Children's home run by Keys Care Limited

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2548418 1

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Keys Care Ltd

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This privately owned children’s home was registered in October 2019. It is part of a cross-regional project which has been set up between The Keys Group Ltd and four local authorities (Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes). According to its statement of purpose, the aim is to provide an established and respected good-quality service of care, education and therapeutic input and support for four children with emotional and behavioural difficulties to live close to their local area.

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This monitoring visit

Following the home being registered in October 2019, its first scheduled inspection was deferred, in accordance with Ofsted’s response to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak. The purpose of this visit was to monitor the provider’s performance since registration, in terms of children’s safety, well-being and experiences. No judgement is made from this visit. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, this monitoring inspection was conducted using off-site activities that included the review of documents and telephone interviews.

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This monitoring visit

The previous registered manager resigned in February 2020. A targeted recruitment campaign is ongoing, supported by clear and effective interim management arrangements. A regional manager, with previous experience of being registered, is based in the home full time and plans for a four-week handover when a new manager is appointed. The interim manager is aware of the timescales that require a registration application to be made and has given her assurance to do so.

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This monitoring visit

The interim manager is reflective and insightful. She understands the strengths and development needs of the home and prioritises these in the best interests of the children. By using effective monitoring tools throughout the lockdown period, she Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2548418 2 has collated monthly data that evidences a reduction in the children’s self-harming behaviours and their improved engagement with core staff. She has introduced ‘Zoe’s reward certificates’, which have been a huge incentive in promoting the children’s positive behaviours.

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This monitoring visit

The admissions practice of senior leadership when the home first opened was poor. This resulted in negative experiences for the first three children who moved in. These children moved into the home in quick succession, and there was insufficient consideration of their compatibility with each other. Consequently, two children had a poor experience of moving in, and another child did not have a positive ending.

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This monitoring visit

Staff and leaders failed to recognise and act on early signs and indicators of bullying. One child disclosed the bullying behaviours to the home’s independent visitor, and the staff then supported the child to make a complaint to the registered manager. The registered manager responded to this in a timely and appropriate manner. The child was satisfied with the actions and outcomes. Since this complaint in February 2020, and with lessons learned by the staff team, there have been no further known incidents or reports of bullying.

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This monitoring visit

The staff training programme focuses on the children’s identified risks and needs. Training courses include a good balance of online and face-to-face learning opportunities. The completion of mandatory safeguarding training as part of the induction process ensures that staff are guided to understand and follow robust safeguarding procedures. Staff practice demonstrates that they have a clear understanding of safeguarding procedures, including the process for reporting concerns.

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This monitoring visit

The staff have encouraged the children’s full participation in home-schooling since the government’s decision to close schools. The staff have provided the children with a continued routine in the mornings of getting up and ready for learning. They tailor activities to the children’s hobbies and interests to support a 24-hour curriculum. This promotes the children’s engagement and attention when learning new skills. One child has recently learned to build his own computer from computer parts.

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This monitoring visit

Staff’s sensitive and successful support for the children helps them to learn and develop, in line with their age, understanding and previous life experiences. In one example, a child really struggled to live among an ethnically diverse staff group. The staff supported the child to explore their own heritage and identity, while reflecting on their own. This enabled the child to feel comfortable to ask direct questions and gave a platform to all the children to address any preconceptions of one another and the staff.

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Recent inspection history

This is the home’s first Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2548418 3 inspection

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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

14: The care planning standard The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home; and

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Requirement Due date

have a positive experience of arriving at or moving on from the home.

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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

ensure the effective induction of each child into the home;

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Requirement Due date

manage and review the placement of each child in the home; and

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Requirement Due date

plan for, and help, each child to prepare to leave the home or to move into adult care in a way that is consistent with arrangements agreed with the child’s placing authority. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b)(2)(b)(i)(ii)(iii)) 01/09/2020

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Requirement Due date

11: The positive relationships standard The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure— 01/09/2020 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2548418 4 that staff—

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

understand how children’s previous experiences and present emotions can be communicated through behaviour and have the competence and skills to interpret these and develop positive relationships with children;

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children;

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Requirement Due date

understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable; and

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c)(2)(a)(ii)(iii)(iv)(ix)(x)(xi)(xii)(xiii)) Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2548418 5 13: The leadership and management standard 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

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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

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)(b)(2)(f)) 01/09/2020

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Information about this inspection

Ofsted is aware of the challenges that COVID-19 (coronavirus) is currently posing to those we regulate. During this visit, the inspectors took into consideration the impact of any measures being taken to slow the spread of COVID-19 by the home. This has included the effect these have had on staffing arrangements.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the home’s progress since it was registered in October 2019.

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Information about this inspection

This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000.

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Children’s home details

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

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Children’s home details

Registered manager: Post vacant Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2548418 6

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Inspector:

Kelly Monniot, social care inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2548418 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector:

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Inspector:

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Inspector:

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

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