Children's Home run by Keys Nhcc Ltd in Shropshire

Inspection report children's home: SC020611 1 SC020611 Registered provider: Keys NHCC Limited 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 is registered for up to three children aged between eight and 17, who have experienced adverse childhood experiences that have led to associated trauma and presenting complex behaviours.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager is suitably qualified and registered with Ofsted in March 2021.

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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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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this setting on 03 December 2020 to carry out an assurance visit. The report is published on the Ofsted website.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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inadequate

How well children and young people are helped and protected inadequate

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inadequate

The effectiveness of leaders and managers inadequate

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inadequate

There are serious and/or widespread failures that mean children and young people are not protected or their welfare is not promoted or safeguarded and/or the care and experiences of children and young people are poor and they are not making progress.

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inadequate

Date of last inspection: 18 September 2019

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inadequate

Overall judgement at last inspection: good Inspection report children's home: SC020611 2 Enforcement action since last inspection: none

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/09/2019 Full Good 14/08/2018 Full Good 21/02/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness 06/06/2017 Full Good Inspection report children's home: SC020611 3

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inadequate

Not all children at this home are making progress.

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inadequate

Staff have created plans to support children’s development and behaviours. However, for one child, staff have not been consistent in implementing those plans. Staff have been inconsistent in their response to the child’s behaviours and have not always put in place boundaries. As a result, staff have not supported the child to learn from their behaviour and make more positive choices.

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inadequate

Staff have tried to build positive relationships with children living at the home. However, this has not been successful for one child, and the strategies used by staff to engage the child have failed. Staff have not been persistent in their approach or regularly reviewed their strategies to encourage the child to respond to their support. Instead, staff have allowed the child to use intimidation and threats to get their wishes met. As a result, staff have failed to support the child to progress in their behaviour and social development.

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inadequate

Staff help children to attend education, including paying for a child to attend an alternative education provision over the summer. One child enjoys school and has 100% attendance. She is doing well in school and making progress. However, another child is more reluctant to attend. The registered manager has not put in place plans which provide sufficient guidance to staff on how to manage the child’s refusal to attend school or how staff should support the child’s learning while they continue to refuse to attend education. As a result, the child’s progress is impaired.

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inadequate

Staff ask children to give them ideas about activities they can participate in. One child rarely engages or participates in activities with others at the home, preferring his own company. The other child has taken up horse riding and begun attending cadets.

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inadequate

Staff have helped children to maintain and build positive relationships with their families. Staff make sure children are taken to visit family and friends. Staff have also worked with one child’s family so that the child could go on a family holiday. This would not have been possible without staff remaining in the area for the duration of the holiday. Staff encourage children to keep in touch with family via technology in between visits and when face-to-face visits are not possible due to COVID-19. Consequently, children have maintained links with those who are important to them and continued to feel part of their family.

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

The registered manager has given notice to a child’s placing authority as he no longer feels that the home can safeguard this child. The placing authority is Inspection report children's home: SC020611 4 currently in the process of finding another placement. Although the manager has acknowledged that the child requires safeguarding, the child’s risk assessment does not consider all the risks associated with the child and there is no clear plan to reduce the risk of harm. For example, the child often visits a den which has been built on a farmer’s field near the home. This is close to a railway line and public footpath. There is no monitoring by staff when he is in the den to ensure that he is safe. Risk assessments have not considered the risks posed by the railway line or people who may visit the den. As a result, the child is at risk of significant harm from others and the railway line.

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

One child is known to smoke cannabis and there is no clear plan to support the child to reduce their cannabis use. The registered manager is unable to establish where the child obtains cannabis. Staff do not always know the child’s whereabouts and he is able to leave the home without staff knowing. The child has sold belongings and received money from their parent, but staff are unaware of how the child has spent this money. Furthermore, there are no plans in place as to how staff can reduce opportunities for the child to obtain drugs. Consequently, one child continues to smoke cannabis with the continued risks to his health and well-being.

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

The registered manager had allowed one child’s bedroom to deteriorate to such a point that it was not fit for purpose. Only when highlighted by the inspector did the registered manager take action to improve the child’s living conditions. This has not helped the child to feel cared for and valued.

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

Strategies to support one child with their behaviour have been ineffective. The registered manager has not ensured that staff are consistent in their approach and that staff follow plans in place to manage this child’s behaviours and keep them safe. Consequently, one child remains at significant risk to himself and others.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Leaders and managers have failed to ensure that staff provide consistent, safe care to one child. As a result, this child is at significant risk of harm. The registered manager has identified that the home is not the right place for this child and has served notice to the child’s placing authority. However, leaders and managers have failed to take sufficient action to safeguard the child while a suitable placement is found. As a result, the child remains unsafe and is not making progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

In contrast, the manager has ensured that the other child in placement is suitably and safely cared for. The manager and staff have taken the necessary action to ensure that the child receives the support they need to make good progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Training has been undertaken with staff, which has been mostly online due to COVID-19. Plans are in place to do face-to-face training, which will be of benefit to the staff team. However, managers have not made sure that all staff have completed the relevant qualification in timescale or undertaken training in bullying, complaints or substance misuse. These shortfalls mean staff do not have all the skills needed to care for children living at the home. Inspection report children's home: SC020611 5 Managers have undertaken staff supervision in line with company policy, which gives staff an opportunity to reflect on their practice. However, staff say morale is low, which is hindering their ability to give consistent care to children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

In response to the widespread concerns identified at this inspection, Ofsted issued a notice restricting the accommodation on 04 November 2021.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

Following this inspection, three compliance notices were issued under regulation 11 (the positive relationships standard), regulation 12 (the protection of children standard) and regulation 13 (the leadership and management standard). Inspection report children's home: SC020611 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 education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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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

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment;

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Requirement Due date

promote opportunities for each child to learn informally. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(iv)(v))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that there are plans in place that inform staff on how to encourage children to attend education. In addition, that plans guide staff on how they will help children with informal learning on the days children refuse to attend. 12 December

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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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

meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans; 12 December Inspection report children's home: SC020611 7 help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone;

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand, in a way that is appropriate according to the child’s age and understanding, personal, sexual and social relationships, and how those relationships can be supportive or harmful;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop the understanding and skills to recognise or withdraw from a damaging, exploitative or harmful relationship;

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Requirement Due date

strive to gain each child’s respect and trust;

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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;

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Requirement Due date

are provided with supervision and support to enable them to understand and manage their own feelings and responses to the behaviour and emotions of children, and to help children to do the same;

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Requirement Due date

de-escalate confrontations with or between children, or potentially violent behaviour by children;

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Requirement Due date

understand and communicate to children that bullying is unacceptable; and

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to recognise incidents or indications of bullying and how to deal with them; and

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Requirement Due date

that each child is encouraged to build and maintain positive relationships with others. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)(xi)(xii)(xiii)(b)) Inspection report children's home: SC020611 8 In particular, the registered manager must ensure that staff form positive, trusting relationships with children which supports their development in learning acceptable behaviours and in managing their own behaviours.

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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

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;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe;

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

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

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(v)(d))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that children’s risks are fully assessed and plans are in place to reduce those risks. Also, that children’s bedrooms are kept clean and maintained to an acceptable standard. 12 December

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 12 December Inspection report children's home: SC020611 9 ensure that staff work as a team where appropriate;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must monitor staff to ensure that that they work as a team. Also, managers must ensure that all staff receive training in substance misuse, complaints and bullying.

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Requirement Due date

For the purposes of paragraph (3)(b), an individual who works in the home in a care role has the appropriate qualification if, by the relevant date, the individual has attained—

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Requirement Due date

the Level 3 Diploma for Residential Childcare (England) (“the Level 3 Diploma”); or

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Requirement Due date

a qualification which the registered person considers to be equivalent to the Level 3 Diploma.

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who starts working in a care role in a home after 1st April 2014, the date which falls 2 years after the date on which the individual started working in a care role in a home; or

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Requirement Due date

in the case of an individual who was working in a care role in a home on 1st April 2014, 1st April 2016.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person may defer the relevant date if the individual—

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Requirement Due date

does not work, or has not worked, in a care role in a home for a prolonged period; or

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Requirement Due date

works, or has worked, in a care role in a home on a part- time basis. (Regulation 32 (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b) (6)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered manager must ensure that staff complete the appropriate qualification within the specified time frame. 12 December

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Requirement Due date

* These requirements are subject to a compliance notice. Inspection report children's home: SC020611 10

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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: SC020611 11

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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: SC020611 12 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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