Children's home run by Keys Education Ltd in Rossendale

Inspection report for children's home: SC020594 1 SC020594 Registered provider: Keys Education Ltd Interim inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This is a privately owned children’s home registered to provide care for up to eight children. It offers a 12-week programme to children who are in crisis. The programme includes children engaging in activities, staying in temporary accommodation and camping. Ofsted does not inspect all accommodation used. However, the company is required to carry out its own risk assessments for each.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in December 2021, is suitably experienced and holds the level 5 qualification in leadership and management.

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Inspection date: 28 March 2022

Judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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Inspection date: 28 March 2022

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC020594 2

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

This home was judged requires improvement to be good at the last full inspection. At this interim inspection, Ofsted judged that it has sustained effectiveness.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Six children currently live at the home. At the time of the inspection, they were all in separate individual accommodation away from the home on activity placements. The children who have left the home since the full inspection have generally left in a planned, positive way and have gone on to make progress. The home needs to capture more evidence about how they support children during their time in the home and in planning to move on from the home. But, on the whole, outcomes for children following the crisis intervention are positive.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Children told the inspector that they like living at the home and feel safe. They enjoy the range of activities and quality time with staff. Staff talk through topics with children that are relevant to their care and safety. For example, staff discuss with the children the need to stay safe in the community. They also discuss issues such as sexual exploitation and sexual health. These discussions reiterate important messages to the children to help them understand risk and how to reduce it.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager and staff have worked hard to improve the education arrangements for children. New education planners, assigned tutors and bespoke accredited qualifications have enabled children to re-engage with some formal education. There is some further development needed to plan and capture this improved piece of work and evidence the educational outcomes for children.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The arrangements for administering medicines in the home are now safe. There is now a separate medication recording book for each child. When a child is accommodated elsewhere, there are now appropriate storage and recording systems in place. However, staff would benefit from having a clear protocol for managing each child’s medication, including any potential side effects and conflicting medications.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Relationships between staff and children continue to be strong and positive. Staff understand children’s core needs well. Risk assessments have been reviewed and include details of the actions staff will take to reduce identified risks. In addition, good partnership working ensures safeguarding matters are responded to appropriately and information is shared with relevant agencies and children’s families.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Refurbishment work is ongoing to improve the environment. Children’s bedrooms have new carpets, furniture and decoration. Living areas have been redecorated with new flooring and bathrooms have started to be replaced. There is ongoing work but there is sufficient space should eight children require it at any one time. The Inspection report for children's home: SC020594 3 environment is now a homely, welcoming place for children who often arrive in an emergency and in crisis.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager has ensured the accommodation used for children is risk assessed and safe for its intended use. In addition, the manager and deputy managers undertake unannounced spot checks to these places to assess their suitability.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

New employees are subject to an assessment of their suitability to work with children. When agency staff are used, the manager has ensured a full work history and background checks have been done. This ensures staff have the appropriate safer recruitment checks to work with vulnerable children.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Not all staff have completed mandatory training. Although there has been improvement since the last inspection, some staff have not received important training in self-harm, missing from care and fire safety. This means that not all staff have the skills and knowledge to recognise and respond to the vulnerabilities of the children in the home.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

Staff do not receive regular supervision and not all have had an annual appraisal. When supervisions do take place, they are not always reflective and of good quality. This is hindering staff development and the manager’s understanding of staff practice. It is a missed opportunity for improvements to be made in the quality of care being provided to children.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The manager uses monitoring systems to understand the quality of care provided to children. However, these are not yet effective in all areas. For example, shortfalls raised at this inspection in relation to missed supervisions have not been addressed. In addition, the system has failed to highlight the shortfall in staff training.

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children and young people since the most recent full inspection

The statement of purpose does not cover all of the aspects required under regulation. It does not include the arrangements for staff to receive supervision. Additionally, it does not contain information about the use of surveillance, specifically the use of bedroom door alarms in the home and in the temporary accommodation. This means that the full information of the purpose of the home is not available. Inspection report for children's home: SC020594 4

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/08/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 10/03/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 02/07/2019 Full Good 12/06/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children's home: SC020594 5

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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

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that helps children aspire to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the registered person should—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experiences, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child.

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home;

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Requirement Due date

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a) (2)(c)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to the registered manager ensuring that all staff complete mandatory training and child-specific training. In addition, the manager should ensure that monitoring systems are effective at improving the care provided.

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Requirement Due date

This was a requirement at the last inspection and is repeated. 8 May 2022

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must compile in relation to the children’s home a statement ("the statement of purpose") which covers the matters listed in Schedule 1. (Regulation 16 (1))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring all matters under schedule 1 are included, including the arrangements for supervision of staff and the use of monitoring and surveillance for children. 8 May 2022 Inspection report for children's home: SC020594 6 This was a requirement at the last inspection and is repeated.

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

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Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience; and have their performance and fitness to perform their roles appraised at least once every year. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring staff have appropriate supervision and appraisal. 8 May 2022

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that when children placed in the home are not participating in education because they have been excluded or are not on a school roll for some reason, the registered person and staff must work closely with the placing authority so that the child is supported and enabled to resume full-time education as soon as possible. In the interim, the child should be supported to sustain or regain confidence in education. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 28, paragraph 5.15)  Care must be taken to ensure prescribed medicines are only administered to the individual for whom they are prescribed. Medicines must be administered in line with a medically approved protocol and there should be a clear protocol for staff to follow detailing medication use, side effects and administration. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 35,

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Recommendations

paragraph 7.15)  As well as longer-term support for children to move on from the home effectively, the home has an important role in supporting each child leaving the home in the period immediately before their departure. The registered person should work with the placing authority to ensure that each child’s transition is planned and help each child to prepare for leaving, both practically and emotionally. This relates to capturing how the home advocates for children in their care and transition planning. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 57, paragraph 11.9) Inspection report for children's home: SC020594 7

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Information about this inspection

This inspection focused on the effectiveness of the home and the progress and experiences of children and young people since the most recent full inspection.

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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: SC020594 8

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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: Agata Dokszewicz

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Inspectors

James Tallis, Social Care Inspector Sophie Hills, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC020594 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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