Old Rectory Cottage

Inspection report for children’s home: SC429011 1 SC429011 Registered provider: Keys Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

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

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since October 2021 and is working towards the required qualification for the role.

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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

Date of last inspection: 18 January 2022

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC429011 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

18/01/2022 Full Good 31/07/2019 Full Good 24/04/2018 Full Good 14/08/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children’s home: SC429011 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

At the time of this inspection, two children were living in the home.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The registered manager ensured that the children were appropriately matched to live together. When another child’s placement ended in an unplanned way, the registered manager took appropriate action to keep the child safe during their move.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff build good relationships with the children. One child new to the home told the inspector that the staff are ‘brilliant’.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Staff encourage the children to develop their independence skills.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children are making progress in their education. This is particularly evident for children who arrive at the home having not attended school for extended periods. The registered manager is proactive in ensuring that a school is identified before children move in and that good links are maintained between the home and the children’s schools.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There is an emphasis on helping children to stay healthy. For one child, the care provided by the staff to promote their health has led to significant improvements in their physical and emotional well-being.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The staff ensure that children are offered normal childhood experiences. For example, children attend community clubs such as karate. Consequently, children enjoy living at this home and have fun experiences.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Children live in a homely, pleasant environment. Children can decorate their bedrooms when they arrive and are encouraged to personalise their own space. However, the presence of animals in the home has not been assessed to address hygiene concerns.

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

Safeguarding children is an important topic that the registered manager regularly discusses with the staff. For example, the registered manager holds quizzes in team meetings that cover various subjects related to safeguarding.

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

Staff are proactive in educating children on the dangers of substance misuse. They provide information and seek the support of key agencies to reduce the risks.

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

Staff are aware of plans to keep children safe and can demonstrate they have read and understood plans to reduce children’s risks. However, staff do not always follow plans to keep children safe when they go missing from the home and ensure that records capture all the action taken to locate the child. Inspection report for children’s home: SC429011 4 Staff are recruited using safer recruitment practice, ensuring they are fully vetted before working in the home.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Regular staff meetings and individual supervisions contribute to staff feeling informed, supported and valued. Newly appointed staff are supported by more experienced staff until they have built their confidence and have received their induction and completed all required training.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager’s monitoring systems ensure that oversight of the children’s care is effective.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Ongoing staff learning is embedded in their professional development. For example, although staff have the appropriate training to meet one child’s health needs, this was tested through a skills audit to ensure that staff remained confident in their support of the child.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Feedback from professionals is very positive. There is recognition of how the staff have built strong relationships with the children and are proactive in their response to children’s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager swiftly investigates incidents involving staff. However, there are weaknesses in the policy around repeated poor practice. Inspection report for children’s home: SC429011 5

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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 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

take effective action whenever there is a serious concern about a child’s welfare; and

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Requirement Due date

that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed, furnished and maintained so as to protect each child from avoidable hazards to the child’s health. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(vi)(d))

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Requirement Due date

This refers to addressing hygiene concerns and ensuring the action taken by children go missing from care is recorded. 31 January 2023

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Recommendation

 The registered person is responsible for maintaining good employment practice. They must ensure that performance management of staff safeguards children and minimises potential risks to them. In particular, ensure an effective policy is in place to address misconduct. (‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’, page 61, paragraph 13.1) Inspection report for children’s home: SC429011 6

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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: SC429011 7

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Children’s home details

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

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Inspectors

Sara Stoker, Social Care Inspector Mike Simmonds, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children’s home: SC429011 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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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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Inspectors

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