Children's home run by Keys Child Care Limited in Rossendale

Inspection report children’s home: SC005204 1 SC005204 Registered provider: Keys Child Care Limited

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Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This children’s home provides care and accommodation for up to six children who may have emotional and behavioural difficulties. The registered manager has been registered since January 2017.

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Information about this children’s home

Inspection dates: 11 to 12 February 2020

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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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.

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: Good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: Not applicable Inspection report children’s home: SC005204 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

10/05/2018 Full Good 07/06/2017 Full Good 19/01/2017 Interim Improved effectiveness 10/05/2016 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC005204 3

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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 registered person must prepare and implement a policy ("the behaviour management policy") which sets out how appropriate behaviour is to be promoted in the children’s home; and the measures of control, discipline and restraint which may be used in relation to children in the home. (Regulation 35(1)(a)(b)) 01/04/2020

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

Children experience stability and feel safe. Many children have experienced multiple placement breakdowns, in some cases more than 20, before moving into this home at a young age. Professionals who are involved in placing children find that they settle and feel secure, and their behaviour improves significantly at the home. An independent reviewing officer said that a child ‘experienced care that is consistent and provides him with a safe and stable base to enable him to begin to heal from the previous upheaval and instability he has experienced’. Children receive excellent support to regulate their emotions and behaviour and become calm and settled. For example, some are able to reflect on their school day and the choices that they made to remain calm and not become angry. Children seek out staff for affection and talk about how they feel, rather than bottling up their feelings. As a result, incidents and the use of restraint are reduced, and children experience calmer periods. A

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

social worker described the significant progress of a child who was previously unable to manage his emotions, saying that he ‘now manages his emotions well’. Children’s health improves. Some children who were diagnosed with disorders a long time before moving to the home are finally receiving the medication that they need to manage their symptoms better. As a result, their well-being and behaviour improve. Children are encouraged to improve their diet by trying a wider range of foods and choosing healthy alternatives. Children enjoy mealtimes with staff, and these are very much social occasions. Staff afford education high priority. All children have a school placement, and attendance is 100% unless there is a genuine reason not to attend. Children are making steady Inspection report children’s home: SC005204 4 progress from their starting points. Staff share information very effectively with school

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: outstanding

staff, so all are aware of children’s behaviour and needs. Staff advocate strongly for the children in their care. For example, they help children to complete forms to express their wishes and feelings for consideration at reviews of their care. An independent reviewing officer said: ‘Staff advocate for him and will speak out if they don’t believe something is in his best interests.’ Staff openly discuss moving on from the home with all the children, who regard this as a positive, healthy thing. They understand that children usually move on when they are ready for foster care or when they are ready to move back to be with family members. Everyone says goodbye to residents who are moving on, for example marking the occasion with a candle ceremony. Children stay in touch with staff by telephone or visits, when possible.

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

Children thrive due to the calm, nurturing approach, positive role modelling and the strong importance and emphasis given to their positive behaviour. They respond to frequent praise and the incentives put in place to help them achieve and succeed. In surveys, children said that they feel safe at the home ‘all the time’. Staff update detailed risk assessments with any changes in behaviour. Staff teach children about how to keep safe and provide close supervision of children when they are out on activities or on trips to other areas. Children respond well to clear and consistent expectations, care, rules and boundaries delivered by staff. This assists children enormously to feel safe and secure. The number of restraints has been high for some children at times, but these incidents generally reduce as children settle and feel secure. Staff are clear that they may use restraint only as a last resort. Staff help children to understand why their behaviour

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

resulted in restraint and what the triggers were, for example leaving a parent after meeting up with them. The behaviour policy does not detail the use of ‘time out’ or reflection in children’s own bedrooms. As such, there are no logs to read regarding how long and how often this is happening. This could prevent thorough monitoring. There has been significant change in the staff team since the last full inspection. However, due to changes also in the children who are resident, this does not appear to have had a significant impact. In addition to a robust recruitment process, the registered manager ensures that staff have ‘drive, passion and be able to play’. Children benefit from staff of either gender who have varied working backgrounds.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

A consistent management team has led the home for three years. The registered manager demonstrates passion for her work. She has a suitable level 4 and level 5 qualification. Staff describe receiving good support to help them to work effectively with the children. A member of staff said: ‘We regularly discuss the children and their care needs during team meetings, planned supervision, general conversations and handovers.’ Inspection report children’s home: SC005204 5 The staff training programme is extensive. The registered manager seeks out training to enhance staff skills in caring for individual children, for example by approaching health professionals for input and guidance on helping children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Training includes safeguarding risks and how staff can protect children. This supports staff to have a good knowledge of current risks in society, such as radicalisation and child sexual exploitation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Professionals describe very good communication with the staff team. Staff recognise the potential difficulties when children live away from their local authorities and ensure that they maintain good communication with independent reviewing officers and social workers. A social worker said: ‘The key worker provides an excellent, insightful report to the child’s looked after review.’ Half of the children who live at the home attend the company’s own school that is located next door. Others attend mainstream schools within the home’s community. This helps children to maintain links to friends and their school peers. The arrangements to monitor the home are good. For example, the registered manager reviews the service every three months and an independent person visits on a monthly basis to check what goes on. The reports of their visits are useful for the home’s development. The home is comfortable and clean. Routine checks and fire drills help to keep the

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

building safe for children. Children are proud of their bedrooms, which they decorate according to their interests.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the children’s home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is making for the children and young people whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

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: SC005204 6

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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

Inspector: Elaine Clare, social care inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC005204 7 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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Children’s home details

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Children’s home details

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Children’s home details

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