Children's Home run by Keys Education Ltd in Herefordshire

Assurance visit report: SC062074 1 SC062074

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Information about this children's home

This home provides care and accommodation for up to four young people with a variety of complex needs. A private provider operates the home.

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Information about this children's home

The registered manager has managed the home since August 2017. She is in the process of completing her level 5 qualification in leadership and management.

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Information about this children's home

Previous inspection judgement: Requires improvement to be good

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Information about this visit

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), Ofsted suspended all routine inspections in March 2020. As part of a phased return to routine inspection, we are undertaking assurance visits to children's social care services that are inspected under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF).

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Information about this visit

At these visits, inspectors evaluate the extent to which:

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Information about this visit

 children are well cared for  children are safe  leaders and managers are exercising strong leadership.

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Information about this visit

This visit was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000, following the published guidance for assurance visits.

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Information about this visit

Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills is leading Ofsted's work into how England's social care system has delivered child-centred practice and care within the context of the restrictions placed on society during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Findings from the visit

We identified no serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit. Assurance visit report: SC062074 2

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The care of children

Young people receive good individual care from staff who listen and engage with them. As a result, they build trusting relationships with those who care for them.

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The care of children

Staff have used the lockdown period to enable young people to learn new skills and make positive childhood memories. For example, staff have used their experience and hobbies to enable young people to develop their skills to make a lamp, a bird box and a bench. Staff have also supported a young person who is writing a book to think of creative ways of writing and to help him with drawings for his book.

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The care of children

Staff have engaged young people during the lockdown period in educational activities and life skills. They have supported young people with school work, updating CVs and applying for college courses. This has meant that young people have continued to learn and progress during this period.

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The care of children

The home has been recently redecorated throughout and is now a bright and comfortable home for young people to live in. Consequently, young people now live in a home that gives them a sense of belonging and self-worth.

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The safety of children

Young people have been helped to understand how to stay safe through the COVID- 19 pandemic. The home’s manager has put in place clear procedures to mitigate against the risks associated with COVID-19.

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The safety of children

Staff know how to safely care for young people. Risk assessments and behaviour plans are clear about the approaches staff are to use to manage and reduce negative behaviour. As a result, incidents requiring the use of physical restraints are rare.

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The safety of children

Young people do not regularly go missing. There have been instances of young people engaging in negative behaviour within the home and the local area. Where this has occurred, staff and the manager have acted appropriately to safeguard all those concerned.

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Leaders and managers

The home has a long-standing manager who is managing the home effectively. The staff team is consistent and stable. This provides a high level of continuity for young people.

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Leaders and managers

The manager has a good level of oversight into the running of the home. She has a clear understanding of the progress young people are making and is aware of the home’s strengths and areas for development. Assurance visit report: SC062074 3 The quality of the home’s records and young people’s plans has improved. However, one young person’s health plan has not been updated to give an accurate reflection of their medical history.

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Leaders and managers

The manager and staff team work well with other professionals to meet young people’s needs. External professionals are complimentary about the way young people are cared for in the home.

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Leaders and managers

Staff feel well supported and are knowledgeable about the young people they care for. Supervisions and online training have continued to develop staff’s knowledge and expertise.

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Leaders and managers

The registered manager has taken steps to meet the majority of requirements and recommendations raised at the last inspection. The home environment has improved greatly, and all maintenance issues are rectified swiftly. However, two windows on the first floor of the home do not have window restrictors. This has the potential to pose a hazard to young people.

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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—

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Requirement Due date

that staff help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1)(2)(d)) 30/09/2020

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must maintain records (“case records”) for each child which—

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Requirement Due date

include the information and documents listed in Schedule 3 in relation to each child;

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Requirement Due date

are kept up to date. (Regulation 36 (1)(b)) 30/10/2020 Assurance visit report: SC062074 4

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Children's home details

Registered provider address: 2nd Floor, Maybrook House, Queensway, Halesowen, Worcestershire B63 4AH

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Inspector

Sue Young, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC062074 5 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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