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 provides care for up to three children aged between eight and 17 years, 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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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

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

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 1 November 2021

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: Inadequate

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Enforcement action since last inspection:

At the last inspection, the home was judged inadequate. Three compliance notices were issued under regulations 11, 12 and 13. A notice restricting accommodation Inspection report children's home: SC020611 2 was also issued. At this inspection, the inspector found that the provider had taken sufficient action to meet the compliance notices issued. The notice restricting accommodation, which was issued on 3 November 2021, has been lifted. Inspection report children's home: SC020611 3

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

01/11/2021 Full Inadequate 18/09/2019 Full Good 14/08/2018 Full Good 21/02/2018 Interim Improved effectiveness Inspection report children's home: SC020611 4

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improvement to be good

Since the last inspection, the two children who were living at the home have left. At the time of this inspection, no children were living at the home.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children to have positive moves on from them home. Both children were able to say their goodbyes, and one was able to have a leaving party. Staff are putting together a video of the party, and this will be sent to the child. As a result, children will have positive memories from their time living at the home.

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improvement to be good

Children’s plans are now much more individualised and person-centred. They give clear guidance to staff about how to support children to help them to progress.

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improvement to be good

Staff are committed to supporting children to attend education. For example, staff drove a long distance each day to take a child to and from school. Consequently, the child was able to continue in a school she knew well and maintain her friendship groups.

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improvement to be good

Staff help children to explore their feelings about the home and how their relationships with their peers affect them. This helps children to resolve any worries and concerns they have.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children to visit people who are important to them, no matter the distance. This means that children are able to maintain relationships with their families.

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improvement to be good

Managers are overseeing the redecoration and refurbishment of the home. Windows have been replaced, the flooring has been replaced and cleaned, and the bedrooms have been redecorated with new furniture. The home now looks and feels much more homely and welcoming.

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improvement to be good

Managers have a better understanding of children’s risks and the strategies to use to keep them safe. For example, they put welfare checks in place when children have free time. This includes checking who they are with and where they are going. In addition, managers have carried out a risk assessment, to consider the risks from the location of the home and the actions staff must take to mitigate against these. Consequently, staff are now more informed about how to keep children safe.

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improvement to be good

Children’s risk assessments and behaviour plans are now clear and give detailed guidance to staff as to the action they would need to take to safeguard children. This helps staff to be consistent in their approach. Inspection report children's home: SC020611 5 Staff help children to understand risks and how to protect themselves. Staff have undertaken key-work sessions with children about keeping themselves safe, for example, providing sessions on internet safety and safeguarding. This included looking at who children’s ‘safe’ people are. This helps children to learn the skills they need to keep themselves safe.

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good

Managers have reflected on the shortfalls from the last inspection and considered how to improve the home. As a result, they have implemented a development plan to improve the quality of care and safety of children.

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good

Managers now support staff to explore their feelings and views about what led to the previous shortfalls in their practice. Managers have taken action to rebuild the team through training days, supervision and team-building sessions. Staff have had opportunities to reflect and give suggestions for improvements and have completed skills audits which inform their own development plans. As a result, staff feel positive about the future.

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good

Staff now have the training they need to care for children and are now better equipped to support them and keep them safe. However, some staff have not completed the level 3 diploma for residential childcare in the required timeframe.

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good

The manager challenges placing authorities to ensure that decision-making is in the best interest of children. For example, when a placing authority wanted to move a child without giving them time to visit their new placement first, the manager challenged this and insisted on a planned move. Consequently, the child was able to visit and have an overnight stay before moving. Inspection report children's home: SC020611 6

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Statutory requirement

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 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; or

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Requirement Due date

if an individual is employed by a person other than the registered person to work at the home in a position in which the individual may have regular contact with children, allow that individual to work at the 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 individual has the appropriate experience and skills for the work that the individual is to perform.

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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 31 May 2022 Inspection report children's home: SC020611 7 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 (1) (2)(a)(b) (3)(b) (4)(a)(b) (5)(a)(b) (6)(a)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to staff completing the appropriate qualification within timeframe.

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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 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: 2nd Floor, Maybrook House, Queensway, Halesowen, Worcestershire B63 4AH

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Inspectors

Debbie Bond, Social Care Inspector Lisa O’Donovan, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children's home: SC020611 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.

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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