Children's home run by Keys Specialist Residential Children‟s Services Ltd

Inspection report for children's home: 1277552 1 Registered provider: Keys Specialist Residential Children’s Services Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

This home is registered to provide care for up to two children with emotional and social difficulties as a result of past trauma and who may have mild learning difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The home is led by a qualified registered manager who has been in post since September 2018.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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requires improvement to be good

How well children and young people are helped and protected requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

The children’s home is not yet delivering good help and care for children and young people. However, there are no serious or widespread failures that result in their welfare not being safeguarded or promoted.

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requires improvement to be good

Date of last inspection: 26 October 2021

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requires improvement to be good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 1277552 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

26/10/2021 Full Good 28/01/2020 Full Good 04/12/2018 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: 1277552 3

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improvement to be good

At the time of the inspection, one child was living in the home. One child had recently moved out, and this was in line with their care plan. Both children have lived at the home for over two years.

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improvement to be good

The home is generally clean and tidy in most areas. However, other areas in the home do not create a nurturing environment, such as reception rooms and the communal bathroom. This does not help the children to invest in their home and feel valued. The responsible individual is working hard to address these issues and plans to complete this imminently.

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improvement to be good

Children’s educational progress varies significantly. For example, one child was well supported and made good progress with their learning. However, another child’s progress at school has deteriorated. Although staff support them to engage by attending classes with them, the child’s attendance still remains low. Staff shared concerns with the manager around the suitability of this school. The registered manager recognised that this is unacceptable and has taken some steps to address it. However, she has not gone far enough to challenge effectively the child’s placing authority and local education authority to bring about change. As a result, the child remains in a school that cannot meet their needs.

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improvement to be good

Children do not receive effectively planned care as managers do not have their most up-to-date plans from the local authority. Managers fail to effectively escalate requests to the local authority for the children’s most up-to-date plans. This disorganised approach to the care planning arrangements for children has contributed to the children’s needs not being fully understood by staff and managers.

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improvement to be good

Staff support children to register with local health services. One child requires glasses but chooses not to wear them. It is not clear what staff have done to encourage the child to wear their glasses. Managers could not provide the inspector with the healthcare plan for one child. As a result, it is unclear if managers and staff are supporting the child’s assessed health needs.

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improvement to be good

Children’s overall and day-to-day experience of living in the home is positive. Managers and staff work in partnership with the placing authority, children, their families and specialist agencies. These relationships enable staff to provide personalised care that supports and reflects children’s complex needs. Social workers are positive about the progress of children.

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improvement to be good

The child told the inspector that they feel safe and could identify a trusted adult. This means that children do have someone they can talk to if they have any worries. Inspection report for children's home: 1277552 4

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improvement to be good

Staff have not helped to develop children’s understanding of allegations, the dangers of missing from home and the risk of exploitation in the community. Consequently, children are not given the skills, knowledge and insight to keep themselves safe.

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improvement to be good

Staff have not responded swiftly to reports of bullying. For example, one child has kicked another child’s bedroom door on several occasions. The managers have not addressed these concerns. Because no action was taken, children feel that staff do not take their concerns seriously and respond appropriately.

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improvement to be good

Staff receive training in safeguarding and child protection. Staff are aware of whistle-blowing procedures and reflect on safeguarding practice in team meetings. However, managers have yet to provide staff with specific training to further develop their skills in areas such as allegations and missing from home, despite these being known current risks. This is a missed opportunity to raise staff awareness about these areas of vulnerability.

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improvement to be good

Staff ensure that the home environment is safe for children to live in. A range of health and safety checks are completed to assess whether there are any hazards which could pose risks to children. However, the manager has also missed an opportunity to further strengthen the safety of the environment by completing an annual review of the location risk assessment.

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improvement to be good

The manager liaises appropriately with the designated officer, sharing with them all incidents involving concerns about staff practice or allegations. This ensures that there is independent oversight to keep children safe.

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improvement to be good

Children have gone missing from home. Staff have followed the missing-from-care protocols. This includes staff making every effort to locate the children. Staff talk to children when they return home and make sure they are okay. These conversations help staff to understand the reasons why a child might choose to go missing. Staff actions reassure children that staff care about them and want them to be safe.

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good

The manager registered in September 2018. She was absent during the inspection. The manager is supported by a responsible individual, who is a consistent presence in the home. Managers show limited awareness of the shortfalls identified in this inspection. However, managers do acknowledge that the organisation of monitoring systems in the home is a weakness.

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good

The deputy manager has been covering in the manager’s absence. This has helped to maintain good staff morale. Staff are positive about the support they have received during this period. Inspection report for children's home: 1277552 5 Some staff do not have the necessary skills to care for vulnerable children with complex needs. For example, the manager has not updated her training in safeguarding, fire safety, and health and safety. Staff have not received training specific to children’s needs, nor have they had training in the therapeutic model as described in the statement of purpose.

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good

There are gaps in respect of the manager’s overall monitoring and review systems. This does not support the manager to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. As a result, managers cannot be certain that children are receiving good-quality care. Inspection report for children's home: 1277552 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; and

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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))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring the home’s maintenance work is completed. 18 December

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Requirement Due date

The education standard is that children make measurable progress towards achieving their educational potential and are helped to do so.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

help each child to achieve the child’s education and training targets, as recorded in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand the importance and value of education, learning, training and employment; 1 January 2023 Inspection report for children's home: 1277552 7 help a child who is excluded from school, or who is of compulsory school age but not attending school, to access educational and training support throughout the period of exclusion or non-attendance and to return to school as soon as possible; and

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Requirement Due date

help each child to attend education or training in accordance with the expectations in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 8 (1) (2)(a)(i)(iv)(viii)(x))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring all children have an educational provision, are supported to attend it and have up-to-date education plans.

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Requirement Due date

The health and well-being standard is that—

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Requirement Due date

the health and well-being needs of children are met; and

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Requirement Due date

children receive advice, services and support in relation to their health and well-being.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

achieve the health and well-being outcomes that are recorded in the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 10 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This specially relates to ensuring that children’s health needs are met and that staff receive training around children’s diagnosis. 1 January 2023

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Requirement Due date

The positive relationships standard is that children are helped to develop, and to benefit from, relationships based on—

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Requirement Due date

an understanding about acceptable behaviour; and

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Requirement Due date

positive responses to other children and adults.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

that staff— 1 January 2023 Inspection report for children's home: 1277552 8 meet each child’s behavioural and emotional needs, as set out in the child’s relevant plans;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop socially aware behaviour;

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Requirement Due date

encourage each child to take responsibility for the child’s behaviour, in accordance with the child’s age and understanding;

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Requirement Due date

help each child to develop and practise skills to resolve conflicts positively and without harm to anyone; and

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Requirement Due date

communicate to each child expectations about the child’s behaviour and ensure that the child understands those expectations in accordance with the child’s age and understanding. (Regulation 11 (1)(a)(b)(c) (2)(a)(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring children are fully supported when bullying incidents occur.

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Requirement Due date

The protection of children standard is that children are protected from harm and enabled to keep themselves safe.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

help each child to understand how to keep safe. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(ii))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring children receive support to help keep them safe in respect of exploitation, missing from home and allegations. 1 January 2023

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to— 1 January 2023 Inspection report for children's home: 1277552 9 lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a))

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Requirement Due date

This specially relates to ensuring that managers work consistently in line with what is recorded in their statement of purpose.

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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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 staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring staff receive training within timescales and receive training specific to children’s needs. 1 January 2023

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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—

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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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

use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home;

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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; and 1 January 2023 Inspection report for children's home: 1277552 10 use monitoring and review systems to make continuous improvements in the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to managers having the correct auditing tools to highlight strengths and developmental needs.

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Requirement Due date

The care planning standard is that children—

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Requirement Due date

receive effectively planned care in or through the children’s home.

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Requirement Due date

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

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Requirement Due date

that each child’s relevant plans are followed. (Regulation 14 (1)(a)(b) (2)(c))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring that children’s local authority documents are available in line with schedule 3. 1 January 2023

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Requirement Due date

The registered person must review the appropriateness and suitability of the location of the premises used for the purposes of the children’s home at least once in each calendar year taking into account the requirement in regulation 12(2)(c) (the protection of children standard).

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Requirement Due date

When conducting the review, the registered person must consult, and take into account the views of, each relevant person. (Regulation 46 (1)(2))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring an annual review of the premises is completed to include consultation with relevant people and children. 1 January 2023

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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: 1277552 11

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Keys Specialist Residential Children’s Services Ltd

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Marianne Grandfield, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 1277552 12 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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