Children's Home run by Keys Care Limited in Buckinghamshire

Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2543427 1

p.1

Keys Care Limited

Monitoring visit Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

A limited company owns this home. Its statement of purpose specifies that it provides care and accommodation for up to four children who may experience social and/or emotional difficulties.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home and the manager registered with Ofsted in April 2020.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Ofsted received a safeguarding notification that raised concerns about the provider’s understanding of making notifications. Also, the content did not reassure Ofsted that appropriate management action had been taken in response to the incident. Ofsted requested a provider-led investigation (PLI) and the report for this was promptly received. The PLI report lacked sufficient detail and did not convince Ofsted that the safeguarding matter had been thoroughly investigated. Neither was it clear about any further actions, either taken or planned, by the provider to demonstrate learning and improved practice. The purpose of this visit was to assess the quality of the internal investigation and to consider if there were any wider concerns about the provider’s safeguarding practice.

p.1

This monitoring visit

This visit has identified significant shortfalls with regards to the provider’s conduct of an internal investigation. The investigating officer (IO), appointed by the provider, failed to interview key people and to consider pertinent records. The assessment of this process by the responsible individual (RI) and the PLI report provided to Ofsted failed to identify these shortfalls, leaving potential risks for the children’s safety not fully considered. This means that other agencies may lack confidence in the provider’s ability to conduct internal investigations to the required standard.

p.1

This monitoring visit

While the necessary investigations were taking place, managers did not communicate effectively with the staff or follow due processes to keep everyone Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2543427 2 safe. This meant that a member of staff was unclear about contact with potential witnesses to the incident and returned to work before the IO had conducted any fact finding.

p.1

This monitoring visit

Managers have not ensured that safeguarding concerns are referred promptly to the designated officer (DO) in the local authority. Neither the IO nor the RI were able to provide an explanation for this delay. Senior leaders have not followed a recommendation by the DO about practice concerns.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Throughout this example, senior leaders have not placed children at the centre of practice. The children have not been told the outcome of the complaint about staff practice, and necessary restorative work has not been completed between the children and the staff. Supervision, counselling and further training have not been provided to help the staff to work through any residual difficult feelings that they might have. This is a missed opportunity to support the staff effectively and in turn, develop and improve their practice for the benefit of the children.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Although the investigation report included recommendations and actions, there were no timescales or deadlines for completing these. Senior leaders had not considered what the criteria would be to demonstrate success. In addition, the control measures documented in risk assessments for staff returning to work have not been followed.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Senior leaders demonstrate a poor understanding of their safeguarding roles and responsibilities. This is not helped by only generic reference to ‘child protection’ in their respective job descriptions. Through discussions with the inspector, their statements included, ‘I find it hard to believe about [name of staff]’ and ‘I am sure it was playful and not aggressive.’ This fails to demonstrate their ability to consider safeguarding incidents with curiosity and rigour.

p.2

This monitoring visit

Gaps in safe recruitment practice were identified, such as the process to determine the physical and mental fitness of staff at the application stage. Recruitment information does not include proof of staff qualifications where this might be necessary. In other aspects of staff qualifications, the equivalence of the registered manager’s qualification to the level 5 diploma has not been evaluated following the registration process.

p.2

This monitoring visit

In conclusion, the shortfalls identified in the management of an incident and its subsequent investigation raise further concerns about the skills and knowledge of senior leadership. Eight requirements are made as a result of the findings.

p.2

Recent inspection history

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement Not previously inspected Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2543427 3

p.2

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 protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

p.3

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure—

p.3

Requirement Due date

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

p.3

Requirement Due date

are familiar with, and act in accordance with, the home’s child protection policies. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(v)(vii)) 30 June 2021

p.3

Requirement Due date

The registered person must recruit staff using recruitment procedures that are designed to ensure children’s safety.

p.3

Requirement Due date

the individual has the appropriate experience, qualification and skills for the work that the individual is to perform;

p.3

Requirement Due date

the individual is mentally and physically fit for the purposes of the work that the individual is to perform; and

p.3

Requirement Due date

full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (3)(b)(c)(d)) 30 June 2021

p.3

Requirement Due date

If the registered provider is an organisation, the organisation must ensure that the responsible individual undertakes such continuing professional development as is necessary to ensure that the responsible individual has the skills needed for supervising the management of the home. (Regulation 29 (2)) 30 June 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2543427 4 The registered person must—

p.3

Requirement Due date

provide each employee with a job description outlining the employee’s responsibilities.

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must operate a disciplinary procedure which, in particular—

p.4

Requirement Due date

provides for the suspension from work of an employee if necessary in the interests of the safety or welfare of children. (Regulation 33 (1)(c) (2)(a)) 30 June 2021

p.4

Requirement Due date

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

p.4

Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

p.4

Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

p.4

Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to ensure that staff—

p.4

Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

p.4

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. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(viii)(ix)) 30 June 2021

p.4

Requirement Due date

The registered person must prepare and implement a policy which—

p.4

Requirement Due date

sets out the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect.

p.4

Requirement Due date

The procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation of abuse or neglect must, in particular—

p.4

Requirement Due date

provide for the prompt referral of an allegation about current or ongoing abuse or neglect in relation to a child to the placing authority and, if different, the local authority in whose area the home is located. (Regulation 34 (1)(b) (2)(b)) 30 June 2021 Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2543427 5 For the purposes of paragraph (1)(b)(i), a person has the appropriate experience and qualification if the person has—

p.4

Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered provider considers to be equivalent to the Level 5 Diploma. (Regulation 28 (2)(c)(ii)) 30 June 2021

p.5

Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

p.5

Requirement Due date

there is an allegation of abuse against the home or a person working there. (Regulation 40 (4)(c)) 30 June 2021

p.5

Information about this inspection

The purpose of this visit was to monitor the action taken and the progress made by the children’s home since its last Ofsted inspection.

p.5

Information about this inspection

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

p.5

Children’s home details

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

p.5

Inspector

Keith Riley, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home - monitoring visit: 2543427 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.

p.5

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 . 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.6

Inspector

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

p.6

Inspector

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

p.6