Children's Home run by Keys Care Limited in Buckinghamshire

Assurance visit report: SC421063 1 SC421063

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a large private organisation. The organisation is one of a group of six that comprises a project commissioned by four local authorities to provide a residential service for children and young people within their local area.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The statement of purpose specifies that the home specialises in caring for up to four children who have a variety of complex needs. Children living in the home may attend a school also run by the provider, and have access to in-house therapeutic support.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

Previous inspection judgement: Requires improvement to be good

p.1

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).

p.1

Information about this visit

At these visits, inspectors evaluate the extent to which:

p.1

Information about this visit

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

p.1

Information about this visit

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

p.1

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. Assurance visit report: SC421063 2

p.1

Findings from the visit

We did not identify any serious or widespread concerns in relation to the care or protection of children at this assurance visit.

p.2

The care of children

The staff see value in promoting the children’s relationships outside of the home. For example, they organised a socially distanced bike ride for a child, so that the child could see their brother during the COVID-19 restrictions. The staff spoke fondly of the children’s relationship and the importance of finding a safe way through the measures, so the children could spend quality time together.

p.2

The care of children

Staff place a strong emphasis on the children’s learning. The staff actively encourage the children to discuss their day at school or college, and there is a clear understanding from the children that the teachers and the staff communicate with one another. This cohesion provides the children with a consistent approach to their learning. One child is now attending school frequently; this is a huge achievement from their starting point.

p.2

The care of children

The children benefit from individualised care. The secure relationships that the children have formed with trusted adults have helped the children to feel safe and cared for. The staff recognise and praise the children for their achievements and support their journey of independence at a pace that is right for them.

p.2

The care of children

Staff provide appropriate help and guidance for the children to think about, and take responsibility for, their own health needs, with a focus on healthy eating and exercise. Creative alternatives during the lockdown period, when access to local clubs and groups for sports was restricted, included the children using their energy to dig the garden as part of a bigger project. However, one child’s medical health needs have not been sufficiently monitored, following an action that was required from a previous medical. The registered manager has not chased to ensure that a follow-up GP appointment was made. This inaction has delayed possible diagnosis and treatment for the child.

p.2

The safety of children

The staff have sensitively supported the children to understand the threat of COVID- 19 and to apply the essential safety measures to protect themselves and others from infection. One child spoke to the inspector about the rules of wearing a mask at college, and both children listened to the staff when they explained how and why this differs in the home.

p.2

The safety of children

The staff act quickly and responsibly to address the children’s risk-taking behaviours. Initial and honest discussions with the children are held and recorded well by the staff, with clear actions and outcomes. The staff support the children to access Assurance visit report: SC421063 3 specialist help and services, while acting as the appropriate adult. This nurturing approach recognises the positive relationships central to both the learning and the well-being of the children.

p.2

The safety of children

The risks to children are usually identified and detailed well in individual risk assessments. There are clear proactive and reactive strategies for the staff to follow to support the children. The registered manager was able to show how the staff manage e-safety effectively with one child, however, the child’s risk assessment did not cover all aspects of this good practice.

p.3

Leaders and managers

The new registered manager has had a positive impact on the home. The staff say he has a hands-on approach and pays attention to the things that are the most important to the children, such as being at the home on the children’s birthdays when he should be on a day off. A neighbour described the registered manager as: ‘A breath of fresh air, and good with the children.’

p.3

Leaders and managers

The registered manager has been busy booking the relevant and necessary training for the staff to attend since COVID-19 restrictions have eased. The staff training is largely provided by the Keys Group Ltd, however, the registered manager has outsourced training through different local authorities to maximise training opportunities. One example of staff not receiving training, that was identified as a need from a child’s plan, was noted by the inspector. Once highlighted, the registered manager took swift action to source this.

p.3

Leaders and managers

The registered manager has completed an up-to-date regulation 45 monitoring report. This has heavy emphasis on the children, their education, their home and their futures. It captures the project for the garden, and these plans are already under way, with the help from the children. More widely, however, it is not clear how the children’s views have been used to inform this garden project, or other developments in the home. It is also not clear which previous actions have been achieved. Consequently, the intended impact of securing continuous improvement through regulation 45 monitoring is not yet fully embedded.

p.3

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.

p.3

Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that— the health and well-being needs of children are met; 30/10/2020 Assurance visit report: SC421063 4 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.3

Requirement Due date

that each child has access to such dental, medical, nursing, psychiatric and psychological advice, treatment and other services as the child may require.

p.4

Recommendations

 The registered person is responsible for deciding what each (regulation 45) review should focus on, based on the specific circumstances of the home at that particular time and any areas of high risk to the children that the home is designed to care for, such as missing or exploitation. They will also consider what information or data recorded in the home will form part of the evidence base for their analysis and conclusions. There is no expectation that the registered person will review the home against every part of the Quality Standards every six months – registered persons should use their professional judgement to decide which factors to focus on. The review should enable the registered person to identify areas of strength and possible weakness in the home’s care, which will be captured in the written report. The report should clearly identify any actions required for the next 6 months of delivery within the home and how those actions

p.4

Recommendations

will be addressed. The whole review process and the resulting report should be used as a tool for continuous improvement in the home. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations including the quality standards’, page 65, paragraph 15.4)

p.4

Children’s home details

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

p.4

Inspector

Kelly Monniot, Social Care Inspector Assurance visit report: SC421063 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.

p.4

Inspector

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.5

Inspector

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.5

Inspector

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.5

Inspector

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

p.5