Children's home run by Keys Group Progressive Care & Education Limited

Inspection report for children's home: 1247776 1 Registered provider: Keys Group Progressive Care & Education Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is run by a large private children’s care provider. It is registered to care for up to three children who experience learning disabilities, particularly children with autism spectrum disorder.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 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 November 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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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

Date of last inspection: 13 January 2020

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 1247776 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

13/01/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 10/04/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/08/2018 Full Good 21/03/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children's home: 1247776 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children flourish due to the care provided by a dedicated and stable staff team. The staff are enthusiastic and are committed to support the children to develop to their full potential and to enjoy a range of new experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff use social stories and desensitisation programmes effectively to help to prepare children for new experiences. Children have enjoyed new activities such as going to the cinema, wildlife attractions and trampoline parks. Staff make good use of venues that offer sessions that are ‘autism friendly’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are prepared to attend for health appointments to help to reduce any anxieties they may experience. The staff source specialist health and other services which offer home visits, such as dentists and hairdressers, so that children are supported to tolerate procedures in a familiar environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making progress at school in line with their abilities. The staff support children’s needs in line with their education, health and care plans to promote positive progress in their lives.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Parents are very satisfied with the quality of care that the staff provide and the relationships that the staff form with the children. Parents say that they are pleased that their children are making clear progress. Parents feel that the staff support them when they visit the home or meet up for activities with their children and that the staff keep them well informed.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager responds proactively to any changes in care planning by the placing authority. For example, he immediately sought training in British sign language for key staff when this was recommended as a new communication method. The staff also use other communication methods with children who are non-verbal to encourage them to share their views. Children who do use verbal language are encouraged to broaden the range of vocabulary that they use.

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

The staff team has a good understanding of children’s needs and vulnerabilities. Suitably high numbers of staff keep children safe, both in the home and when they go out for activities. The manager carefully monitors the effect of any contingency plans put in place due to the impact of COVID-19 on staffing levels and updates all relevant stakeholders.

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

The staff are sensitive to children’s needs to ensure that children are not unduly distressed if they need to be tested for COVID-19. If a child tests positive for the virus, the staff manage any self-isolation periods for children with compassion and Inspection report for children's home: 1247776 4 careful regard to children’s levels of understanding, while minimising the risk of transmission.

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

Comprehensive risk assessment and management plans provide the staff with clear guidance on how to respond to children’s needs and behaviours. However, a risk management plan is not in place about a child’s specific known behaviour. This has not negatively affected the child’s safety or quality of care that the staff provide.

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

Documents, including when staff physically intervene to keep children safe, clearly record how the staff respond to any incidents that occur. There is robust and reflective management oversight of records. Debriefs with the staff support improvements to practice where necessary. The staff use observations and mood boards to record children’s responses and welfare following any physical intervention.

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

The staff are trained to safely administer medication to children. Appropriate permission and advice are sought when medication is administered covertly to children.

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

Any concerns regarding the practice of individual members of staff are appropriately referred to the local authority designated officer. Thorough investigations take place and action is taken as required to ensure that only suitable staff are employed to keep children safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

A suitably experienced and qualified manager leads the team. He has good understanding of the children’s needs and progress. He ensures that the staff are well supported to provide care to a high standard that promotes positive outcomes for children. The team shares the manager’s aspirations for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervisions and appraisals are conducted in line with the provider’s policy and provide an opportunity for staff to reflect on their practice. However, training needs identified in these meetings are not yet captured in the workforce development plan to record and track the professional development needs of the staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The staff access training which is relevant to children’s specific needs. They cascade their learning to colleagues in the team. In team meetings, the staff contribute ideas and reflect on their practice. This collective commitment to continuous improvement contributes to promoting positive outcomes for children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has close and effective working relationships with external stakeholders. Social workers and other professionals are positive about the quality of care that the staff team provides and say that communication about children’s progress is regular and helpful. They confirm that the team takes prompt action in response to any suggestions to improve children’s experiences. Inspection report for children's home: 1247776 5 Placing authorities are challenged to ensure that current relevant plans are sent and services are in place. However, the manager needs to further challenge and escalate, if necessary, to ensure that planning for children’s transitions does not drift.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has effective review and monitoring systems in place to oversee children’s progress and staff practice. The last report on the quality of care review exceeds the regulatory period under review and was submitted late to Ofsted.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager uses independent monitoring to drive forward practice improvements within the home; however, the submission of these reports to the regulator is sometimes delayed. Inspection report for children's home: 1247776 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, the 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 complete a review of the quality of care provided for children ("a quality of care review") at least once every 6 months.

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Requirement Due date

After completing a quality of care review, the registered person must produce a written report about the quality of care review and the actions which the registered person intends to take as a result of the quality of care review ("the quality of care review report").

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Requirement Due date

supply to HMCI a copy of the quality of care review report within 28 days of the date on which the quality of care review is completed. (Regulation 45 (1) (3) (4)(a)) 20 February 2022

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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. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(i)) 20 February 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered provider should ensure that the workforce plan is updated with the ongoing training and continuing professional development needs of staff, including the manager. (Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards, page 53, paragraph 10.8) Inspection report for children's home: 1247776 7  The registered provider should ensure that the staff continue to challenge placing authorities and escalate, when necessary, if they do not provide the input and services required to meet a child’s needs, including relevant plans. (Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards, page 12, paragraph 2.8)  The registered provider should ensure that the independent person’s report on the assessment of the home’s arrangement for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is submitted to the regulator promptly. (Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards, page 65, paragraph 15.5)

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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 for children's home: 1247776 8

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Keys Group Progressive Care & Education 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

Karen Willson, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 1247776 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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