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

Inspection report children’s home: SC028174 1 SC028174 Registered provider: Keys Care Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home provides care and accommodation for up to four children who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties. This home provides mid- to long-term residential care.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is suitably qualified and experienced.

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Inspection date: 3 March 2020

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC028174 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 sustained effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children are making good progress. Although not all of the children are in full-time education, alternative arrangements are in place to support children’s education. Children have warm and nurturing relationships with the adults who care for them. Adults know the children well and they know how best to support them. Professionals have given positive feedback and are happy with the progress the children are making.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Not all children’s plans are kept up to date. Direct, structured key-work sessions are not carried out to help children to work towards targets and improved outcomes. Some of the children will be moving on to independent living, and not enough work has been done to prepare them for this transition.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The number of incidents in the home has reduced. When incidents have occurred, these have been recorded effectively. Staff and children have the opportunity to discuss their thoughts and feelings following incidents. Children’s debriefs are recorded in a child-focused way. The manager has good oversight of the home and has been effective in monitoring and auditing essential documents.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Not all maintenance in the home has been carried out in a timely way. For example, the children’s showers have not been working properly for several weeks. The redecoration of bathrooms has taken several months to organise. The lack of general maintenance, particularly outside, detracts from the home and does not promote a homely environment.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff say that they feel supported in the home but they do not always have regular supervision. Some agency workers have not had an induction into the home. This means that these workers do not have a good understanding of the children they are working with or the health and safety procedures in the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The fire safety procedures in the home are not robust. Staff and children do not have regular fire evacuation drills. Essential repairs to fire doors have not been completed despite this being highlighted as urgent in an independent fire risk assessment in January 2019. Staff are not carrying out effective and regular checks on doors and fire systems in the home. The paperwork relating to fire audits is inaccurate. Inspection report children’s home: SC028174 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/07/2019 Full Good 09/10/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good 28/11/2017 Full Good 27/03/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC028174 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

After consultation with the fire and rescue authority, the registered person must—

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Requirement Due date

Ensure, by means of fire drills and practices at suitable intervals, that persons working at the home and, so far as reasonably practicable, children are aware of the procedure to be followed in case of fire.

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Requirement Due date

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(a) applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 25(1)(c)(d)(2)(b)) 01/05/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records(“case records”) for each child which- are kept up to date; and are signed and dated by the author of each entry.

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Recommendations

 Staff must help each child to prepare for any moves from the home, whether they are returning home, moving to another placement or adult care, or to live independently. This includes supporting the child to develop emotional and mental resilience to cope without the home’s support and, where the child is moving to live independently, practical skills such as cooking, housework, budgeting and Inspection report children’s home: SC028174 5 personal self-care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 17, paragraph 3.27)

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Recommendations

 Many children placed in homes may undergo a difficult transition and what should be simple aspects of their care take on a substantial significance in this context. Staff should provide a nurturing environment that is welcoming, supportive, and which provides appropriate boundaries in relation to their behaviour. Homes must also meet children’s basic day to day needs and physical necessities. Staff should seek to meet the child’s basic needs in the way that a good parent would, recognising that many children in residential care have experienced environments where these needs have not been consistently met - doing so is an important aspect of demonstrating that the staff care for the child and value them as an individual. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 15, paragraph 3.7)

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Recommendations

In particular, this relates to ensuring that essential maintenance work is carried out in a timely manner.

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Recommendations

 The use of external agency staff can be a positive choice to complement the skills and experiences of the permanent workforce. Any external agency staff should meet the requirements in regulation 32(4) regarding mandatory qualifications and the registered person should consider their skills, qualifications and any induction necessary before they commence work in the home. The use of agency staff should be carefully monitored and reviewed to ensure children receive continuity of care. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 54, paragraph 10.16)

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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: SC028174 6

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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

Sarah Orriss, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC028174 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 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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