Children's home run by Keir Lock Children’s Homes Ltd

Inspection report children's home: 2602813 1 Registered provider: Keir Lock Children’s Homes Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home registered on 14 December 2020 and is operated by a private provider. Care is provided for up to three children with emotional and/or behavioural difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The registered manager is appropriately qualified and has a wealth of experience.

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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: not applicable

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children's home: 2602813 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

Not previously inspected Inspection report children's home: 2602813 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have positive experiences and make happy memories as a result of living at the home. Their birthdays are hugely celebrated in the home. This has sentimental value that they will remember for the rest of their lives. One child said, ‘I’ve never celebrated my birthday until I moved here.’ Children live in a home where they are cared for and nurtured. This enables the children to flourish in an environment where they have positive role models.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children have trusting relationships with staff. They speak openly to staff about their worries and feelings. This helps children to regulate their emotions and gives staff a better understanding of what the child is experiencing. Consequently, children can explore their emotions freely with the adults around them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that children take part in a wide range of activities. Children enjoy weekends away at the seaside and going to spas. Staff encourage children to learn new skills, such as ice skating and swimming. Children continuously develop their self-esteem through the positive experiences they receive.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health and mental well-being are supported. Routine appointments are up to date. Children eat a balanced diet and are generally fit and well. Staff are efficient with their responses to children’s mental health. Additional sessions are sought with the child’s therapist when needed. This results in children becoming responsive to therapy, which enables them to cope better with their emotions.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making progress in education and have aspirations for their future. Children who struggle with their education receive additional support from a tutor. This reinforces the importance of education to the children. One child said, ‘If it wasn’t for these lot (staff), I would have dropped out of school.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff help to prepare children for moving on from the home by encouraging them to carry out independent tasks, such as cleaning, cooking and understanding how to budget. Consequently, children are learning new skills to prepare them for when they leave the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Family time is promoted by staff. Family members are welcome to visit the home, and food and activities are provided. Staff are dedicated to supporting children during their family time. This enables children to have meaningful time with the people they love.

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

Risk assessments are individualised to the child’s needs. They are regularly reviewed and updated by the deputy manager and staff. All staff are aware of any changes Inspection report children's home: 2602813 4 that are made to the risk assessments. This enables staff to understand the level of risk presented by the child.

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

Staff act efficiently and in line with safety plans when dealing with self-injurious behaviour. This ensures that staff meet the child’s immediate needs, and that the child receives appropriate care and attention. This has resulted in a reduction in the level of self-harm. One child said, ‘I know they care about me here. I’ve never had a home like this before.’

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

Missing-from-care episodes receive a multi-agency response. As a result of concerns around a child’s safety when missing from care, their placement has ended. This was because of concerning links the child had in the area. The social worker said, ‘I cannot fault them, they did everything they could to save the placement. The entire team went above and beyond.’

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

Effective de-escalation techniques are used in line with children’s support plans. Children respond well to verbal de-escalation. This results in children receiving a consistent approach from staff and, subsequently, they respond well to boundaries. As a result, physical intervention has not been used with the children currently living at the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and deputy manager have a wealth of experience. They share their knowledge with the dedicated staff team and lead by example, which results in a nurturing approach. The high standard of care that is delivered to the children encourages them to build their self-esteem. This enables them to become self-aware.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

On some occasions, the registered manager has failed to notify Ofsted of serious incidents, such as children going missing from the home for long periods. Although he ensured that there was a multi-agency response to the episode, the failure to notify Ofsted of a safeguarding concern is a breech in regulation.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are supported to reflect on their practice in a group and on an individual basis. This is enhanced through regular supervision and team meetings. This ensures that staff are continuously learning about new approaches to children’s behaviour and increases their opportunity to share practice. All staff spoken to say that they feel supported by the manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

One placing authority has not been forthcoming in providing up-to-date statutory plans for the child, who is fast approaching 18. This has been followed up by the deputy manager at the home. Unfortunately, they have been unsuccessful in receiving the plan in a timely manner. Although this is not impacting on the child’s overall development, staff at the home do not have up-to-date plans to work with.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Through effective internal and external monitoring, the registered manager is aware of the home’s strengths and weaknesses. The registered manager and deputy Inspection report children's home: 2602813 5 manager have full oversight of the children’s one-to-one work with staff, and any incidents that have occurred. This enables them to monitor progress and identify areas of support that the children need. Inspection report children's home: 2602813 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

if the registered person considers, or staff consider, a placing authority’s or a relevant person’s performance or response to be inadequate in relation to their role, challenge the placing authority or the relevant person to seek to ensure that each child’s needs are met in accordance with the child’s relevant plans (Regulation 5 (c))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the child’s placement plan and pathway plan should be in place to prepare the child for adult living. 5 December 2021

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must notify HMCI and each other relevant person without delay if—

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Requirement Due date

there is any other incident relating to a child which the registered person considers to be serious. (Regulation 40 (4)(e)) 5 December 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: 2602813 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Keir Lock Children’s Homes Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Thompsons Yard, New Street, Ossett, West Yorkshire WF5 8BH

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Inspector

Gemma McDonnell, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: 2602813 8 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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