Children's Home run by Keys Care Limited in Durham

Inspection report children’s home: SC423407 1 SC423407 Registered provider: Keys Care Limited

p.1

Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The children’s home is registered to provide care and accommodation for up to eight children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. The home benefits by having a small registered school that adjoins the home. A private provider operates the home and the school. The registered manager has been in post for three years.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

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.

p.1

outstanding

Date of last inspection: 17 October 2018

p.1

outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC423407 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

17/10/2018 Full Good 17/10/2017 Full Good 29/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 01/11/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC423407 3

p.2

outstanding

The children and young people have made excellent progress as a direct result of living at this children’s home. All the children and young people have lived in previous placements that have been unsuccessful. Consequently, the children and young people have experienced periods of disruption and instability. One young person said that, ‘this is the best home they have lived in’. This is testament to the individualised care that they receive and the nurturing environment that they now have. A grandparent commented, ‘The place is brilliant, and I am so grateful to the staff. They are not only supporting [name of the young person] but they are supporting me. This home has turned [name of the young person) life around’. Positive, caring relationships between the staff, children and young people are unquestionably based on mutual respect, affection and trust. The children and young people refer to the staff, children and young people as ‘a big happy family’.

p.3

outstanding

The children’s and young people’s respect and support for one another is extraordinary. They have formed very close friendships that give a sense of acceptance and belonging. None of the children and young people were in education before moving into this children’s home. The children and young people now have 100% school attendance and they are meeting their expected educational targets. All the children and young people were asked why they don’t run away from the home. The resounding response was ‘because we do not want to’. The children and young people were also asked what they thought when they came to live at the home. Responses included, ‘I knew as soon as I walked in that I would be safe’ and ‘I just knew this was a good place. All the other young people looked happy and I could see that the staff care.’ A social worker said, ‘I love this service, it is fantastic. It is the best service that I

p.3

outstanding

visit. I have been a social worker for twelve years and this is the best home that I have ever been to.’ The children and young people have access to the services that they need to meet their health needs, including their emotional and mental health needs. The staff team is competent, and experienced, at carrying out direct therapeutic work that places a strong emphasis on helping the children and young people to overcome past trauma. Additionally, the children and young people have access to a qualified therapist, that is commissioned by the provider, to further enhance their recovery and progress. The children and young people have been welcomed into their local community, which promotes their inclusion. Children and young people actively contribute towards their community by fundraising for local charities and being involved in local voluntary work. For example, the children and young people have knitted hats and

p.3

outstanding

Inspection report children’s home: SC423407 4 scarfs and visited a nearby city to hand out their knitwear to homeless people. These projects have significantly increased the children’s and young people’s empathy skills, confidence and self-esteem. Transitions for children and young people moving into and leaving the home are exceptional. The registered manager and the deputy manager visit all the children and young people who are moving into the home. They take information about the home and photographs so that the children and young people are informed about their placements. A young person said, ‘I knew I would be okay moving to the home. [Name of the registered manager] and [name of the deputy manager] made moving so much easier because they were so nice and friendly.’ Young people who have left the home since the last inspection have made positive transitions. Five out of the six leavers, whose care plans were for them to move into

p.4

outstanding

independent living, have returned to their family home. This positive change of planning is a direct result of the care and support provided by the registered manager and the staff. Outcomes for these young people are outstanding.

p.4

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

The staff manage behaviour positively, which has resulted in a significant decrease in the use of restraints. The home’s ethos, which is to focus on praise, rewards and incentives, has yielded positive outcomes. The home’s routines are structured, which gives the children and young people a sense of purpose and there are clear boundaries of expected behaviours. Consequently, children and young people are developing good social skills that will equip them to succeed in later life. Sanctions are used fairly and appropriately. The children and young people know what is expected of them and the consequences of not adhering to the house rules, such as misbehaving in school. All sanctions are fully explained, including why a sanction has been imposed. This open and honest dialogue helps the children to understand socially acceptable behaviours. The staff proactively engage the children and young people in discussions and

p.4

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

workshops to teach the children and young people how to recognise potential risks and strategies to help them to stay safe. The home has a dedicated room where the children and young people can display posters and artwork, from their workshops, that depict risks to vulnerable people. A young person said, ‘This is our room and we can come in anytime to read the posters so that we understand what has happened to us, and why bad things happen. We can do a poster when we want and put it on the wall. We all come in here, it is a good place to think.’ The staff employ a range of strategies to help keep the children and young people safe. The staff focus on educating the children and young people and empowering them to make good, safe decisions. Consequently, police involvement at the home has significantly reduced. Inspection report children’s home: SC423407 5 A local policeman commented, ‘The early days at the home were not good, but the

p.4

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

home has moved on since the new manager took over. There were a lot of missing from home incidents and assaults, but these have all stopped. We have a league of all children’s homes in the area and this home is bottom of the league now for children missing. The staff are more like parents now, they are doing a fantastic job.’

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has the right skills, experience and qualifications to carry out her role. The manager has improved the home’s operation and the children’s and young people’s outcomes. She leads a strong and committed staff team that puts the children and young people at the heart of its practice. As a result, the children and young people are thriving. The registered manager has forged extremely good working relationships with placing social workers and other professionals who provide valuable services. The registered manager is not afraid to challenge poor, or unfair, practice to ensure that the children and young people have access to the support that they need. The registered manager is also a good advocate for the children and young people, championing the children’s and young people’s rights. An independent advocate who visits the home said, ‘I have little to do in the way of advocacy because if the young people want to raise anything they speak to [name

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

of the registered manager]. More often than not [name of the registered manager] had dealt with the problem appropriately.’ The registered manager maintains good oversight of the children’s and young people’s local authority care plans and the home’s written residential plans. The residential plans set out the children’s and young people’s day-to-day needs and risks and how these can be met and/or minimised by staff. However, these plans are not regularly evaluated to show what went well and why. The omission of evaluated practice is not impacting on the current group of children and young people. That said, a prolonged lack of evaluative practice could potentially lead to a decline in the quality of care provided. The home’s monitoring systems are identifying the home’s strengths and areas for development. The independent visitor carries out their role effectively. The internal monitoring is good, but there are some shortfalls in how the registered manager

p.5

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

improves the home’s performance. The registered manager is not fully scrutinising incidents to look at what went well, and what lessons can be learned to improve practice. Inspection report children’s home: SC423407 6

p.5

Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, the 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.

p.6

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— helps children aspire to fulfil their potential. In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(2)(a)) 31/03/2020

p.6

Recommendations

 The registered person should be skilled in anticipating difficulties and reviewing incidents, proactively implementing lessons learned and sustaining good practice. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 55, paragraph 10.24)

p.6

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: SC423407 7

p.6

Children’s home details

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

p.7

Inspector

Debbie White, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC423407 8 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.

p.7

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 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.8

Inspector

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

p.8

Inspector

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

p.8