Children's home run by Keys Direct Care Limited in Southend-on-Sea

Inspection report children's home: SC430587 1 SC430587 Registered provider: Keys Direct Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is operated by a large private provider. It is registered to provide care for up to four children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager has recently resigned. A new manager has been appointed.

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Information about this children’s home

Due to COVID-19, at the request of the Secretary of State, we suspended all routine inspections of social care providers carried out under the social care common inspection framework (SCCIF) on 17 March 2020. We returned to routine SCCIF inspections on 12 April 2021.

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: Outstanding

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: None Inspection report children's home: SC430587 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/10/2019 Full Outstanding 19/06/2018 Full Outstanding 14/02/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 23/05/2017 Full Good Inspection report children's home: SC430587 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are happy and feel safe. They say that they feel well cared for and like the staff. External professionals are very positive about the home and recognise the clear progress made by children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have education in place that is tailored to their individual needs. The home works closely with schools to ensure that children receive consistent support. Children’s attendance and attainment is good.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have opportunities to participate in a range of activities in the home and community. Some children belong to local clubs. This helps children to develop social skills and enables them to feel part of their community. Children also contribute to their community. For example, they recently participated in a sponsored walk to raise money for a charity.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to remain in touch with people who are important to them. This helps children to remain connected to their families and home communities. Two children have recently left the home as part of well-planned, successful transitions into foster care and independent living.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Audits of medication systems have not identified that some tablets could not be accounted for. Because accurate records are not always maintained, there is a risk that medication administration errors might occur.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home is clean, warm and welcoming. It is a nurturing environment for children. Children’s rooms are personalised to their own taste and they have been consulted about the home’s decoration. Photos of the children engaged in a range of activities are displayed around the home, giving it a homely feel.

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

Behaviour management strategies are effective. Incidents have recently started to reduce in frequency and intensity following a challenging period. Staff have received additional training that helps them to support and protect children who display potentially damaging behaviour.

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

Staff understand the children’s risk assessments and behaviour support plans. They work in line with these to manage behaviour. However, on occasion, staff have not promptly recorded incidents involving physical restraint. Recording delays have the potential to hinder safeguarding systems.

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

Children trust and value the staff. Children can all identify adults who they would confide in if they had any concerns or were at risk of harm. When concerns have been raised, children have been listened to and felt well supported. Inspection report children's home: SC430587 4 Safer recruitment processes for permanent staff are good. However, when agency staff are used, managers have not ensured that the same standard of vetting has been carried out by the agency. Information provided by the agency does not always confirm that robust pre-employment checks have been carried out.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and deputy manager have both recently resigned. However, they have supported the induction of a new manager and ensured a smooth transition.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Additional management support was provided by the senior leaders in order to address some weaknesses in quality assurance systems. Since then, management systems have operated effectively and promoted good-quality care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive regular supervision and appraisals. As a result, they feel well supported. Most staff have the necessary qualification for working with children. Any new staff who are not yet qualified are quickly enrolled on the appropriate courses. All staff have completed essential training in key areas such as safeguarding. They have also received additional training from the therapy team to further develop their understanding of children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Children’s care plans and risk assessments are well written and regularly updated. The manager has had good oversight of these. The manager has advocated strongly for children and worked creatively with other professionals to give good support to children who have left the home. Inspection report children's home: SC430587 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 registered person must make arrangements for the handling, recording, safekeeping, safe administration and disposal of medicines received into the children’s home. (Regulation 23 (1))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to keeping a record of medication removed from the home. 1 January 2022

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

employ an individual to work at the children’s home—

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Requirement Due date

if the individual satisfies the requirements in paragraph (3).

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Requirement Due date

The requirements are that— full and satisfactory information is available in relation to the individual in respect of each of the matters in Schedule 2. (Regulation 32 (1) (2)(a) (3)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, this relates to safer recruitment checks for agency staff prior to and on arrival at the home. 1 January 2022

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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: SC430587 6

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Keys Direct Care Limited

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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

Sarah Orriss, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: SC430587 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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