the staff, who advocated for the young people and visited the accommodation, which in turn helped the young people move in. One young person remains in touch with the staff in the home, which helps her sense of security.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The young people’s placement plans are detailed, and clearly explain how the staff should best meet the individual care needs of each young person. The young people read these plans and give their views.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff have high aspirations for the young people and support them effectively to attend school and achieve in their examinations. For those young people who struggle with the school setting, the staff provide alternative educational opportunities. The manager is particularly skilled in challenging the education authorities when there is delay in providing learning support.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Professionals from other agencies spoke highly of their relationships with the manager and staff and the progress made by the young people.

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

The staff do well in achieving a balance of allowing the young people to take risks and learn from any mistakes, while keeping them safe. Risk assessment procedures and documents give the staff clear guidance and strategies to use should a young person engage in risk-taking behaviours such as going missing. This has resulted in a significant reduction in the number of times the young people are reported as missing.

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

The registered manager and the staff team know the young people well and identify potential risks and triggers. Plans to reduce these risks are detailed and highly effective.

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

Behaviour is managed effectively in the home. The staff implement clear routines and boundaries effectively. There is an expectation that young people will behave respectfully towards each other and the staff. The use of physical intervention is rare because staff know how to help the young people when they are upset or angry. They do this with gentle, caring and well-considered approaches. Inspection report children’s home: SC363393 4 The staff are vigilant and take prompt and effective safeguarding action if necessary. Safeguarding incidents, such as when young people disclose information or make allegations, are competently managed. The manager and staff promptly pass details of the incidents to the police and relevant safeguarding authorities.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager is passionate and is dedicated to improving the outcomes of the young people. She achieves this by knowing the young people and staff extremely well. Her enthusiasm inspires the staff team, who share her passion for achieving the best outcomes for the young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Through the provision and implementation of learning from carefully selected training, the manager has grown in confidence and knowledge. As a direct result of this learning she has been instrumental in producing reporting templates, a young persons’ forum and a registered managers’ forum in the locality. All of these have been shared with other registered managers and professionals.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager provides staff with regular and 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.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff strive relentlessly to promote positive outcomes for the young people, while developing their self-esteem and confidence, and ensuring that they are more resilient in the future. Managers and staff do this by making sure that practice in the home is informed by research. For example, the manager and staff carefully considered the therapeutic benefits of the young people having a pet. Now, the young people all have their own pets.

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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: SC363393 5

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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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Inspector(s)

Linda Bond, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC363393 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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Inspector(s)

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