Children's Home run by Keys Group Progressive Care & Education Limited in Southampton

Inspection report children’s home: SC389174 1 SC389174 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 provides care for up to seven children with learning and/or physical disabilities. It is run by a private organisation that operates other registered children’s homes in the area.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since September 2013.

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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 3 February 2021 to carry out a monitoring 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

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report children’s home: SC389174 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/01/2020 Full Good 25/09/2018 Full Good 14/11/2017 Full Outstanding 08/02/2017 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: SC389174 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children in this home receive nurturing and individualised care and support. Relationships between the staff and children are kind and playful. One parent said that the staff do an amazing job and that they love her son. Consequently, the children experience a sense of security and well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There has been a recent increase in staff absences because of staff testing positive for COVID-19. This has led to staffing pressures, particularly over the Christmas period. However, the commitment of the remaining staff in covering extra shifts has ensured that the effect on the children has been minimal. This is a testament to the commitment that the staff have to the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that the children have regular access to the community. Children benefit from participation in a broad range of activities. Staff carefully plan activities that they know the children will enjoy, alongside creating opportunities for the children to try new activities. The stimulating environment created by the staff supports the children to develop their social, creative and physical skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Attuned staff anticipate and respond to the children’s needs well. Staff encourage the children to work towards achievable goals as part of their daily routine. This helps to provide the children with the building blocks to grow and develop.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff work proactively with the children’s families. They support the children to spend time with their family and other people who are important to them, such as previous carers. One child was taken on holiday and supported by the staff to spend time with his grandmother. Actions such as this assist the children to nurture and strengthen important relationships.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There have been some delays during the COVID-19 pandemic in the children accessing non-urgent health services, such as physiotherapy and community nursing. While this has been rectified, it has resulted in delays for some of the children. For example, one child has not been able to use his new walker frame because of the lack of access to bespoke training from a physiotherapist. Consequently, his opportunities to develop his mobility have been hindered.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Considering the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, delays in accessing some health services have been managed well by the registered manager. She is a strong advocate in promoting the children’s health needs and escalates concerns when necessary to ensure that children have access to the services they need.

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

There is strong safeguarding culture in the home. The staff know what to do if they are worried about a child and have a good understanding of their responsibilities to Inspection report children’s home: SC389174 4 protect the children. Safeguarding scenarios are explored at each team meeting. This helps to keep the staff alert to recognising and responding to risks that may occur.

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

Staff respond to the children’s needs and wishes with understanding and empathy. The children’s plans and assessments are child centred, detailed and of high quality. Care planning sets out the children’s likes, dislikes, strengths and vulnerabilities. As a result, when the children become distressed or frustrated, the staff are confident to draw on agreed strategies to keep them safe and to reassure them.

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

Children are relaxed with the staff and seek out comfort. Staff offer the children choices and encourage them to share their views. The staff encourage the children to use their individual communication aids. However, the environment in the home is not rich in the full range of the different communication models available, such as photos, symbols and signing. This would further enhance the children’s communication.

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

Children are encouraged by the staff to develop independent living skills as part of their daily routine. However, there are some inconsistencies between some of the children’s plans and staff’s practice. For one child, who has a longstanding oral aversion to food, the staff have not been consistently offering food tastes as set out in his daily care plan. Consequently, this has the potential to hinder his oral skills and development around eating.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager holds high expectations for the children and the staff. Managers lead by example in promoting a welcoming, respectful and inclusive culture at the home. This helps children to feel at home and to feel valued. As a result, the children are encouraged to develop a positive self-identity.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager and the responsible individual know the strengths and weaknesses of the home and they are effective at motivating the staff to address any shortfalls. This is enhanced by the visible management team. Consequently, high standards are achieved, and the children benefit from living in a well-run, well- organised home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Partnership working with the children’s families and professionals is a particular strength of the management at the home. The registered manager ensures that regular discussions take place to establish the amount of involvement each family would like and what things they would like to be told about. This helps to foster collaborative and positive working relationships with the children’s families.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff receive a range of mandatory and child-specific training to ensure that they are equipped with the right skills to meet the needs of the children. However, some agency workers’ profiles show out-of-date training records. This means that the registered manager cannot be confident that the agency workers hold the appropriate knowledge and skills required for their role. Inspection report children’s home: SC389174 5 The registered manager has prioritised and improved the home’s systems for the handling, recording and safe administration of medication. Actions include implementing a separate medication office and new accredited medication arrangements. The management oversight of the medication procedures is robust, and mistakes due to human error have been reduced. As such, the previous requirement relating to medication errors has been met. Inspection report children’s home: SC389174 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that all staff, including agency staff, can access appropriate facilities and resources to support their training needs and to respond to the health needs of the children. Staff’s skills in safeguarding should be refreshed. This includes keeping an up-to-date record of agency staff’s training. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 53, paragraph 10.11)  The registered person should ensure that the home provides a communication- rich environment for children. Communication aids, such as symbols, photos, equipment and/or any necessary language support, should be readily available to ensure that each child is provided with support (appropriate to their age and understanding) to communicate their views, wishes and feelings and participate as fully as possible in all aspects of their care planning and daily care. (‘Guide to

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Recommendations

the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 22, paragraph 4.6)  The registered person should ensure that staff practice takes account of the health objectives as specified in the children’s education, health and care plans and in-house care planning. (‘Guide to the children’s homes regulations, including the quality standards’, page 33, paragraph 7.6)

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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: SC389174 7

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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: Maybrook House, Queensway, Halesowen, Worcestershire B63 4AH

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Michelle Callard

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Inspector

Anne-Marie Davies, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: SC389174 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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