Children's home run by Keys Direct Care Limited in Southend-on-Sea

Inspection report children’s home: SC430587 1 SC430587 Registered provider: Keys Direct Care 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 provides care and accommodation for up to four children and young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home is owned by a private company.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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Outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected Outstanding

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Outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers Outstanding

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Outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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Outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: Outstanding

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Outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: None Inspection report children’s home: SC430587 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

19/06/2018 Full Outstanding 14/02/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 23/05/2017 Full Good 16/01/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC430587 3

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Recommendations

 The importance of understanding who we are and where we come from is recognised in good social work practice, for example through undertaking life story work or other direct work. Staff in children’s homes should play a full role in work of this kind. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 16, paragraph 3.14)

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Young people enjoy long-term, stable placements. The resilience and commitment of staff is central to placement stability. Staff display unconditional positive regard towards young people and are extremely nurturing. This means that young people feel valued and cherished. There is very low staff turnover, enabling very consistent care to be provided. Consequently, young people have very strong, very trusting relationships with staff. Children are actively involved in their community. Young people have similar experiences to their peers in the community because staff and managers are very proactive in tackling any stereotypes that might be a barrier to inclusion. The assertive approach ensures that children do not experience prejudice based on their care status. Staff and managers are highly skilled at supporting children to build strong friendship networks in the community. These friendships are invaluable to children’s growing confidence

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

and self-esteem. Young people’s friendships develop at the clubs and youth groups that they attend. For example, one young person has attended a drama group for nearly three years and now takes on lead roles. He is very well supported to maintain his passion and interest in performing arts. Young people are also currently rehearsing for a school production. All young people and staff completed a sponsored walk to raise money for charities. This sort of activity further promotes young people’s sense that they can contribute positively to society. Young people’s progress at school is also greatly supported by the strong and lasting friendships that they have made. Young people invite school friends to the home for tea and have enjoyed sleepovers and holidays with their friends. Being happy at school helps young people to achieve academic success. For example, a young person who was a school year behind at primary school is now in the correct academic year at secondary school. A teacher

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

said, ‘There is a genuine, wholesome interest in the child’s education and his development. Staff are excellent advocates and they have made a massive difference for him.’ Children have realistic expectations of attending university. The routines of the home allow children to feel safe and secure. Behaviour expectations are made clear and children thrive on the consistency that staff provide. For example, young people moved to the home with underdeveloped social skills, poor self-regulation and unhealthy sleep patterns. The young people now enjoy showing off their good table Inspection report children’s home: SC430587 4 manners, have very few angry outbursts and have stable sleep routines. Staff understand young people’s histories well. However, young people’s life story work could be strengthened with more focused support for young people to understand their care journeys.

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

The support that children receive to help them to understand and manager their own behaviour is exceptional. Behaviour management plans are excellent because they are centred on young people’s views, wishes and feelings. Staff and managers are supported by the home’s psychologist to review behaviour management strategies and develop bespoke packages of support. Children’s behaviour has improved to such an extent that their life chances are significantly improved. For one young person, incidents in which restraint has been necessary to ensure his safety have reduced dramatically. This greatly improves his safety and long-term well-being. Risks associated with online activity and social media are well understood by staff and young people. Staff make sure that young people access the internet safely, taking into account their age and level of understanding. This approach is impressive and worthy of wider

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

dissemination. For example, a child was supported with a tailored step-by-step plan to safely use his mobile phone. This plan included regular monitoring of his online activities. The plan was successful because it gave responsibility to the young person within safe, agreed boundaries. Safeguarding arrangements are strengthened by highly effective information sharing systems. This is particularly impressive when children are in crisis and displaying risk-taking behaviours. The actions of the manager and staff are proactive and effective. They ensure that children are provided with support to stay safe from the right agency at the right time. In one case, this has prevented a child from entering the criminal justice system. There are a number of examples when the manager has been a strong advocate for young people. This approach has kept children safe. Staff have a detailed and thorough understanding of safeguarding policies and protocols.

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

This is because training, induction and supervision are focused on safeguarding. Young people are not subject to sexual or criminal exploitation, despite their vulnerabilities. Staff are fully aware of preventative strategies and adhere fully to these. Staff monitor young people’s interactions with each other to ensure that they can quickly act on any signs that young people might display unsafe behaviours or develop inappropriate relationships.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The registered manager is passionate, motivational and nurturing. She has utilised her knowledge, skills and experience to promote excellent outcomes for young people. She has led the staff team extremely well so that they deliver exceptional outcomes for young people. The manager understands the barriers that looked after young people face and acts as a very strong advocate. She challenges other agencies to ensure that young people’s needs are prioritised. For one young person, this has secured direct therapeutic intervention in a Inspection report children’s home: SC430587 5 timely manner. For another young person, educational provision has been identified quickly. This has had a significant impact on her educational progress. Training, team meetings and staff supervision are well structured, regular and well recorded. Staff feel able to reflect openly on their work practice and learn lessons from any mistakes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The staff are close knit and very supportive of each other. However, they are not afraid to challenge colleagues when appropriate. A member of staff said, ‘We work as a family here and communication between us is excellent.’ This team ethos contributes to the very low staff turnover and the consistently high quality of care provided. The manager carries out very diligent monitoring of the home. She analyses and evaluates the progress of young people and quickly identifies areas of weakness. External monitoring of the home is also strong, providing constructive challenge to the staff group. Performance management is highly effective, ensuring that staff do not become complacent and that they are always looking for opportunities to improve.

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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: SC430587 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Keys Direct Care 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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Inspector

Bev Allison, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC430587 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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