Children's home run by Keys KIN Ltd in Adur

Inspection report children’s home: 1226266 1 Registered provider: Keys KIN Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is privately owned by a national organisation. It provides care for up to six children with social and/or emotional difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

There are five children currently living in this home.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered since 2016.

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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: 1226266 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

08/06/2021 Full Good 03/12/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 21/08/2019 Full Good 02/08/2018 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1226266 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The children are provided with exceptional standards of individualised care. Staff ensure that children are given choices and know that their wishes are valued. One child commented, ‘I love it here. It’s the best home I could have ever dreamt of living in, it does not feel like a care home and staff love us.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children continue to make excellent progress. Children who previously struggled with their self-esteem and to communicate with others now confidently share their daily experiences with peers and staff. During the inspection, the children showed off their beautiful home and informed the inspector how they were pleased with the progress they have made since being at the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Most children attend and engage in education well. When children struggle to attend education, staff and managers source private tuition to ensure that children receive continuity in their learning. Children are supported to apply for and attend college interviews and apprenticeship courses. As a result, they enjoy their education and understand the importance of academic studies for their future.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff ensure that children are given opportunities to voice their views and contribute to decisions made in the home. Staff, managers and children have created a friendly, warm and inclusive culture that allows everyone to express themselves in exceptionally creative ways. Children are encouraged to communicate through the use of games, discussions during pamper sessions, one-to-one discussions and house meetings. One child said, ‘Staff listen to me when I’m sad or angry and help me feel better.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy a wide range of experiences. Staff encourage children to plan and participate in enjoyable activities in the home and in the community. These include water sports, bowling, theme parks, family friendly discos at local clubs, go-karting, attending the local gym and travelling to other countries on holidays. These activities support children to meet and make new friends, keep positively stimulated and stay physically fit.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are supported to develop independence skills which are appropriate for their age and capabilities. They are guided by excellent independence plans to complete tasks such as cooking, travelling independently using public transport, budgeting, doing their own shopping and self-managing medication. Therefore, children gain essential adult life skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Some parts of the home are clean and well decorated. Most of the decoration is not only individually personalised and child centred but also illustrates children’s characters, beliefs and backgrounds. One child has a rabbit and a hamster, which are kept in clean cages in her bedroom. The other child has a Gothic-themed bedroom, which strongly represents her personal identity. However, some bedrooms Inspection report children’s home: 1226266 4 are not kept clean and tidy as there are items scattered all over the floors and on beds. One child’s bedroom does not have curtains. It has bare walls and some of the furniture is disorganised. This detracts from the otherwise homely and nurturing feel of the home.

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

Children are kept safe through guidance from clear assessment plans and a team of staff who make them aware of risks and how to reduce them. Staff ensure that high-risk incidents from inappropriate mobile phone and internet use are discussed with children with support from the local police liaison officer. One child demonstrated the use of privacy settings on her mobile phone to the inspector and said, ‘I do not talk or add strangers on my [names of social networking platforms] anymore because this can expose me to nasty people.’

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

Staff have good knowledge and understanding of the processes to follow when reporting concerns regarding the safety of children. Leaders and managers ensure that all concerns are promptly shared with the designated officer for safeguarding, children’s social workers and other relevant individuals. Shortfalls are addressed, lessons are learned, and risks are reduced or eliminated.

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

Children do not go missing from home. Children who historically went missing from previous placements no longer go missing. They access the community independently and return home safely. Clear protocols are in place to provide guidance to staff if children do go missing.

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

Children benefit from the secure and consistent relationships they have with staff. This allows them to openly discuss their emotions and feelings. When children present self-injuring behaviours, staff work alongside the organisation’s therapy team and specialist from the child and adolescent mental health services to explore effective measures of support. Staff respond in a nurturing and companionate manner while securing the environment for the children during unsettled periods. Incidents are clearly recorded. However, on occasions, these lack managers’ consistent oversight.

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

Leaders and the manager carry out the recruitment processes. However, on occasions, safer recruitment is not always adhered to. For example, some applicants’ identity documents are not signed off to confirm that original copies have been seen.

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

Some interviews have not been graded and do not indicate how decisions of suitability to recruit staff where made. The electronic system used does not make staff recruitment files easily accessible to the managers. Therefore, stringent measures are not taken to ensure that suitable people work with children. Inspection report children’s home: 1226266 5

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager was absent at the time of the inspection. Therefore, this process was led by a knowledgeable and insightful deputy manager.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The home is a led by a committed leadership team. The manager and leaders have a clear and child-focused vision to ensure that children experience a high standard of care. This ensures that they have exceptionally positive experiences and outcomes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Clear monitoring processes are used by leaders and the manager to track and review children’s progress. These range from daily discussions with children regarding their achievements, to monthly managers’ reviews that are shared with social workers, parents, schools, colleges and therapeutic teams. This ensures that everyone is actively involved in the progress made by children.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff and managers receive regular and effective supervision and appraisals. This enables staff to reflect on their well-being, practice and care provided to children. One member of staff said, ‘One of the main reasons for why I feel confident in my role is due to the management team. I regularly ask for support from the managers, and I’m given advice without being judged.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are well supported. They receive mandatory training and complete other training in line with children’s current needs. This helps staff to respond to children in a consistent and up-to-date manner.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager and staff promote equality, diversity and identity effectively. For example, one child, who identifies as nonbinary, is respectively addressed as ‘they’ or ‘them’ by everyone in the home. Occasions such as birthdays and events that promote LGBTQ+ are celebrated with themed dressing-up parties in line with children’s and staff’s cultural and individual preferences. Inspection report children’s home: 1226266 6

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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 quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who—

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Requirement Due date

understand the children’s home’s overall aims and the outcomes it seeks to achieve for children;

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Requirement Due date

use this understanding to deliver care that meets children’s needs and supports them to fulfil their potential.

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to—

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Requirement Due date

ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to—

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Requirement Due date

enable each child to participate in the daily life of the home. (Regulation 6 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c)(i)(ii) 30 November

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Recommendations

 The registered person should ensure that records of restraint are kept which enable the registered person and staff to review the use of control, discipline and restraint to identify effective practice and respond promptly where any issues or trends of concern emerge. The review should provide the opportunity for amending practice to ensure that it meets the needs of each child. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 49, paragraph 9.59)  The registered person should ensure that good employment practice is maintained, as set out in regulations 31 to 33. They must ensure that recruitment of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1) Inspection report children’s home: 1226266 7

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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: 1226266 8

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Children’s home details

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

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Children’s home details

Responsible individual: Michelle Callard

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Inspector

Alphie Khumalo, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1226266 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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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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