Children's Home run by Keys Specialist Residential Children's Services Ltd in Worcestershire

Inspection report for children’s home: SC481312 1 SC481312 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

The home is owned by a private company and is registered to provide care for up to three children with complex emotional needs.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has been registered with Ofsted since June 2020.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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outstanding

How well children and young people are helped and protected outstanding

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outstanding

The effectiveness of leaders and managers outstanding

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outstanding

The children’s home provides highly effective services that consistently exceed the standards of good. The actions of the children’s home contribute to significantly improved outcomes and positive experiences for children and young people who need help, protection and care.

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outstanding

Date of last inspection: 2 November 2021

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outstanding

Overall judgement at last inspection: good

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outstanding

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children’s home: SC481312 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

02/11/2021 Full Good 06/11/2019 Full Good 12/06/2018 Full Good 28/02/2018 Interim Sustained effectiveness Inspection report for children’s home: SC481312 3

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outstanding

Three children live in the home and have all lived here for a considerable amount of time. Children receive high-quality care that makes them feel valued and secure. Every child has made significant and meaningful progress from their starting points.

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outstanding

Children are very positive about living in the home and say that the best thing about living there is how the staff look after them. One child described the staff as ‘amazing’. It is a home where care for everyone is promoted. Staff and children celebrate and cherish their individual and shared successes. These positive relationships and experiences have resulted in children living in the home for some time and developing a sense of security and belonging. The children make excellent progress in important aspects of their lives.

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outstanding

Relationships between staff and children are warm, affectionate and loving. Staff are continually curious about, and reflect on, how they can help children grow in all areas of their development. Children can say how the staff who care for them have made a difference. One child said that ‘The staff have stuck with me through some difficult times. They have my back no matter what I do.’

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outstanding

Children’s views are highly valued by staff and managers. Managers concentrate on developing consultation with children. These developments improve how well children’s views influence the care and support that they receive. Children have multiple opportunities to have their say. Children share and talk about their achievements, reflect on events and learn how to manage conflict. These opportunities provide valuable life experiences for children to learn how to communicate and listen effectively.

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outstanding

Staff promote the value of education and learning. The support and encouragement for children to engage in education is exceptional. Staff advocate for children to have the best opportunities. Staff are ambitious for children and have offered them extensive support to ensure that their individual needs are met. When children are unable to attend school, staff are proactive in securing an alternative provision. At times, this has required a tenacious challenge to the local authority.

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outstanding

Managers and staff are committed to making sure that children get the best from the time they spend with their families. The support is exceptional and described by one social worker as ‘way beyond their duties’ when enabling one child to maintain contact with their family. An inclusive approach supports children to maintain positive relationships with their families and people who are important to them. One parent told the inspector: ‘The staff are amazing. It’s like having an extended family. There is nowhere else I would rather my child live.’ Inspection report for children’s home: SC481312 4

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outstanding

Children are safe and said that they feel safe. As a result of the close and nurturing relationships that children have with staff, they feel able to share their worries and concerns. Staff are clear about their responsibilities to protect children. The manager has an effective system for recording, reporting and monitoring safeguarding concerns.

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outstanding

Liaison with professionals, such as the local authority designated officer and social workers, is effective. Information is shared swiftly with them to avoid delay and ensure that children are protected from harm. The manager takes guidance from these professionals, and they work together to ensure that children are safe. Safeguarding records are comprehensive. They detail the outcome of any concern as well as further actions staff need to be aware of.

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outstanding

Each child has a wealth of documentation about their needs, challenges and potential risks. Staff create comprehensive risk assessments together with the children, who help to determine which strategies staff can use that will help them to keep them safe. Staff monitor these plans effectively and keep them under review so that they evolve as the children’s needs change.

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outstanding

Staff successfully support children to reduce the amount of risk they put themselves in. Children become significantly safer living in this home, and they develop a very good understanding of risk, which helps them to mature and develop independence. This awareness is embedded in the staff’s day-to-day work, which reduces and minimises the risks for children effectively.

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outstanding

When children go missing from the home, staff talk to them to ascertain the cause of this and the support they need so that it does not happen again. Robust protocols provide staff with clear direction about what to do if a child goes missing. Staff search extensively for children and liaise with the local police until they are found. Because of the exceptionally positive relationships with children, staff feel comfortable to express their concerns and worries to them when they have been missing, which shows a very real and nurturing response. An independent person always comes to talk to the children when they return home.

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outstanding

Staff approach to supporting children who self-harm is highly nurturing and caring. Staff are comfortable talking to the children and gently challenge them to consider the effect this may have on them. Staff help children to work through their emotions and to talk more openly about their worries. This positive practice supports children to make significant progress.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

A suitably qualified and experienced manager leads the staff team. The manager keeps the children at the heart of all he does. He is inspirational and ambitious for the children and ensures that this ethos spreads through the entire staff team. The Inspection report for children’s home: SC481312 5 manager creates an open and inclusive culture that places children at the centre of practice. He values and promotes good teamwork well. As a result, children build positive relationships with the staff, whose skilled and caring practice increases the bonds between them.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager has good knowledge of children’s starting points and what they have accomplished since living at the home. Management oversight and monitoring processes are highly effective, with exceptional auditing tools. As a result, the manager has a good insight into the home’s strengths and areas for development.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager and staff have outstanding motivation and enthusiasm. They strive to provide positive outcomes for children and improve the operation of the home. Leadership, management and staff cohesion are clear strengths and ensure the safety and welfare of children. Strategic reviews of all incidents in the home provide constant evaluation of staff practice and highlight children’s changing needs. Staff supervision and focused team meetings are effective management tools and address areas for development and effective staff practice. These processes ensure that staff provide good-quality care to children as set out in the home’s statement of purpose.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

The manager takes responsibility for his own learning and development, including keeping up to date with new initiatives and research specific to the children’s individualised needs. For example, the manager has implemented personalised care plans around children’s diagnoses using theory-based models of practice. This strengthens staff’s understanding of the children’s needs, which ultimately improves the quality of care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: outstanding

Very positive relationships with other agencies support children effectively. Social workers speak highly of the quality of care provided and the standards of communication maintained by staff. One social worker said: ‘They offer fantastic opportunities for children. They really do advocate, promote and empower children. [X] feels like they now matter and have a purpose. [X] always tells me how lucky they are to live there and how glad they are that they chose them.’ Inspection report for children’s home: SC481312 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: SC481312 7

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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: SC481312 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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Inspector

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