Children's home run by Keys Educational Services Limited in Rossendale

Inspection report children's home: SC363384 1 SC363384 Registered provider: Keys Educational Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is privately owned. It is registered to provide care for up to four children with emotional, behavioural and/or social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There is a permanent manager in post. She is not yet registered with Ofsted.

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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: 27 November 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: SC363384 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

27/11/2019 Full Good 08/01/2019 Full Good 10/01/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness 19/09/2017 Full Good Inspection report children's home: SC363384 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive good care and support from an experienced staff team that knows them well. Children have strong relationships with the manager and staff. They enjoy spending time with staff and there is mutual emotional warmth. Children enjoy a range of activities, including regular time with their families and friends. Children are making progress in many areas of their lives, due to the consistency of care they receive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff and managers have an in-depth knowledge of each child’s needs. Children have detailed care plans. These plans are adapted carefully when children’s needs and risks change. Managers and staff work closely with children, as well as the professionals who support them, to ensure that children’s plans develop in line with their abilities. As a result, children feel valued and they are settled.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Managers and staff support children to attend routine health appointments. They also access specialist support when needed. When applications to services have been declined, the manager and staff advocate for children and pursue access to resources. As a result, children’s health needs are well met.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff ensure children attend education. The staff are gently persistent with children when they are struggling with their lessons. The staff work creatively with children and education providers to find an approach that works. Consequently, children aspire for the future and what they can achieve.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s views are listened to by the manager and staff. Weekly house meetings take place where children raise any issues they feel are important. Staff complete key-work sessions with children. These focus on important topics, which help children to make good progress across all areas of their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children moving into and out of the home receive the help they need to make this important transition. One child is currently preparing to move on to living independently. She has received good support with the practical and emotional aspects of independent living to lessen the impact of this change. Consequently, the child is looking forward to the move and she can make plans for her future.

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

Staff and managers understand the risks and vulnerabilities of children. Risk assessments are detailed and reviewed regularly. When there are incidents, staff and managers handle them carefully. They work closely as a management team and draw on their experience to keep children safe.

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

Children have trusting relationships with staff and managers. Staff help children to make sense of how their experiences have affected them. Staff support children well Inspection report children's home: SC363384 4 when they are feeling distressed and work through difficult situations sensitively. This helps children to feel valued, understood and cared for.

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

The home has good links with the wider safeguarding agencies. Staff and managers share information appropriately with relevant services. Professionals say that the home communicates transparently regarding concerns about children. This ensures that all agencies can monitor any safeguarding issues and act quickly to keep children safe.

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

Staff and managers ensure that children are safe online. They undertake regular checks of mobile phones and computer equipment. Children tell staff when they have any concerns, for example, if they are asked for an inappropriate image. Regular work is undertaken regarding sexual exploitation. Consequently, any concerns are identified, acted upon and reported immediately.

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

Managers and staff have not ensured that the home is safe from all avoidable hazards. At the inspection, the children’s bedrooms were in a poor state of cleanliness. The managers understand the importance of rectifying this.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

There is a strong management team. Managers show real commitment to the children by developing personalised approaches to their care. Consequently, children make good progress and have clear plans for their futures.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Managers and leaders have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the home. There is good oversight of incidents. Where there is poor practice, the manager scrutinises shortfalls and identifies lessons to be learned. There is now an action plan for identifying improvements to the home, specifically, approaches to safeguarding. This has helped to strengthen practice throughout the team.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff enjoy their jobs. They benefit from reflective supervision and regular training opportunities. Managers instil confidence in staff. As a result, there is a stable and established staff team and children experience the consistent care that goes with this. The use of agency staff is kept to a minimum. This prevents unfamiliar adults from caring for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has developed strong relationships with external professionals. She is proactive about requesting and attending meetings. The manager challenges effectively when she believes that children’s needs are not being met. Professionals have confidence in the manager and her leadership of the home. Inspection report children's home: SC363384 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 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 premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health.

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the manager ensuring that all the children’s bedrooms and en suite bathrooms are clean and free of any rubbish or hazards. 27 August 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 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: SC363384 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Keys Educational Services Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Maybrook House, Queensway, Halesowen, Worcestershire B63 4AH

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Inspector

Laura Walker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: SC363384 7 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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