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

Inspection report children’s home: 2507631 1 Registered provider: Keys Educational Services Limited Interim 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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Inspection date: 4 February 2020

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 2507631 2

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged good at the last 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

Since the previous inspection, leaders and managers decided that another child could move into the home. At the same time, the two children already living here were experiencing increased anxieties and their behaviour had declined. Leaders and managers’ decision to admit another resident at this time had the potential to jeopardise the new child’s experiences and progress.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Education arrangements for the new child require improvement. Although leaders and managers are working with the placing authority to secure a new school, activities in the interim period lack an educational focus. The child is, however, enjoying a broad range of sporting and fun activities.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

In recent months, the outcomes and overall progress for two children have deteriorated significantly. One child’s uncertainty about his future has contributed to the decline in his emotional well-being and increased anxiety. This has impacted on the children’s relationship with each other and with the care staff.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Since the previous inspection, one child’s engagement and attendance at school have declined significantly. Missing-from-home incidents for two children have increased. When these events have occurred, staff have followed the children’s missing-from-home protocols effectively to ensure their safe return and spoken with them to find out why they went missing. Despite this good work, the registered manager has not challenged the placing authority to ensure that following each missing-from-home incident the children are provided with an independent return home interview.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Generally, staff support children to manage their emotions well. Since the previous inspection, there has been one recorded physical intervention. This intervention was used for a minimal amount of time to keep the child and others safe. The use of sanctions is rare. When used, they are restorative, but they are not always effective. This means that the children are not always learning from or taking responsibility for their behaviour.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Following incidents, the registered manager completes supportive discussions with the staff. However, these discussions lack the necessary exploration to establish if the incident could have been managed differently to prevent it from escalating. As a result, the opportunities for the staff to learn from their actions and decision-making are inconsistent. Inspection report children’s home: 2507631 3 The children’s views and wishes are well understood and considered by staff. However, staff do not always record what support and guidance they have provided. In addition, the records relating to these discussions are not well maintained.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The registered manager’s monitoring is not effective; it lacks analysis and evaluation. In addition, he has not identified omissions in records, evaluated the effectiveness of sanctions imposed, and ensured that independent missing-from- home interviews are completed.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children are living in an environment that is not homely, well maintained and welcoming. This is because there has been insufficient and timely action taken to complete essential maintenance work and refurbishment following incidents of damage to the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children benefit from stability and continuity of care. They are looked after by a registered manager and staff team that have worked with them for more than two years, and who know them well. Inspection report children’s home: 2507631 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

16/08/2019 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 2507631 5

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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

5: Engaging with the wider system to ensure children’s needs are met

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Requirement Due date

In meeting the quality standards, if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, escalate concerns when return home interviews are not being completed. 27/03/2020

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Requirement Due date

6: The quality and purpose of care standard

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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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 premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) and (2)(c)(i)(ii)) 27/03/2020 Inspection report children’s home: 2507631 6 8: The education standard

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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 achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

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;

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Requirement Due date

understand the barriers to learning that each child may face and take appropriate action to help the child to overcome any such barriers;

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally;

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Requirement Due date

maintain regular contact with each child’s education and training provider, including engaging with the provider and the placing authority to support the child’s education and training and to maximise the child’s achievement;

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Requirement Due date

raise any need for further assessment or specialist provision in relation to a child with the child’s education or training provider and the child’s placing authority;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child who is above compulsory school age to participate in further education, training or employment and to prepare for future care, education or employment; 27/03/2020 Inspection report children’s home: 2507631 7 help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child has access to appropriate equipment, facilities and resources to support the child’s learning.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 8(1)(2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x) and (b))

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Requirement Due date

13: The leadership and management standard

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare.

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Requirement Due date

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.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b)(2)(h)) 27/03/2020

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Requirement Due date

35: Behaviour management policies and records

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Requirement Due date

within 24 hours of the use of a measure of control, discipline or restraint in relation to a child in the home, a record is made which includes—

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Requirement Due date

details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the date, time and location of the use of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

a description of the measure and its duration;

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Requirement Due date

details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need to use the measure;

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Requirement Due date

the name of the person who used the measure (“the user”), and of any other person present when the measure was used; 27/03/2020 Inspection report children’s home: 2507631 8 the effectiveness and any consequences of the use of the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

a description of any injury to the child or any other person, and any medical treatment administered, as a result of the measure;

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 35 (3)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(b)(i)(ii) and (c)(iv))

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Recommendations

 Children must be consulted regularly on their views about the home’s care, to inform and support continued improvement in the quality of care provided. Due consideration should be given to the child’s cognitive ability in the development and implementation of any consultation processes. Children should be able to see the results of their views being listened to and acted upon. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.11)  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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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 Inspection report children’s home: 2507631 9 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 10

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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

Sharron Escott, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 2507631 11 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 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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