Children's Home run by Keys Educational Services Limited in Lincolnshire

Inspection report children’s home: SC363403 1 SC363403 Registered provider: Keys Educational Services Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

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

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The home is led by an experienced registered manager.

p.1

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.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

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

p.1

good

Date of last inspection: 22 January 2020

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC363403 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

22/01/2020 Full Good 15/01/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness 01/05/2018 Full Good 09/05/2017 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report children’s home: SC363403 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children receive nurturing care from a staff team that is committed and dedicated to them. Children benefit from lots of emotional warmth and affection, which over time, they enjoy and reciprocate. There is a therapeutically informed model of care preferred by this provider, which helps children to develop strong bonds with staff. This is also particularly evident with the manager. Children often stay at this home for long periods and move successfully to independent living, where they go on to do well. This is testament to the good overall progress they make.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff strive to understand the needs of the children. Some children have not lived away from their families before and they find this move difficult. The staff help children to cope with conflicting feelings and emotions and support them through times of distress.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff are attentive to children’s health and well-being. A particular strength is their interest in holistic therapies, including yoga, writing journals and meditating. This helps children to learn about regulating their emotions.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children attend education and make progress with their learning. The manager has good boundaries regarding school attendance. Some children are not used to attending school and struggle to maintain regular attendance. There are incentives in place to encourage children to attend education. This eventually leads to improved routines in the home, and the manager and staff persist with children to overcome their difficulties. Over time, children increase their levels of attendance and make good overall progress. This sets a clear expectation and culture in the home of attending education, on time, every day and completing homework. This is good practice.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager and staff have established good routines for children to see people who are important to them. This often involves travelling long distances and staying overnight. The staff are committed to fulfilling these arrangements, which means that children maintain a sense of belonging to their families.

p.3

improvement to be good

The manager and staff understand the risks posed to children. This comes from their in-depth knowledge of the children’s histories, behaviours and presenting risk issues. They frequently discuss any risks with the children and develop strategies to manage these. However, relevant information is not recorded in risk assessments, which are not systematically reviewed and updated. This means that there is a lack of clarity about levels and types of risk. This leaves room for error and there have been shortfalls in practice. Managers have acted when shortfalls have arisen. They Inspection report children’s home: SC363403 4 recognise that improvements need to be made to minimise further incidents which could place children at increased risk of harm.

p.3

improvement to be good

The manager and staff have not ensured that the home is safe from avoidable hazards. For example, a relocated oil tank in the garden is not secured to prevent access. Additionally, an outbuilding containing items which could cause harm to children has been left unsecured.

p.4

improvement to be good

The manager and staff ensure that children do not go missing from care. This is a significant achievement as this has often been a feature of children’s lives previously. Consequently, children’s safety has increased in relation to the risk of exploitation.

p.4

improvement to be good

Staff are experienced and manage children’s behaviours well. There has been a significant reduction in incidents. The staff have not had to physically intervene to prevent incidents for a considerable period. As a result, the home is calm, and children are helped to resolve their difficulties through discussion, negotiation and compromise.

p.4

improvement to be good

The manager and staff have good links with key safeguarding agencies. They share information regularly regarding any incidents and safeguarding issues. Professionals have confidence in the manager and staff and in their ability to manage the risks to the children.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers know the children very well. The children have confidence in the manager, who is a real strength to the children. They freely approach her for hugs and affection, which she gives readily. This helps children to feel safe, settled and loved.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has established a diverse and experienced staff team. Staff report that they feel happy working at the home. They benefit from regular, professional supervision and training which keep them focused on children’s needs. Staff feel listened to and supported by the manager. This helps to maintain good levels of motivation.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has good relationships with professional agencies that are external to the home. Professionals report that communication and information-sharing by the manager and staff are good. The manager makes certain that children attend appointments with involved professionals, even at short notice. This demonstrates her commitment to multi-agency working and making certain that the children receive the help and support they need.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Leaders and managers have good insight into the strengths and weaknesses of the home. Where there are shortfalls or concerns, managers investigate thoroughly and act in an appropriate and timely manner. Lessons learned from incidents are translated into tangible action plans. This helps to prevent recurrence of incidents. Inspection report children’s home: SC363403 5 The manager has not ensured that information regarding children is being documented, such as when checks are completed on children’s mobile phones and discussions are held with the children’s therapist. There is a plan in place to improve this area of practice going forwards. Inspection report children’s home: SC363403 6

p.4

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.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

assess whether each child is at risk of harm, taking into account information in the child’s relevant plans, and, if necessary, make arrangements to reduce the risk of any harm to the child;

p.6

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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(d))

p.6

Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that children’s plans and risk assessments are regularly assessed, reviewed and updated to reflect any changes to levels and types of risk, including the logging of mobile phone checks. Additionally, that the home is kept safe and free of avoidable hazards. 1 December 2021

p.6

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—

p.6

Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

p.6

Requirement Due date

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

p.6

Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(h)) 1 December 2021 Inspection report children’s home: SC363403 7 This specifically relates to the registered person ensuring that planned improvements to the content and reviewing of risk assessments and information about children’s care are regularly monitored and address any identified shortfalls.

p.6

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: SC363403 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Keys Educational Services Limited

p.8

Children’s home details

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

p.8

Inspector

Laura Walker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC363403 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.

p.8

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.9

Inspector

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

p.9

Inspector

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

p.9