Children's home run by Keys Direct Care Limited in Southend-on-Sea

Inspection report for children’s home: SC028174 1 SC028174 Registered provider: Keys Direct Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

p.1

Information about this children’s home

This home is owned and operated by a large private provider. It is registered to provide care for up to four children with social and emotional needs.

p.1

Information about this children’s home

The manager is suitably qualified and highly experienced. They are registered with Ofsted.

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

Date of last inspection: 7 September 2021

p.1

good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

p.1

good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC028174 2

p.1

Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/09/2021 Full Good 03/03/2020 Interim Sustained effectiveness 02/07/2019 Full Good 09/10/2018 Full Requires improvement to be good Inspection report for children’s home: SC028174 3

p.2

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making good progress in all areas of their lives. They have positive, nurturing and trusting relationships with the adults in the home. They have benefited from being cared for by a consistent and stable team. Children are provided with clear, consistent and appropriate boundaries. Children are safe, happy and settled. Their outcomes have improved.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

All children have suitable education arrangements in place, and attendance and attainment have improved. One child has recently completed their exams and has secured a college placement. Children’s education plans are regularly reviewed and updated. This means children receive appropriate support to address any barriers to learning. Children’s achievements are shared and celebrated, and this has a positive impact on their well-being.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s health needs are well met and they have access to range of external professionals. As a result, children’s health has improved, and existing medical conditions are well managed. Additional support for staff and children is available through the therapy team, who provide training for staff and direct support for children.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

A range of activities in the home and community are offered and children are supported to develop hobbies and interests. One child is actively engaged with local army cadets and is considering this as a career option. Children are supported to develop independence and to spend time in the community with friendship groups. This helps children to develop social skills and friendships away from the home.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff have worked closely with families and have supported children to maintain and improve their relationships with those who are important to them. As a result, two children are moving back to live with their families, which is very positive for them.

p.3

Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s plans are clear, detailed and individual to them. However, one child’s plan from their placing authority is significantly out of date. The manager has not requested an up-to-date plan. This means that staff at the home may not be working in line with the expectations of the child’s placing authority.

p.3

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

Incidents are well managed and have significantly reduced recently. The use of physical intervention is low and is used as a last resort to keep children and others safe from harm. The manager monitors and reviews all incidents. Children and staff benefit from reflective debriefs following incidents which give opportunities for reflection and learning. Risk assessments are clear, detailed and provide staff with guidance on how to respond to and manage incidents when they occur. Staff know the children well and how best to support them. Inspection report for children’s home: SC028174 4 On one occasion, a child made an allegation during an incident. Although this was swiftly retracted once the child was calm, policies designed to protect children were not followed in full.

p.3

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

There have been few episodes of children going missing. Staff have followed risk assessments and supported children to return safely to the home. Children have positive and trusting relationships with the adults in the home. This supports them to discuss their concerns. Children are supported to look at more effective strategies of communicating their needs, to minimise risk-taking behaviour.

p.4

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

The recruitment of permanent and agency staff follows safe recruitment guidelines. The manager has ensured all relevant checks designed to prevent unsuitable people from being recruited have been carried out. This means children are cared for by staff who are judged as being safe adults. The manager has taken swift action when a staff member’s conduct did not meet the organisation’s expectations.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is dedicated and provides entirely child-focused care to the children. They provide strong and informed leadership and are well supported by other members of the management team. Children have benefited from consistent and supportive care which has helped them to feel safe and settled. As a result, children have had positive outcomes and made significant progress.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a good understanding of the home and its strengths and weaknesses. Internal and external monitoring tools are used to good effect and mean the manager has good oversight. Development plans are reflective, insightful and supportive of implementing measures to effect change.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager knows the children well and has a good understanding of their needs. They model nurturing care and have high aspirations for the children and the team. The manager works well with a range of external professionals, who are all positive about the care that children receive and the dedication of the manager and staff team. As a result, children’s needs have been well met and this has helped to improve their outcomes.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are well supported in their roles and benefit from regular supervision. The manager has undertaken a skills analysis to tailor training and development for each member of staff. Staff feel well supported by the manager and staff morale is high in the home.

p.4

The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have opportunities to engage in a wide range of training and most of the staff have a relevant qualification suitable for the role. Additional training has been provided by the therapy team to further develop knowledge and understanding of the children’s needs. Inspection report for children’s home: SC028174 5

p.4

Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that any allegation of harm or abuse is addressed in line with the home’s child protection policy. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 44, paragraph 9.17)  The registered person should ensure that all children’s records are kept up to date, including the local authority care plan. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards, page 62, paragraph 14.3)

p.5

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: SC028174 6

p.5

Children’s home details

Registered provider: Keys Direct Care Limited

p.6

Children’s home details

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

p.6

Inspector

Sarah Orriss, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC028174 7 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.6

Inspector

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.7

Inspector

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

p.7

Inspector

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

p.7