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Inspection report children’s home: SC370956 1 SC370956 Registered provider: Keys Care Ltd Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned and is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to four young people who have emotional, social and behavioural difficulties. The manager was registered by Ofsted in December 2016 and is qualified.

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Information about this children’s home

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Information about this children’s home

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC370956 2

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

At the interim inspection, Ofsted judges that it has declined in effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager and staff have failed to ensure that young people are effectively safeguarded. There have been numerous safeguarding concerns:

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

 Bullying takes place regularly, including violence, verbal abuse and aggression. Staff have been unable to keep young people safe or take effective action to prevent bullying.  Staff have failed to prevent young people from taking the car keys from the staff office and driving the home’s car. This placed young people and members of the public at significant risk of harm. This was the second occasion in the last 12 months that children have taken the car keys and driven the home’s car.  Staff have failed to exercise vigilance when a young person was out in the community. They did not check on the welfare of the young person. Subsequently, the young person placed themselves and others at risk.  The manager and staff have not effectively managed young people’s social media use. Young people have exchanged hurtful messages, which have then escalated to aggressive confrontation. Another young person was at risk as a

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

result of sharing material of a sexually explicit nature.  Staff did not respond appropriately when concerns arose about a child’s emotional health that were likely to significantly increase their vulnerability. Staff did not share their concerns with the appropriate safeguarding agencies.  The manager has failed to fully assess the impact on the existing residents of new young people coming to live at the home. This has the potential to place young people at risk.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The efforts of the manager to secure full-time education provision for young people have been largely unsuccessful. As a result, young people are not attending school, although most do receive limited input from personal tutors. This means that young people have a great deal of unstructured time and have not developed good routines.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home’s leadership did not take robust measures to address the shortfalls identified at the home’s last inspection. These shortfalls included bullying and the young people taking the home’s car. However, there have been some improvements since the last inspection. The manager has improved the overall presentation of the building, both internally and externally. Young people now benefit from a newly fitted kitchen, improved decoration throughout and new soft furnishings. This Inspection report children’s home: SC370956 3 provides a more comfortable and welcoming home environment for young people. The manager has also shared information with Ofsted as appropriate.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Overall, the staff team is now stable and the turnover has been reduced. This has the potential to provide young people with the consistent care that they require.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/05/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 04/09/2018 Full Good 09/01/2018 Full Good 30/01/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC370956 4

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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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure–

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment; and

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Requirement Due date

help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible. (Regulation 8(1), (2)(a)(iv)(viii)) 08/03/2020

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Requirement Due date

*The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enables to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure–

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm; and

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare. (Regulation 12(1), (2)(a)(ii)(iii)(vi)) 08/03/2020

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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— 08/03/2020 Inspection report children’s home: SC370956 5 helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child. (Regulation 13(a)(b), (2)(e)) The care planning standard is that children–

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure–

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Requirement Due date

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 14(1)(a), (2)(a)) 08/03/2020

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, 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: SC370956 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: c/o Pinsent Mason Llp, The Soloist Building, 1 Lanyon Place, Belfast, Northern Ireland BT1 3LP

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Inspector

Phillip Morris, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC370956 7 to 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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