Children's Home run by Keys Care Limited in Lincolnshire

Inspection report children's home: SC370899 1 SC370899 Registered provider: Keys Care Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to three young people (males) with a variety of complex needs, including behavioural, emotional and social needs and who require specialist support.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in 2008 .

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19 (coronavirus), at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers on 17 March 2020.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 12 February 2020

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Outstanding

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: None Inspection report children's home: SC370899 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

12/02/2020 Full Outstanding 18/12/2018 Full Outstanding 08/11/2017 Full Good 17/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children's home: SC370899 3

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improvement to be good

This inspection was brought forward to address specific concerns or allegations received by Ofsted. The inspector was aware during this inspection that serious concerns about staff conduct were being investigated by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate concerns of this kind, actions taken by the setting in response to the concerns were considered alongside other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform the inspector’s judgements.

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improvement to be good

Evidence available at the time of this inspection demonstrates that children have positive experiences and make progress in this home. However, the home requires improvement because a staff member has taken a child on an activity late at night, without good reason. Senior staff could not give a clear account of why it was in the child’s best interests to be out of the home at this time or what the purpose of the activity was.

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improvement to be good

Children have made strong progress in their education. For example, one child who had previously refused to go to school now has 100% attendance. He has become far more settled and now understands the importance of education.

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improvement to be good

Children report that they have supportive relationships with staff, especially the manager. Staff spend time with children, and there are some positive and nurturing interactions.

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improvement to be good

Children are supported to develop independent-living skills. Staff devise independence programmes that enable children to learn the skills that they will need to live in the community. As a result, children become more confident in their own abilities. One social worker said, `The child now has aspirations that he didn’t previously have.’

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improvement to be good

The home’s safeguarding processes are generally suitable. However, the safety of a child has been compromised because, in an isolated incident, a member of staff failed to set and enforce appropriate boundaries. As a result, a child was allowed to be away from the home with the member of staff late at night, without a clear justification.

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, there has been a relatively high turnover of staff. However, a strong core team has remained. This helps children to feel safe.

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improvement to be good

Staff and managers have recognised children’s vulnerabilities associated with drug use. Staff and managers are working closely and effectively with specialist professionals to ensure that children have access to the support that they require. Inspection report children's home: SC370899 4 Children say that they feel safe and this is echoed by their social workers. Staff have a good understanding of children’s complex safety needs. Thorough risk assessments are in place, providing guidance for staff in managing the risk- presenting behaviour children display.

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improvement to be good

Physical interventions have had to be used on occasion to ensure the safety of the children. These have taken place in line with approved methods and are only used as a last resort. Following any incidents, the manager and staff talk to the children to identify strategies to avoid future incidents.

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improvement to be good

The manager, when recruiting new staff, follows safer recruitment protocols. He completes a comprehensive range of background checks to ensure that prospective employees are suitable.

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good

Managers and senior staff have not ensured that age-appropriate boundaries are understood and consistently enforced by staff. As a result, there has been an isolated incident in which a child’s safety was compromised.

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good

Management oversight and quality assurance systems require improvement. An incident report that did not contain all required information within the main body of the report had been signed off by the manager.

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good

The registered manager has led this home since January 2008. He is experienced and committed, and is ambitious for the children. This vision is shared by the staff team.

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good

The staff team is now far more stable and there is good morale in the team. The manager has recruited to vacancies and staff report that they feel supported in their roles. Staff value the manager and know that they can turn to him for help and advice. Staff who are new to residential childcare benefit from observing the practice of more experienced colleagues.

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good

Staff receive monthly individual supervision. Staff say that supervision is informative and helpful. Safeguarding is the central focus of supervision. This ensures that each member of staff can confidently manage safeguarding concerns. Following a recent incident, staff reported their concerns promptly and appropriately, allowing safeguarding agencies to take quick action.

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good

The registered manager supports staff well, particularly when they face challenging situations. He understands the impact on staff of managing challenging behaviour, ensuring thorough debriefs take place. This provides staff with the time and space they need to reflect on their practice. Inspection report children's home: SC370899 5

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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 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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(2)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to management monitoring systems. 28 June 2021

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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 the home’s day-to-day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This is with specific reference to ensuring that children’s activities are age appropriate and suitable. 28 June 2021

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the ‘Social care common inspection framework’. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of Inspection report children's home: SC370899 6 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: SC370899 7

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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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Inspector

Zoey Lee, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: SC370899 8 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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