Children's home run by Keys Child Care Limited

Inspection report children’s home: 2494662 1 Registered provider: Keys Child Care Limited Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is one of a number operated by a private provider. It is registered to care for three young people who have emotional and/or behavioural difficulties and/or learning disabilities.

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Information about this children’s home

The current manager has managed the home since it was registered in January 2019.

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Inspection date: 5 March 2020

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: 2494662 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

One young person has been admitted to the home since the last inspection. The impact risk assessment demonstrates that careful consideration had been given to the young person’s needs prior to agreeing to admit them. In addition, consideration was given as to whether the needs of the young people who would be living in the home were compatible. This helped to ensure reduced disruption for the young person living in the home, and he has continued to make progress.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Both young people present with complex needs. The staff team consists of new, inexperienced and unqualified staff, and the home utilises agency staff. Consequently, young people do not always experience a consistent staff team which fully understands their support needs. This has a negative impact on the young people. One young person has been assessed as needing consistent and predictable routines. He has not always experienced this due to the many different staff who support him. The inspection identified shortfalls in the level of supervision of this young person. This lack of supervision contributed to a serious incident in the home. This leaves young people at potential risk.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The staff are not routinely receiving quality, monthly supervision. This prevents further development of their skills and knowledge, and does not allow a safe space for reflection of practice. This is an issue given that the majority of the staff team are new to the profession.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Ensuring that each employee completes an appropriate induction was a recommendation of the previous inspection. However, this shortfall remains as new staff are not being offered appropriate shadow shifts as part of their induction. This leads to new, inexperienced staff without the necessary experience and knowledge supporting young people. This has the potential to lead to poor outcomes for young people living in the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Despite this being a recommendation of the last inspection, the staff team has not received specialist training in relation to autism. This significantly hinders the staff’s ability to understand and manage the presenting behaviours. However, the home does seek and utilise expert advice from various agencies including child and adolescent mental health services and the learning disability nurse.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Young people are encouraged to maintain relationships that are important to them. Staff develop positive relationships with young people’s family members, where appropriate, and closely support and facilitate contact. Inspection report children’s home: 2494662 3 The young people are in good health. Staff monitor changes in health, and medication is managed well. The young people have limited communication. Staff use different ways to communicate with young people, helping them to express their views.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

All staff receive training in managing behaviour and the use of de-escalation methods. Physical restraint is used as a last resort. There have been some incidents of physical intervention which were appropriate and recorded effectively.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The home has risk assessments in place and clear plans to promote the young people’s safety. Any safeguarding concerns are promptly reported to the relevant agencies to protect young people from harm.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

One young person has engaged in new activities since living in the home, including eating out at a carvery, going to the beach, playing in the arcades and playing on a zip wire in the park. These opportunities are improving his quality of life. His social worker commented, ‘He is doing things he has never done before and is making choices.’

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Weaknesses in management monitoring and oversight have been identified during this inspection. A requirement was also made in relation to this at the last inspection. Robust internal and external monitoring of the home should have identified these issues, which include daily records not being signed and dated. Rotas do not adequately detail which staff members have been on shift and the hours worked. These issues prevent robust safeguarding systems being in place. Fire evacuations are not routinely taking place. The young people’s personal evacuation plans are not detailed or robust enough to inform staff what they would need to do in the event of a fire. Inspection report children’s home: 2494662 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/07/2019 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 2494662 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

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

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(b)) 31/03/2020

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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 ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child; ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child; ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child; and use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (c)(d)(e)(h)) 10/04/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that each employee completes an appropriate induction; and receives practice- related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (1)(a)(4)(b)) 10/04/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child; are kept up to date; and are signed and dated by the author of each entry. (Regulation 36 (1)(a)(b)(c)) 10/04/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain in the home the records in Schedule 4, ensure that the records are kept up to date and retain the records for at least 15 years from the date of the last entry. (Regulation 37 (2)(a)(b)(c)) 10/04/2020 Inspection report children’s home: 2494662 6

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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: 2494662 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Keys Child Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Maybrook House, Queensway, Halesowen, Worcestershire B63 4AH

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Melanie McGuinness

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Inspectors

Suzanne Birchall, Social Care Inspector Michelle Edge, Social care inspection manager Inspection report children’s home: 2494662 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.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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