Children's Home run by Keys Care Limited in Lincolnshire

Inspection report for children's home: SC370899 1 SC370899 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

The home is privately owned. It is registered to provide care for up to four children with emotional and social difficulties.

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Information about this children’s home

The manager has not applied to register. The home has not had a registered manager since 6 December 2021.

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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 inadequate

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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

Overall judgement at last inspection: requires improvement to be good

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requires improvement to be good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: SC370899 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

25/05/2021 Full Requires improvement to be good 12/02/2020 Full Outstanding 18/12/2018 Full Outstanding 08/11/2017 Full Good Inspection report for children's home: SC370899 3

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improvement to be good

This is the first full inspection of the home since it reopened in July 2022. The home has been judged as requires improvement because of shortfalls in the management oversight of children’s care. One child was receiving care that was inappropriate to her age and stage of development. There has also been a considerable delay in the appointment of a manager and for them to apply to become registered. These concerns are currently being addressed by leaders and managers.

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improvement to be good

Despite the shortfalls, children are making progress. The home is maintained to a high standard following a recent refurbishment and there is a relaxed family atmosphere. Children have good routines. The manager and staff prioritise education, with the children attending school every day. They are achieving well with their formal learning and one child has received a very good school report this year. This helps children to improve their confidence and self-esteem.

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improvement to be good

The manager and staff support children to take part in their care planning. Children have access to their records and attend important meetings where their views are shared. There has been some good practice with one child who has additional learning needs. She has been provided with visual resources which have helped to structure her time and reduce anxiety about her daily routine.

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improvement to be good

When new children move to the home, they settle well and soon enjoy a range of new experiences. They are supported to visit places of interest and take part in sports and leisure activities of their choice. All children have become enthusiastic about going swimming and they support each other’s progress. This shared interest has helped children to develop positive relationships with each other.

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improvement to be good

The staff have helped children to strengthen their relationships further through ‘teatime chats’. These sessions are a particular strength and offer children the opportunity to talk about friendship and reflect on their own behaviours in a supportive way. As a result, children are beginning to build emotional intelligence and develop their ability to make friends. One child said that staff have taught her ‘how to show respect to others’.

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improvement to be good

Children are in good health. They are supported to attend routine appointments. When new health needs emerge, staff respond well and ensure that children received timely medical attention or assessment.

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improvement to be good

Overall, the manager and staff understand the risks and vulnerabilities to individual children. Risk management plans contain relevant information about known risks Inspection report for children's home: SC370899 4 and there are appropriate measures in place to mitigate them. However, there has also been practice which is not consistent with keeping children safe. This has left one child at increased risk of harm.

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improvement to be good

Children have trusted adults they can talk to and enjoy spending time with. They can share their worries, knowing that staff will listen to them. Children say they feel safe in their home, and when they are online. Staff undertake direct work with children regarding a range of issues, which helps them to understand risks and ways to keep themselves safe.

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improvement to be good

The staff use their experience and training to manage children’s behaviour effectively. There have been very few incidents now that children have settled into the home and their relationships have become more established. Overall, incidents are managed well and recorded in detail. Managers provide child-centred evaluations which identify any areas for development. This minimises the use of inappropriate behaviour management strategies which can harm children.

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improvement to be good

Managers and staff ensure that any concerns about children are addressed in a timely way. Allegations are investigated and the appropriate safeguarding professionals are informed to ensure transparency of practice. Outcomes are recorded clearly, and actions are taken to ensure that children and staff are supported throughout these processes. This means that children’s concerns are taken seriously and steps are taken to prevent them from harm.

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improvement to be good

Children do not go missing from the home. However, there are protocols in place for each child should this situation arise. This will enable the staff to work with other agencies to ensure that children are returned to the home as soon as possible.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

There has not been a registered manager at the home for almost 12 months. The acting manager has not progressed her registration application with Ofsted in a reasonable timeframe. This has led to unnecessary delay in the home having permanent management arrangements.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The manager has not demonstrated a good understanding of her safeguarding responsibilities. She has not provided sufficient direction and oversight in relation to children’s care and risk management plans. For one child, practice had become routine over a long period of time. This practice had not been shared with the child’s social worker or regularly reviewed with the child and staff. A risk assessment was not updated for another child when important new information came to the manager’s attention. This lack of oversight has the potential to leave children at increased risk of harm. It also leaves staff without clear guidance about managing risk.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The responsible individual and a supporting manager are currently addressing the concerns about practice in the home. They are providing strong leadership to the team. Investigations have taken place and immediate actions implemented to Inspection report for children's home: SC370899 5 address the identified shortfalls. The home now has increased management oversight while the longer-term changes in practice are implemented. This has reassured Ofsted that children are safe.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

The existing staff team is going through a period of transition. Many of the staff have worked for the provider for several years and know the children well. Some staff are leaving and new staff joining. New staff have been welcomed into the team and are receiving a thorough induction. Agency staff are working in the home to support while there are vacancies. Leaders and managers ensure that all agency workers are safely recruited and receive an induction into the home. Recruitment is ongoing to ensure the home has permanent staff as soon as possible. The staff ensure that children have support with their feelings of loss and uncertainty during these staff changes.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

All staff receive supervision, training and development, which includes reflection on children’s needs and professional and personal issues. The responsible individual has ensured that there is a focus on professional conduct, boundaries and whistle- blowing, considering recent concerns raised about practice. Following inspection, managers have plans to implement supervision agreements so that staff are clear about the role and purpose of supervision.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: inadequate

External professionals have confidence in the care provided. They say that communication is good and meetings are well attended by the manager and staff. As a result, important information about children’s progress is shared and can be monitored by external agencies. Inspection report for children's home: SC370899 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

In meeting the quality standards, the registered person must, and must ensure that staff—

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Requirement Due date

seek to involve each child’s placing authority effectively in the child’s care, in accordance with the child’s relevant plans. (Regulation 5(a))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to ensuring that all aspects of children’s care plans are shared and reviewed regularly with social workers and other relevant professionals. 20 December 2022

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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— that staff—

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Requirement Due date

have the skills to identify and act upon signs that a child is at risk of harm;

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Requirement Due date

that the home’s day -to -day care is arranged and delivered so as to keep each child safe and to protect each child effectively from harm. (Regulation 12 (1) (2)(a)(iii)(b))

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Requirement Due date

This specifically relates to providing staff with ongoing training and development so that they understand their safeguarding responsibilities and are alert to any concerning practice in the home. It also relates to ensuring that staff have the knowledge, skills and confidence to challenge practice when it is not in the best interests of the child or could place children at increased risk of harm. 20 December 2022

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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 20 December 2022 Inspection report for children's home: SC370899 7 promotes their welfare.

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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 work as a team where appropriate;

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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;

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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. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(b)(f)(h))

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Requirement Due date

The registered provider must appoint a person to manage the children’s home if—

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Requirement Due date

there is no registered manager in respect of the home; and

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Requirement Due date

is an organisation or a partnership. (Regulation 27 (1)(a)(b)(i))

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Requirement Due date

This relates to ensuring the manager applies to register with Ofsted without further delay. 21 February 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: SC370899 8

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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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Inspector

Laura Walker, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: SC370899 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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