Children's home run by Keys Child Care Limited in Rossendale

Inspection report children’s home: 1224093 1 Registered provider: Keys BR 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 and provides care for up to four children who have complex needs and require specialist support.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager registered with Ofsted in June 2021.

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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: 1224093 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/08/2021 Full Good 17/06/2019 Full Requires improvement to be good 14/02/2019 Interim Declined in effectiveness 25/06/2018 Full Good Inspection report children’s home: 1224093 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Since the last inspection, one child has moved out of the home and two children have moved in. Three children were living at the home at the time of this inspection. They are making good progress at this nurturing and happy home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children make significant progress in their education. One child attends college and two children attend school full time. All achieve high attendance levels. Staff enjoy celebrating the children’s achievements and regularly award them with certificates, which are displayed in the home. Alongside this, the children have positivity books which record their successes. Staff encourage children to be ambitious for their future and acknowledge every achievement made.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Health needs are prioritised. The managers and staff work exceptionally well with health professionals to ensure that each child’s needs are supported. Staff receive specific training to meet children’s individual needs. Significant improvements have been made in speech and language and hygiene. This has resulted in the children’s social skills and confidence greatly increasing.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children enjoy various activities, including swimming, bowling, football and trips out to the cinema and animal farms. Staff capture these moments through taking photos. This means that children have these special moments to keep as part of their life story. Staff encourage the children to have hobbies. One of the children is a talented gamer. He regularly attends a gaming club and has developed useful teamwork skills in this area.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage children to develop skills such as doing laundry, keeping their bedrooms clean and tidy and learning how to cook. One child now travels to college independently. The manager is imaginative in her ideas of how to further increase valuable life skills for children. During the summer, the manager arranged for the oldest child to gain work experience by encouraging him to do voluntary work in a local cafe. The child’s social worker said, ‘It is just marvellous what has been achieved. He is able to travel on his own and even worked over the summertime. The staff really care and are completely child focused.’

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children’s moves in and out of the home are exceptionally well planned. The manager visited the two children before they moved in and used social stories with involved professionals to help the children to understand the plans and prepare for the move. The child who moved on to semi-independent living was supported by staff for six weeks after moving. The child’s social worker said, ‘It was the best transition that I have ever been involved in. The managers and staff were very creative in how they supported her.’ Inspection report children’s home: 1224093 4

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

Staff have successfully developed good, trusting relationships with the children. The children benefit from good daily routines that provide structure to their lives. Children feel safe and have confidence in staff’s abilities.

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

Safeguarding concerns are managed well. All staff spoken with have a good understanding of safeguarding procedures and the whistle-blowing policy. Any concerns are reported promptly and appropriately.

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

All the children have individual detailed plans and risk assessments. Staff ensure that the children’s views are obtained and included in these plans. This results in children feeling listened to and that their opinions are valued. These comprehensive plans help staff to understand the children’s needs and provide effective guidance.

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

Improvements have been made to the procedures followed when a child goes missing from the home. Staff continue to work in partnership with the police and are proactive in searching for the child. At the last inspection, a recommendation was set due to independent return home interviews not consistently being evidenced. Now, on the child’s safe return, the manager ensures that the independent interview is requested and carried out within the necessary time frame.

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

The risk assessment of the local area is regularly reviewed and of good quality. The manager has included information shared by the local police officer. This assessment provides detailed guidance of any risks in the local community. Staff use this knowledge to help the children to understand these risks and recognise any potential dangers.

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

Staff hold regular fire drills in the home. However, there have been delays in children being shown the actions to take. Two children did not take part in an evacuation for four weeks after moving into the home.

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

Staff are skilful at calming incidents. The use of physical interventions has recently reduced. When physical intervention is required for safety reasons, the incidents are recorded promptly. However, staff are not consistently receiving a debrief within the required time frame. On one occasion, there was a delay in obtaining the views of the child. This may hinder effective review and the implementation of strategies to prevent reoccurrence.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager is dedicated and has high aspirations for the children. She holds a relevant level 5 qualification. She is supported by the deputy manager, who is also suitably qualified. They work well together and are respected by the staff. Staff describe them as ‘amazing’, ‘extremely supportive’ and ‘very child focused’. Inspection report children’s home: 1224093 5 Staff morale is very good. The core staff team has remained the same since the last inspection. This ensures that children receive consistent care from staff who know and understand them well.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff have a structured induction and complete the home’s mandatory training during this induction period. Additional specific training to meet children’s individual needs has been sourced. Staff are supported to gain a suitable level 3 qualification. Children benefit from being cared for by well-trained staff.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has a good understanding of the progress achieved and any areas requiring development. Targets are set and reports evidence the positive impact that the care has on the children’s development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has excellent communication with social workers and other professionals. A social worker said:

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

‘Communication is faultless. I cannot speak more highly of the manager and the staff team. The manager encourages professionals to work together, she is transparent in her practice and reports are of a good standard.’

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

This high level of partnership working enables all the professionals around the children to recognise and meet their needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Supervision is effective, and monthly staff meetings ensure that the staff are supported. Alongside this, staff benefit from having regular meetings with the provider’s therapist. These meetings explore group dynamics, aspirations and progress made, and they aid staff to share and develop their practice further.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has met the one requirement and one recommendation raised at the last inspection. Inspection report children’s home: 1224093 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

If the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005(1) applies to the home—

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Requirement Due date

the registered person must ensure that the requirements of that Order and any regulations made under it, except for article 23 (duties of employees), are complied with in respect of the home. (Regulation 25 (2)(b))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, ensure that children who are new to the home are made aware of the evacuation procedure. 6 January 2023

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Requirement Due date

within 48 hours of the use of the measure, the registered person, or a person who is authorised by the registered person to do so (“the authorised person”)—

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Requirement Due date

has spoken to the user about the measure; and

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Requirement Due date

has signed the record to confirm it is accurate; and

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Requirement Due date

within 5 days of the use of the measure, the registered person or the authorised person adds to the record confirmation that they have spoken to the child about the measure. (Regulation 35 (3)(b)(i)(ii)(c)) 6 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 children’s home: 1224093 7

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspector

Lynne Drage, Social Care Inspector Inspection report children’s home: 1224093 8 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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