Children's Home run by Keys Care Limited in Buckinghamshire

Inspection report for children’s home: 2543427 1 Registered provider: Keys Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is one of a group of homes that make up the Cross Regional Project, which has been set up between Keys Group and four local authorities: Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes. The home cares for up to four children who may experience social and/or emotional difficulties.

p.1

Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

p.1

good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

p.1

good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

p.1

good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: 2543427 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/08/2021 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: 2543427 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, the number of children living in the home has increased and, as a result, is now at full capacity. Detailed assessments and plans are used effectively by the staff to help the children to live together as a group. This reflects the information in the home’s statement of purpose.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a warm and nurturing environment. Children have strong relationships with the staff and the manager. Children spoken with during the inspection spoke positively about the staff and about how proud they are of their home. As a result, they are happy and settled.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff’s approach to care is used effectively. Children are spoken to sensitively and offered reassurance and are encouraged to lead fulfilling lives. This approach is led by the registered manager and effectively supported by the organisation’s therapist. This helps staff to understand the children’s past experiences, and this has led to better outcomes for children.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are encouraged to express themselves and to personalise their bedrooms. Staff embrace their talents and proudly display their artwork throughout the house. As a result, children have a strong sense of identity and are supported to develop their self-esteem.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children learn to become independent from the moment they move in. Staff promote their involvement in cooking meals and in sharing household chores.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff place children’s education as a high priority. All children are supported to attend school and/or college regularly. As a result, all children are achieving academic success.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children benefit from a full and active life. Staff are both responsive and spontaneous in planning activities. They respond well to the children’s emerging needs, including organising exciting days out and holidays. Staff are very good at capturing these moments in photos and journals. This provides children with many positive memories.

p.3

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

All concerns are dealt with appropriately. For example, allegations against staff are promptly referred to the designated officer for the local authority. When required, investigations are carried out and all the appropriate action is taken. This helps to keep children safe. Inspection report for children’s home: 2543427 4 Staff ensure that risk assessments and behaviour support plans are in place for every child. Staff help children to learn to self-manage risks. For example, children have been given access to educational material on online safety. This has resulted in children gaining a greater understanding about how to stay safe when online.

p.3

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

Staff have access to specialist advice. Regular meetings with the organisation’s therapist are used to review and update children’s plans. The focus of these meetings is to help children to develop their identity, self-esteem, self-confidence, emotional health and overall well-being. This approach helps staff to understand the children’s past experiences and to meet their identified needs.

p.4

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

Children benefit from a consistent approach to care. They know and understand the rules and boundaries of the home. Staff use incentives and rewards creatively. As a result, children are learning to negotiate and take responsibility for their own actions.

p.4

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

The registered manager reviews staff practice and looks for patterns and trends to establish whether the response of staff to children’s behaviour remains effective. Consequently, physical restraint is rarely required.

p.4

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

The registered manager takes complaints seriously and ensures that all children’s concerns are fully investigated, and that the outcome is shared with the child. Different stages of the management of complaints are recorded. However, there is no overall audit trail of the action taken or the outcome. This is a missed opportunity for the registered manager to review and track complaints.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is experienced and knowledgeable, and is currently working towards the level 5 diploma in leadership and management for residential childcare.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager takes a child-centred approach and is a good role model for the staff. She is a visible leader and very active in the day-to-day management of the home. She has high aspirations for all the children and is a strong advocate for them. Because of this, children are achieving their agreed outcomes.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Since the last inspection, there has been a high turnover of staff. The current team is early on in its development. The registered manager recognises this and has a clear plan in place to continue the positive progress they are making.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager is passionate about the quality of care given to the children. There is a wide range of systems in place to monitor and help to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the home. This includes the reports from the independent visitor, external health and safety audit and an internal quality audit. These processes help the registered manager to produce a high-quality review of the home. Inspection report for children’s home: 2543427 5 Leaders and managers have created a learning culture in the home. Staff have access to a wide range of training, which is used effectively to inform their practice. Managers recognise and celebrate good practice, and poor performance is addressed quickly. The staff are given the opportunity to reflect on their practice. However, formal supervision does not always happen as frequently as it should. Records of these meetings are brief and lack detail.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Inspection report for children’s home: 2543427 6

p.6

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.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that all employees—

p.6

Requirement Due date

receive practice-related supervision by a person with appropriate experience. (Regulation 33 (4)(b)) 26 August 2022

p.6

Requirement Due date

Subject to paragraph (6), the registered person must establish a procedure for considering complaints made by or on behalf of children.

p.6

Requirement Due date

The registered person must ensure that a record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response, and the outcome of any investigation. (Regulation 39 (3)) 26 August 2022

p.6

Recommendations

 The registered person must have systems in place so that all staff, including the manager, receive supervision of their practice from an appropriately qualified and experienced professional, which allows them to reflect on their practice and the needs of the children assigned to their care. Professionally qualified staff employed by the home, e.g. teachers or social workers, should be provided with relevant professional or clinical supervision by an appropriately qualified and experienced professional. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.2)  The registered person should ensure that there is a record of supervision kept for staff, including the manager. The record should provide evidence that supervision is being delivered in line with regulation 33(4)(b). (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.3)

p.6

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that for purposes of good practice note of the content and/or outcomes of supervision sessions are kept. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.4)

p.6

Information about this inspection

Inspection report for children’s home: 2543427 7 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: 2543427 8

p.7

Children’s home details

Registered provider address: c/o Pinsent Masons LLP, The Soloist Building, 1 Lanyon Place, Belfast, Northern Ireland BT1 3LP

p.8

Inspectors

Amanda Harvey, Social Care Inspector Mark Dawkins, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: 2543427 9 regulates and inspects 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.

p.8

Inspectors

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspectors

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspectors

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.9