Children's home run by Keys Nhcc Ltd in Rossendale

Inspection report children’s home: SC020606 1 SC020606 Registered provider: Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is owned by a private company. It provides care for three children aged seven to 17 years who have experienced adverse childhood experiences that have led to associated trauma and complex behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager was registered with Ofsted in February 2019 and is suitably qualified.

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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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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 11 December 2019

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC020606 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

11/12/2019 Full Good 20/11/2018 Full Good 18/12/2017 Full Outstanding 09/02/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report children’s home: SC020606 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are three children living at the home; one who has lived there for six years and the other two for over a year. All are settled and are making good progress.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are cared for by a consistent staff team who are very child focused. Staff have formed positive relationships with the children, and they know the children well. Children say they feel part of the Oakside family and that it is their home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff understand the importance of education. When the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions meant that children could not attend school, staff helped children continue with their studies online. As a result, children are achieving good grades at school and are aspirational about their future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff research social activities, and they encourage children to participate in social activities even when children are reluctant to do so. Children attend cadets, pony club, go canoeing and take part in house activities and trips to the countryside. Consequently, children gain confidence to try out new things and enrich their social experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have been creative in getting children to participate in children’s meetings. These now include topics which cover a variety of subjects, such as identity, mental health and the benefits of physical exercise. These meetings are informative and inclusive with quizzes, discussions and videos. Children are also encouraged to research topics, and they give their own presentations. One child was very proud to show the inspector his presentation on recycling which included a video from David Attenborough on plastic waste in the oceans. This approach supports children to explore important issues and to express their views.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, staff have made sure children have not missed out on celebrations. Children have had birthday parties with personalised cakes and all the staff attended. At Christmas, children helped choose trees and decorations. Consequently, children feel valued by those caring for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff are committed to supporting children to become independent. They encourage participation in day-to-day household tasks and are progressing children through tailored independence plans. This includes supporting one child to find and to maintain part-time employment and allowing him freedoms appropriate for his age, such as independent travel. This support means that children are well prepared for the next steps in their lives. Inspection report children’s home: SC020606 4

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff know the children well and use this knowledge to develop rigorous risk management plans. These plans provide clear guidance to staff. However, when staff assessed the ability of one child to self-administer their medication, staff failed to update his risk assessment. This omission could have resulted in staff not being clear if he was safe to self-administer his medication or not, and not knowing the action they need to take.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff’s knowledge of children, the quality of training that staff have undertaken, and the consistency of care mean that there are few incidents at the home. The need to use physical intervention is rare, and children do not go missing from the home.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Children at risk of bullying from others, because of their difference and their vulnerability, are supported by staff to reduce those risks. Consequently, children feel more confident in themselves and will challenge others’ discriminatory behaviour.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Children know how to raise concerns. When concerns have been raised, managers have taken prompt action to ensure that children are kept safe and that children’s concerns are responded to. This means children feel listened to and are safeguarded.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff have made sure children who are using the internet are safe. There are safeguards on the home’s WI-FI and on the apps on children’s mobile phones. Staff give instruction, advice and guidance on keeping safe online through key-work sessions, watching videos and exploring children’s knowledge through workbooks. As a result, children are knowledgeable about the risks, know who to talk to if they are worried and are much safer online.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff are aware of their responsibility to the health and safety of children; however, the inspector noted a staff member was plugging the outside splash pool’s electric pump into an extension lead. This is not safe. Managers took prompt action when told by the inspector and removed the risk.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff recruited to the home have undergone safer recruitment checks. This means staff working at the home are suitable to work with children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is managed by an experienced registered manager who is suitably qualified. During a period of maternity leave, the home was managed by the deputy manager who was registered by Ofsted. This change in management did not have any adverse effect on the care provided to the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers at this home are child focused. They have been inspirational, have led by example and have high expectations of themselves and of the staff team. The Inspection report children’s home: SC020606 5 managers are aspirational about the care given to the children, and children are achieving their full potential. As a result, managers make continuous effort to ensure that children receive good-quality care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers provide frequent supervision to staff, which staff say is supportive and reflective. Managers have encouraged staff to undertake their own research, and this includes one staff member doing a presentation on team building. This has resulted in staff working much more consistently so that children know what to expect and feel secure.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has undertaken her own research into the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children’s mental health which she plans to present to the staff team. The manager feels this insight will help staff to better understand how children have been affected and how staff can better support children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers have built positive relationships with families and with professionals. Parents are complementary about the care given. Children’s professionals say managers and staff take on board their advice and their training, which has improved the care given to the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children are actively involved in all aspects of their care. To obtain children’s views, managers use a variety of methods, such as questionnaires, day-to-day discussions, children’s meetings and listening when children have not been happy about something. In response to children’s feedback, managers have made changes to the décor of the home, purchased additional items for the home and helped a child access advocacy service. As a result, children feel valued and respected. Inspection report children’s home: SC020606 6

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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 health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met.

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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

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans.

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, that when assessments are undertaken to allow a child to self-administer medication, documents, such as the risk assessment and guidance documents, are updated. 30 July 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.

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Requirement Due date

Specifically, that staff understand the risks associated with using extension leads, and when they should and should not use them. 21 July 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC020606 7

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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 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: SC020606 8

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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

Debbie Bond, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC020606 9 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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