Children's home run by Keys Nhcc Ltd

Inspection report for children’s home: 1267650 1 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 and managed by a private provider to care for up to three children who may have emotional and/or social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There are three children currently living in the home. The inspector spoke to the children during this inspection.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in January 2018.

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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 7 January 2020 to carry out an assurance visit. The re- port 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 outstanding

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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: sustained effectiveness

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 1267650 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/01/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 08/10/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/03/2019 Interim Improved effectiveness 11/07/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 1267650 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children have lived in the home for a long time and say that they feel settled and happy. Children develop trusting bonds with their caring adults and turn to the staff for guidance and support. One child said: ‘The staff are all really caring, and they help me so much. I really like them all.’ The home has benefited from renovations, including a new bathroom, and has been restocked with a range of quality furnishings. The home is well maintained and homely. The new addition of pet chickens provides the children with an opportunity to develop a sense of responsibility and empathy.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

When there has been an outbreak of COVID-19 in the home, the staff have voluntarily spent extra time with the children to ensure that they experience familiarity and consistency.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s care planning documents are updated each month and incorporate the children’s views. This helps to involve the children in their care planning arrangements. Updates include an overview of the children’s achievements, which helps to track the children’s progress. However, the language used in the children’s care planning records is sometimes stigmatising, which is not useful to the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff take the children to routine health appointments and support the children to access specialist services for more complex health needs. Staff encourage the children to engage with the organisation’s psychological services. Staff use this resource to help them to develop their practice so that they can better support the children.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children generally have good attendance at their educational provisions and make good progress. Staff share pertinent information with education professionals to help to address children’s barriers to learning. One educational professional said: ‘There is always great communication from the staff. They make us aware of any issues so that we know how best to support [name].’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff provide the children with social opportunities that are suited to the children’s unique needs. This helps the children to have positive social experiences and to make friends, which promotes their emotional well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff support the children to take part in regular charitable events. Staff help the children to understand the benefit of contributing to society while broadening the children’s understanding of the wider world.

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

Staff act swiftly when new risks emerge for the children, and the staff implement creative strategies to help to distract children from dangers such as risks in the Inspection report for children’s home: 1267650 4 community. This approach contributes to children quickly being deterred from risky behaviour, which helps the children to become increasingly safe.

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

The manager assesses the suitability of the location of the home and adds information when new risks emerge. However, the actions that the staff should take in response to the new risks are not always included. This has not negatively affected the children, but it could lead to inconsistent care.

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

There has been a reduction in the use of restraint. When children experience crisis incidents, appropriately trained staff hold the children to help to protect the children from harm. The manager oversees this practice to ensure that it is proportionate and safe.

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

Children know how to make a complaint and feel confident to do so. The manager keeps complainants updated throughout the investigation process. Children say that they are happy with how quickly their concerns are addressed.

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

Key-work sessions are used to help the children to develop their understanding of what it means to be safe. Children’s meetings incorporate quizzes on topics including staying safe online and sexual health to embed learning about safety. These opportunities provide the children with fun ways to increase their knowledge of how to keep themselves safe.

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

Staff support the children to complete educational activities and courses including first aid and fire safety. Staff help the children to build confidence to develop increased independence and to expand their independent living skills. This helps to prepare the children for adult life.

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

Sanctions are used regularly to help the children to understand that there are consequences for their actions. Generally, this promotes positive outcomes for children. However, occasionally sanctions that have been previously identified as not effective are reimposed. This reduces the possibility of these sanctions motivating children to achieve positive behaviour.

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

Recruitment follows safer-caring guidelines, which provides assurances that the adults are suitably vetted prior to caring for the children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has devised an innovative learning package to develop the staff’s understanding of contextual safeguarding. This has supported the staff to develop an excellent understanding on how to keep the children safe. The manager’s training has been used by other providers, who gave feedback that demonstrates that the manager’s practice is taken on by, and is beneficial to, others.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager develops highly effective relationships with partner agencies who provide exceptionally positive feedback regarding the manager’s approach to partnership working. Inspection report for children’s home: 1267650 5 The manager persistently challenges professionals when children do not receive the support that they require. This supports a collaborative approach, and ensures that the children’s needs are met quickly.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager personally consults the children and uses their views, wishes and feelings when reviewing and developing documents, including the development plan and children’s guide. This participation helps the children to develop a strong sense of belonging and to feel invested in their home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager nurtures the staff’s development, praising good practice and confidently challenging the staff when practice can be improved. The manager invites the staff to analyse her practice and uses this input to inform her own development. This approach helps to create an ethos of inclusivity that drives improvement and learning forward.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Staff use their regular and comprehensive supervision to share their ideas and concerns with the manager, which she acts on swiftly. The manager uses team meetings to share her vision and aspirations for the children. The manager effectively instils high expectations, so that the improvement of the care that the children receive is a continual process. Inspection report for children’s home: 1267650 6

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that staff understand the factors that affect children’s motivation to behave in a socially acceptable way. Staff should encourage an enthusiasm for positive behaviour through the use of positive behaviour strategies in line with the child’s relevant plans. This specifically relates to ensuring that sanctions identified as not effective are not repeatedly given to children. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 39, paragraph 8.13)  The registered person should ensure that staff are familiar with the home’s policies on record-keeping and understand the importance of careful, objective and clear recording. Staff should record information on individual children in a non-stigmatising way that distinguishes between fact, opinion and third-party information. Information about the child must always be recorded in a way that

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Recommendations

will be helpful to the child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 62, paragraph 14.4)  The registered person should review the appropriateness and suitability of the location and premises of the home at least once a year. The review should include the identification of any risks and opportunities presented by the home’s location and strategies for managing these. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 64, paragraph 15.1)

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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: 1267650 7

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Paula Kelly, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 1267650 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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