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Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC064050 1 SC064050

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Keys BR Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is a privately run children’s home. It provides care and accommodation for up to three children and/or young people.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager holds her level 5 Diploma and was registered with Ofsted in 2016.

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This monitoring visit

This visit was undertaken to address specific concerns and allegations received by Ofsted regarding the suitability of placing children, staffing levels at the home, the management of allegations, medication errors and staff conduct.

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This monitoring visit

Due to the restrictions in place as a result of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, a combination of on-site and off-site activity was used to gather the information required. The home was last inspected in August 2019, when it received a judgement of good.

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This monitoring visit

Admission planning for children entering the home is poor. Leaders and managers have failed to assess or consider the potential impact of the most recent child’s admission on the existing group of children. As a result, leaders and managers have failed to identify any potential risks and how these risks can be managed. This leaves all children vulnerable and at risk of harm.

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This monitoring visit

Children are not consistently cared for by suitably trained staff. At times, staff who are new to their roles have led shifts with agency staff. This has resulted in children being cared for by staff who do not fully understand their needs, risks and vulnerabilities. As a result, children have become anxious and risk-taking behaviour has increased.

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This monitoring visit

Leaders, managers and staff have demonstrated a lack of understanding in relation to their roles and responsibilities in protecting children. The staff have not taken Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC064050 2 effective action when there is a concern about a child’s welfare. Records show that allegations and other safeguarding incidents have not been reported in accordance with the home’s child protection procedures. For example, on one occasion, an allegation was not reported to the appropriate parties in a timely way. This led to a significant delay in action being taken and resulted in staff working in the home despite concerns about their practice.

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This monitoring visit

Risk assessments lack detail, and some are not in place for known risks. This means that staff do not have clear plans to follow in order to better protect the children. For example, it is not clearly recorded how often welfare checks should be completed when a child has made threats to hurt themselves. This is poor practice and could seriously compromise the child’s safety.

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This monitoring visit

Care plans for children do not provide staff or children with clarity and lack up-to- date information. This means that staff do not know the children’s plans or their long-term goals.

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This monitoring visit

The manager does not have a robust monitoring system in place. This prevents effective analysis of risk assessments, staff practice and recordings. When shortfalls have been identified, there has been a lack of action taken by the registered manager, or senior managers, to address the matter. Consequently, the leaders and managers have been unable to make improvements in areas that will reduce the likelihood of harm for children.

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This monitoring visit

Staff do not receive regular supervisions in line with the company’s policies and procedures. The lack of supervisions prevents staff from being able to discuss and learn from incidents and actions.

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This monitoring visit

Prior to one child moving in, the other child was settled and had made significant progress. Staff do know this child and his needs well despite the lack of supporting documentation.

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This monitoring visit

Due to the significant concerns raised at this inspection, a restriction of accommodation and two compliance notices have been served. This is to prevent any further children moving into the home to enable the provider to take action to rectify the issues.

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Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement 28/08/2019 Full Good 16/01/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness 01/08/2018 Full Good 23/05/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC064050 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 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

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

manage relationships between children to prevent them from harming each other;

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Requirement Due date

understand the roles and responsibilities in relation to protecting children that are assigned to them by the registered person;

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Requirement Due date

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(vi)(vii)) 14 March 2021

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and promotes their welfare. 14 March 2021 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC064050 4 In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home has sufficient staff to provide care for each child;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the home’s workforce provides continuity of care to each child;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home.

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Requirement Due date

(Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)) 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

that children are admitted to the home only if their needs are within the range of needs of children for whom it is intended that the home is to provide care and accommodation, as set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed;

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Requirement Due date

that the child’s placing authority is contacted, and a review of that child’s relevant plans is requested, if—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person considers that the child is at risk of harm or has concerns that the care provided for the child is inadequate to meet the child’s needs. 14 March 2021 Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC064050 5 (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(e)(i))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that children placed at the home are suitably matched and that staff have the skills to meet their needs. Care plans and risk assessments should show the current plans for the children with clear steps for staff to follow to support the children. The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that new staff members receive supervision in line with policies and procedures. All staff should receive full debriefs when incidents occur and be given additional support when needed.

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Requirement Due date

This is a repeated requirement. 10 April 2021

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Requirement Due date

*These requirements are subject to a compliance notice.

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Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to investigate information received which suggests that there may be a breach of regulations.

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

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Inspector

Debra Boldy, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home – monitoring visit: SC064050 6 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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Inspector

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